How to export trades from NinjaTrader and import them into Tradezella

NinjaTrader stores your completed trades in its own format, and Tradezella reads a different one. To move your trade history between them, you export from NinjaTrader as a CSV file, then upload that file to Tradezella. The process takes about five minutes and does not require any special software — both platforms handle the file conversion themselves.

The steps differ slightly depending on which version of NinjaTrader you use, and Tradezella occasionally updates its import screen. This guide covers NinjaTrader 8 (the current version) and the standard Tradezella import flow as of now. If you use NinjaTrader 7 or an older release, the export menu may be in a different location, but the file format remains the same.

Key Takeaways

  • NinjaTrader exports trades as a CSV file through the Cbi menu, and you can filter by date range or account before exporting.
  • Tradezella accepts CSV files directly and maps the columns automatically, so you do not need to reformat the data yourself.
  • The export includes entry price, exit price, quantity, and timestamp, but not commissions or slippage unless you manually add those columns in NinjaTrader first.
  • If the import fails, check that your CSV file is not open in another program and that you are uploading the correct file type.

Exporting your trade history from NinjaTrader 8

Open NinjaTrader and navigate to the Cbi menu at the top of the screen. Select Closed Trades from the dropdown. A window will open showing all your completed trades, sorted by close date.

Filter the trades you want to export by using the date fields at the top of the window. Click the calendar icon next to From Date and To Date to set your range. If you want only trades from a specific account, use the Account dropdown to narrow the list. Once you have selected the trades you need, right-click anywhere in the trade list and choose Export to File.

A save dialog will open. Choose a location on your computer where you can find the file again — your Desktop or Downloads folder works well. NinjaTrader will name the file automatically (usually something like "ClosedTrades.csv"). Do not change the file extension to anything other than .csv. Click Save.

Preparing your CSV file for Tradezella

Open the CSV file you just saved in a text editor or spreadsheet program to check its contents. You should see columns for Entry Time, Exit Time, Entry Price, Exit Price, Quantity, and Profit/Loss. Tradezella can read all of these columns, so in most cases you do not need to edit anything.

If you want to include commissions or slippage in your import, you can add those as extra columns in the CSV file before uploading. Open the file in Excel or Google Sheets, add a new column header (such as "Commission" or "Slippage"), and enter the values for each trade. Save the file as CSV again. Tradezella will recognize these columns during import and explore them to your trade records.

Do not delete or rename the core columns that NinjaTrader created — Tradezella needs those to match the data correctly. If you are unsure whether a column is necessary, leave it in place.

Uploading the file to Tradezella

Log into your Tradezella account and go to the Import section. This is usually found in the main menu under Settings or Tools, depending on which version of Tradezella you are using. Click Import Trades or Upload CSV.

A file browser will open. Navigate to the CSV file you exported from NinjaTrader and select it. Click Open or Upload. Tradezella will read the file and show you a preview of the trades it found. Check that the entry and exit prices, quantities, and dates all look correct.

If the preview looks right, click Confirm Import or Import Trades. Tradezella will add these trades to your account. The process usually completes within a few seconds. Once it is done, you can view your imported trades in the main trade log.

What happens if the import fails

If Tradezella shows an error message, the most common cause is that the CSV file is still open in another program. Close Excel, Google Sheets, or any text editor that has the file open, then try uploading again.

Another common issue is uploading a file that is not actually a CSV. If you saved the file as .xlsx (Excel format) or .txt by mistake, Tradezella will reject it. Go back to your file, open it in a spreadsheet program, and use Save As to save it as CSV format. Then upload the corrected file.

If the file uploads but shows no trades, check that the NinjaTrader export actually contained trades. Go back to NinjaTrader, verify that your date range and account filter were set correctly, and export again. An empty export file will upload without error but will not add any trades to Tradezella.

Checking your imported trades in Tradezella

After a successful import, open your trade log in Tradezella and look for the trades you just uploaded. They should appear with the same entry and exit prices, quantities, and timestamps as they had in NinjaTrader. Tradezella may calculate profit and loss slightly differently if you added commission or slippage columns, so verify a few trades by hand to make sure the math is correct.

If you notice that some trades are missing or have incorrect data, do not delete them from Tradezella yet. Go back to NinjaTrader and check whether those trades actually exist in the Closed Trades list. If they do, export them again and upload a new file. Tradezella will usually skip trades that are already in your account, so you can safely re-upload without creating duplicates.

Importing trades from multiple accounts or time periods

If you trade across several NinjaTrader accounts or want to import trades from different years separately, you can export and upload multiple CSV files. Each export can cover a different account or date range. straightforward repeat the export and import steps for each file.

Tradezella will add all the trades to the same account in your Tradezella profile unless you set up separate Tradezella accounts for each trading account. If you want to keep your trades organized by account, create a new Tradezella account for each one and import the corresponding CSV file into each.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import trades that are still open in NinjaTrader?

No. NinjaTrader only exports closed trades through the Cbi menu. Open trades remain in NinjaTrader until you close them. Once you close a trade, it will appear in the Closed Trades list and can be exported on your next import.

Will importing trades overwrite my existing Tradezella data?

No. Tradezella adds imported trades to your account without removing anything that is already there. If you import the same trade twice by accident, Tradezella will usually recognize the duplicate and skip it, though this depends on your Tradezella version.

What if my NinjaTrader trades have different symbols or formats than Tradezella expects?

Tradezella is flexible with symbol formats and will accept most ticker names that NinjaTrader uses. If a trade does not import, check that the symbol column in your CSV file contains the actual symbol (like "ES" or "NQ") and not a full contract name. You can edit the CSV file in a spreadsheet program to fix this before uploading.

Can I import trades from NinjaTrader 7 the same way?

The export process is similar but the menu location may differ. In NinjaTrader 7, look for Tools instead of Cbi, then find Export Trades. The resulting CSV file will work with Tradezella the same way as a NinjaTrader 8 export.

How long does the import take?

The upload itself takes a few seconds, but the time depends on how many trades are in your file. A file with 100 trades usually imports in under 10 seconds. Very large files (1,000+ trades) may take a minute or two, but Tradezella will show a progress indicator while it works.