> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guides.smolcompute.xyz/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guides.smolcompute.xyz/1/formatter/quick-start.md).

# Quick Start

## 🪜 Steps

This tool is pretty straightforward to use:

1. Download your trades (csv or xlsx file) from your exchange(s).
2. Copy everything *but* the header row.
3. In the smol Formatter, go to the sheet labeled with the name of the exchange and paste everything in the first table. The formatter spits out your reformatted trades in the second table.
4. Quickly make sure everything looks good.
5. Copy everything in the second table and **paste formula results (Cmd+Shift+F)** into the **🗂TRADE LOG.**
6. In the Trade Log click on the header of the “Date” column, and choose **“Sort Ascending”.** This will make sure all your trades are sorted chronologically. This is important as the order of your trades affects the computation of your cost basis and PnL calculation (e.g., you obviously can’t sell something you haven’t already bought, so the smol Portfolio Tracker will display an error if your trades are not ordered chronologically). Once you’ve done that, you add them to your Portfolio Tracker.
7. When you are done, delete the data in the first table. 

{% hint style="danger" %}
Never delete anything in the second table as you will delete formulas. 

The table will reset itself when you wipe the first table clean. 
{% endhint %}

## ☝️Best Practices

{% hint style="info" %}

### Regularity

How often you export your trades is entirely up to you and should match your trading style. If you are more of a "buy and hold" type of trader, maybe you only need to update your portfolio every couple months. If you trade everyday, perhaps you will want to update your portfolio once every morning, or once every night. I personally do it every Monday. 

Whatever you choose, I recommend picking a routine and sticking to it as regularity can simplify things. You can, for example, choose the **"Yesterday",** or the **"Last Month"** option on export, which will save you the trouble of manually checking where you last export ended. 
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}

### The Trade Log

The 🗂 **TRADE LOG** is a great place to… log your full, multi-year trading history (for all exchanges).

I highly recommend against using the exchange's sheet as a place to keep your full trading history as it contains live formulas. It's best practices to reformat new trades when you export them from your exchange, add these new trades to your TRADE LOG, and wipe the exchange's sheet clean when you are done.  

If your trades are already sorted chronologically, you can of course choose to skip the TRADE LOG and simply paste formula results into the smol Portfolio Tracker. However, I still recommend getting into the habit of adding your trades to the TRADE LOG as it can serve as a useful backup.
{% endhint %}


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