User Companion for Thinkorswim Helpful Resources 2 Introduction Part I Learning to Swim the Thinkorswim® Application Is a Robust Trading Platform for Trading U.S
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What you’ll find in thinkManual Introduction 1 Helpful resources 2 Part I Learning to swim How to buy an option 3 How to sell an option 6 thinkManual Part II How to navigate and research Pages within thinkorswim 8 Navigational shortcuts 9 User Companion Linking 10 Left Sidebar 11 for thinkorswim Analyze Page 17 Scan Page 22 MarketWatch Page 25 Charts Page 31 Tools Page 39 Help Page 42 Part III How to trade and watch Monitor Page 43 Trade Page 48 Part IV Paper trading thinkOnDemand 65 paperMoney 66 What you’ll find in thinkManual thinkManual Introduction 1 User companion for thinkorswim Helpful resources 2 Introduction Part I Learning to swim The thinkorswim® application is a robust trading platform for trading U.S. equities and options How to buy an option 3 in U.S. Dollar margin accounts. It provides access to professional-level trading tools to help you How to sell an option 6 spot opportunities, react quickly and manage risk. Part II Designed with the trader in mind, thinkorswim delivers an intuitive trading interface that you How to navigate and research can customize to support your trading strategy. Pages within thinkorswim 8 This manual will help you to harness the power of thinkorswim by taking full advantage of its Navigational shortcuts 9 comprehensive suite of trading tools. Linking 10 Left Sidebar 11 Analyze Page 17 Extra help & support Scan Page 22 Information contained throughout this manual in tinted boxes provides helpful hints and MarketWatch Page 25 tips about trading terms or platform features. Use them to deepen your understanding Charts Page 31 of the platform as you go. Tools Page 39 Help Page 42 Part III Contact Information How to trade and watch Monitor Page 43 TD Direct Investing (24/7 Support) thinkorswim dedicated support desk Trade Page 48 1-800-465-5463 1-877-348-6722 [email protected] Part IV Paper trading thinkOnDemand 65 paperMoney 66 1 What you’ll find in thinkManual Going forward Introduction 1 Helpful resources 2 This manual provides quick answers to the most Mac users. Important information. Part I common questions investors have about navigating thinkorswim is designed to work seamlessly with PCs and Learning to swim thinkorswim and how to get the most out of the wide Mac, however, there are some differences in functionality How to buy an option 3 variety of trading tools. How to sell an option 6 between the two. When a function calls for a “right- Helpful resources click” and your mouse does not have this feature, you Part II may need to try one of the following: The Help Page is a great, up-to-date resource. Learn How to navigate and research more about the power of thinkorswim through easy- • Hold the Command key while clicking on the software. Pages within thinkorswim 8 to-follow video walkthroughs and webinars. • Hold either the Control or Shift key while clicking. Navigational shortcuts 9 The Chat Rooms allow you to converse with fellow Linking 10 • Try using a two-finger tap on your trackpad. traders, sign up for online educational events, and view Left Sidebar 11 archived seminars on investing and trading. If none of these work, you may need to switch to a Analyze Page 17 mouse with right-click functionality. Scan Page 22 Live Customer Support offers access to friendly, knowledgeable professionals who can answer MarketWatch Page 25 your questions and help you make the most out We’ll be updating the thinkManual as we add new Charts Page 31 of thinkorswim. tools and functionality to thinkorswim. Tools Page 39 Help Page 42 We welcome your feedback on how we can make this resource even better. Please forward your Part III comments to [email protected] How to trade and watch Please Note: All screen shots and examples shown Monitor Page 43 are for illustrative purposes only. Trade Page 48 Part IV Paper trading thinkOnDemand 65 paperMoney 66 2 What you’ll find in thinkManual Part I Introduction 1 Learning to swim – How to buy an option Helpful resources 2 Once you’ve downloaded the thinkorswim software, getting started and making your first trade is Part I Learning to swim easy. Here’s a step-by-step guide on buying and selling options. How to buy an option 3 How to buy an option in five steps How to sell an option 6 Step 1: Log in Step 2: Check your account balance Part II To get to the login screen, launch thinkorswim by You’ll want to monitor