Trader Workstation

Advanced Trading Tools

Trader Workstation gives you access to a variety of advanced trading tools that support more than 50 order types and algos to accommodate the needs of all traders and all strategies, including:

•           Accumulate/Distribute Algo – Minimize market impact for large orders by slicing the order into increments and buying or selling over time at pre-defined, randomized time intervals.

•           TWS ScaleTrader – Execute large volume orders while minimizing the effects of increasingly deteriorating prices.

•           OptionTrader – View data and manage options orders from a single customizable screen.

•           FXTrader – Trade FOREX markets from an optimized trading interface.

...and many more!

Quick Start Guide

Browser-based or Stand-alone?

You can run TWS directly from your internet browser, or download the application to your desktop and run it from your PC. If you have a broadband connection, we recommend running the browser-based version of TWS, since this requires minimal maintenance and ensures that you are always running the latest release.

If you use a dial-up connection, we suggest downloading the TWS standalone version and running it from your desktop, as this may result in better performance.

Note that you must have Internet access in order to receive market data and submit orders, regardless of whether you are running TWS from the browser or from your desktop.

BROWSER-BASED LOGIN

STAND-ALONE DOWNLOAD

Log In

Once your account has been approved and funded, you'll be able to successfully log in to the Trader Workstation.

To log in to the browser-based version, from the Login menu select Trader Workstation. In the Login box, enter your username and password, and click Login.

 To log in to the standalone version, double-click the TWS icon on your desktop, enter your username and password, and click Login.

Add Market Data

TWS supports direct-access trading for options, futures, forex, stocks, bonds and funds. It's easy to add market data to your trading window. To view real-time data, you must log in to Account Management and select your market data subscriptions from the Trading Access menu. Products to which you do not subscribe will display delayed data if allowed by the exchange.

1.         Click in a blank line, enter an underlying symbol and hit Enter.

2.         Choose a product. For assets that require you to define or select an asset class, select the expiration month and year.

3.         In the Contract Selection box, highlight the contract(s) you want to add and click OK.

Hint: Use the filters in the left pane to limit selections that are shown in the right pane.

4.         Continue to add ticker lines to your trading window. Choose SMART as the routing destination to get best-price execution through IB SmartRoutingSM.

Submit An Order

Click in the bid or ask price for a specific contract to instantly create an order directly below the ticker line.

•           Click the Ask price of an asset to create a BUY order.

•           Click the Bid price of an asset to create a SELL order.

Adjust the order price, order type, quantity and time in force as necessary.

To transmit the order, click the "T" in the Status field. To remove the order, use the right-click menu and select Discard.

Monitor Account Activity

Click the Account icon on the Trading toolbar to open the Account window. This window shows real-time balances, margin requirements, buying power, P&L, market values, portfolio details and more for your account.

View Trades

View real-time trade reports listed line by line, and netted by contract.

Click the Trades icon on the Trading toolbar to open the real-time Trades window. This displays daily execution reports, including those completed during after-hours trading. For orders with multiple legs, or orders that execute portions at different prices or on different exchanges, click the "+" sign to the left of the execution to see details. Use the Settings menu to enable blinking notification of executions.

Configure Features

To configure features, on the Edit menu select Global Configuration. Use the left pane to navigate to different TWS features, use the right pane to configure them.