Grid mode is purpose-built for active stock and futures traders on the desktop trading platform. With Grid Mode, you can view multiple charts and quickly enter and adjust orders through interaction with the displayed charts.
Sections
Where is Grid mode located?
Navigate to the Trade Tab and select Grid
To access Grid mode on the desktop trading platform, navigate to the Trade tab and select GRID from the Trade Mode dropdown menu or click the button if displayed.
Location of Grid mode button
What can I trade with Grid mode?
Currently, with Grid mode, you can trade the following products:
- Stocks/ETFs
- Outright Smalls Contracts
- Outright CME Futures
How do I customize my Grid view?
Choose the number of charts to display
You can customize the number of charts that display in Grid mode by adjusting the number of columns and rows displayed. You can customize the Grid view by clicking the UP or DOWN arrows in the top right corner of the tab window.
To maximize the number of charts available, collapse the right-hand sidebar. To learn how to hide the right-hand sidebar, please click here. Additionally, you can decrease the zoom level of your platform to allow for additional charts. To learn how to adjust your platform zoom settings, please click here.
Please Note: The number of columns and rows of charts is dependent on various factors such as your monitor’s size, resolution, scaling, etc. When you reach the display limit, the number in the column and row will no longer advance.
Location of Column and Row adjustment controls
How to disable Trading Controls to only view charts
By default, the Grid mode will display an order ticket beneath the chart. However, you can hide the order ticket and only view charts by unchecking the Show Trading Controls box.
Location of Show Trade Controls
When unchecked, the order ticket beneath the chart does not display so you can view multiple charts without an order ticket displayed beneath the chart.
Example of charts in Grid mode without Trade Controls displayed
How do I customize my Chart view?
Within each Grid chart, you can choose between three different time aggregations, time intervals, and adjust your zoom settings (orange box).
- One minute: One day (1D)
- Six-hour: One month (1M)
- One week: One year (1Y)
Additionally, you can adjust your y-axis by clicking and dragging up or down (red box) to expand or compress the y-axis display. Lastly, you can expand the chart by clicking the outward pointing arrow located to the right of the quoted last price (yellow box). When expanded, the grid box will appear in a separate window.
Please Note: During this initial release, the only chart indicator visible at this time is Volume. The ability to add additional chart indicators and drawings will be released with future updates to the platform.
Location of chart time aggregations, area for y-axis adjustments, and chart expansion.
How do I place a trade in Grid mode?
Enter an order visually through the chart
You can quickly line up a limit order by placing your cursor on the chart, right-clicking, then selecting Start Limit Order. The process of entering an order through the chart is illustrated in the animation below.
- Enter the symbol in the symbol field, located in the top left corner of the chart, to load the symbol's quote.
- Place your cursor in the chart and right-click.
- Select Start Limit Order.
- The cursor will display a price based on where the cursor lies on the Y-axis. The price next to the cursor will turn red when the price is above the spot price or turn green at or below the spot price.
- After indicating a price, click on the chart again and the price will list in the Limit Order field beneath the chart.
Animated demonstration of placing a limit order from a Grid mode chart - To review your order before routing the trade, click REVIEW.
- After clicking Review, you can review your order details (green box) and select the account you wish to route the order in (yellow arrow).
Order Review window, with arrow pointing to account selection tool - After sending the order, your working order will display in the chart (yellow arrow). If you are routing an order away from the displayed price range, then you may need to select a different time interval or compress your y-axis to see your working order presented in the chart.
Arrow pointing to working order on chart
Enter an order manually, based on order settings
Grid mode also enables you to quickly enter orders manually based on your order settings. You can set different order settings within each Grid box before entering an order. You can set the order type, price offset, and set the order as a buy or a sell order.
Order settings within the Trade Controls
Available Order Types (orange box)
- Limit
- Market
- Stop-Limit
- Stop Market
Price Offset (yellow box)
Price offset amounts will vary based on the product you are trading. Offsets are designed to help you quickly enter orders at different price increments away from the current market price so that you don't have to calculate it manually. Price offsets work differently for a buy or sell order. When setting a price offset for an order to BUY, the selected offset will display a price subtracted from the ASK price. On the other hand, when setting a price offset for an order to SELL, the selected offset will display a price added to the current BID price. Both the bid and the ask price conveniently display above the order settings.
Buy/Sell (green box)
To change between a buy or sell order click order action (green arrow) to change. The order action (BTO, STO, BTC, STC) will adjust accordingly.
How to replace a working order on Grid Mode
Whenever you place an order using Grid mode, the working order will appear on the chart in Grid mode.
Working orders for stocks, ETFs, outright Smalls contracts, and outright futures contracts will display in any chart in the platform displaying the underlying.
Example of a working order displayed in the Chart when using Grid mode
Quickly adjust the price of any working order by left-clicking to select the working order. Once selected, you can click and drag the order up to increase the price or down to decrease the price of the order, as illustrated in the animation below. If you wish to adjust the quantity of the order, then you must cancel the working order and create another with the desired quantity.
Animated example of adjusting the price of a working order.
How to Cancel a Working Order in Grid Mode
To cancel a working order using Grid mode, or any chart that displaying your working order, start by locating the working order and clicking on it. Once selected, click the orange X and the order will cancel and be removed from the chart.
Location of Cancel Order after selecting the order from a Grid mode chart.
How to set a Time-In-Force (TIF) in Grid Mode
You can set a specific Time-In-Force (TIF) for all orders routed through Grid mode. Select your default TIF (Day, GTC, or GTD) on the top right-hand corner of the Grid Mode window, located immediately to the left of the Column and Row display selection.
At this time, GTC and GTD orders are only supported for equity orders. All Smalls and futures orders must route as DAY orders.
Location of Time-In-Force (TIF) menu