your account balance closely, How to navigate and research double-clicking the desktop icon (or find it in your so the thinkorswim platform makes it easy to find your Pages within thinkorswim 8 computer’s applications folder). At the login screen: available buying power, cash and account balances under Account Info. Navigational shortcuts 9 1 Choose Live Trading. Linking 10 Your available trading balance is located under 2 Enter your username and password. Left Sidebar 11 Account Info. 3 Analyze Page 17 Key Ctrl-Shift-Alt T to verify you have selected click to view Scan Page 22 your TD Direct Investing account daily orders MarketWatch Page 25 4 Click Log in Charts Page 31 Tools Page 39 Help Page 42 account balance Part III How to trade and watch positions Monitor Page 43 2. enter user name and password Trade Page 48 1. “Live Trading” Having difficulty reading the screen? You can Part IV change the font size or background colour of the Paper trading software by clicking Configure and adjusting the thinkOnDemand 65 settings until you’re comfortable. paperMoney 66 4. Click Log in What you’ll find in thinkManual Part I Introduction 1 Learning to swim – How to buy an option (continued) Helpful resources 2 Step 3: Enter a buy order Step 4: Adjust your order Part I Learning to swim 1 Click the Trade tab in the top menu. Here you can adjust the quantity of the order, as well as the price and type. When you’re set, click on Confirm How to buy an option 3 2 Enter the symbol in the box in the upper left. and Send. How to sell an option 6 3 Pick the expiration cycle (in this case, July) and left- adjust price click the corresponding blue arrow until it faces down. Part II How to navigate and research 4 Click on the Ask price of the option you want to Pages within thinkorswim 8 buy (or right-click to access other strategies). That Navigational shortcuts 9 will open up the Order Entry Tools screen, with Linking 10 the order ticket already populated. adjust quantity Left Sidebar 11 Analyze Page 17 1. click on trade tab click to send order Scan Page 22 MarketWatch Page 25 Charts Page 31 2. enter symbol Tools Page 39 3. left-click Help Page 42 arrow down Part III How to trade and watch Monitor Page 43 4. double-click on Trade Page 48 offer price Part IV Paper trading thinkOnDemand 65 paperMoney 66 4 What you’ll find in thinkManual Part I Introduction 1 Learning to swim – How to buy an option (continued) Helpful resources 2 Step 5: Confirm and send Part I Learning to swim This is the last step before a trade is sent to the market for How to buy an option 3 execution. After your order ticket opens up, double-check the order for accuracy before clicking SEND. How to sell an option 6 Next step: Part II • To place the order, click SEND. How to navigate and research Pages within thinkorswim 8 • To go back and change the order, click EDIT. edit, delete or send Navigational shortcuts 9 • To cancel the order and start over, click DELETE. Linking 10 Once your order is filled, you’ll hear a chime and a Left Sidebar 11 confirmation box will appear in the upper left-hand Analyze Page 17 corner of your screen, letting you know how many Scan Page 22 contracts were filled and for what price. MarketWatch Page 25 Charts Page 31 Tools Page 39 Help Page 42 Part III How to trade and watch Monitor Page 43 Trade Page 48 Part IV Paper trading thinkOnDemand 65 paperMoney 66 5 What you’ll find in thinkManual Part I Introduction 1 Learning to swim – How to sell an option Helpful resources 2 How to sell an option in four steps Part I Learning to swim Step 1: Locate your position Step 2: Enter the sell order How to buy an option 3 Once you have an open position, you can see how it’s To sell the long option: How to sell an option 6 doing by going to the Monitor Page, which also shows 1 Click the blue dot to the left of your option position, your available capital as well as any orders you have or right-click anywhere on the line. Part II entered that day. To locate your position: How to navigate and research 2 In the drop-down menu, choose 1 Click the blue arrow to the left of your option’s Pages within thinkorswim 8 Create Closing Order. underlying symbol. Navigational shortcuts 9 3 2 In the submenu that pops out to the right, click Sell. Linking 10 View your open position. 4 An order ticket appears at the bottom of your screen Left Sidebar 11 under the Order Entry Tools tab, automatically Analyze Page 17 populated with the current bid as a limit order. Scan Page 22 (Note that the default bid or offer on spreads is MarketWatch Page 25 1.