How to Import IBKR Trades with Flex Query
An IBKR Flex Query can turn a broker execution report into a file you can review in a separate trade journal.
Interactive Brokers provides several reports and export options. For a local journal, the important part is creating an Activity Flex Query that includes trade executions in a format the journal can read.
This guide covers the practical workflow: create the query, select execution data, run it for the desired period, download the file, and import it into a browser-local journal.
1. Open Flex Queries in IBKR
- Log in to the Interactive Brokers web platform.
- Open Performance & Reports.
- Choose Flex Queries.
- Create a new Activity Flex Query or edit an existing one.
IBKR may change menu labels over time. The goal is to create an activity report containing the account’s trade executions, rather than only balances or open positions.
2. Select execution data
Under the Trades section, select Execution. For a straightforward journal import, use the execution information and include the CSV headers.
A practical export configuration is:
- Trades: Execution
- Format: CSV with headers
- Separator: semicolon
- Date format:
yyyyMMdd - Time format:
HHmmss - Breakout: no breakout
Choose the reporting period you want to import, such as year to date or a custom date range. Starting with a smaller period can make the first import easier to verify.
3. Run and download the report
Save the Flex Query and run it for the selected period. Download the resulting file. IBKR may provide the report as a ZIP archive, so unzip it before importing the contained CSV or XML file into the journal.
Keep the original export as an archive. It gives you a source file to return to if you later change journal notes, tags, or reconstructed-trade settings.
4. Import the executions into a local journal
Open the Evolve Quant IBKR Trade Journal, open its import workflow, and select the CSV or XML execution file.
The journal is designed to protect against duplicate executions and reconstruct trades from the imported execution history. After the import, review the execution count, date range, symbols, fees, realized P/L, and reconstructed trades before adding notes or conclusions.
5. Review and back up your data
Once the executions are loaded, you can review daily P/L, the equity curve, win rate, profit factor, fees, strategy tags, setup grades, rule violations, and R multiples. Treat the first import as a verification step: compare a few trades against the original IBKR report.
Imported executions and journal notes remain in the browser’s local storage unless you export them. Use the journal’s JSON backup export regularly. Clearing browser storage or browser data may remove locally stored journal information.
Important limitation
FIFO reconstruction in a separate journal may differ from IBKR’s tax-lot assignment, statement-level calculations, or tax reporting. The journal is for trade review and planning; tax-related fields are estimates and are not tax advice.
For the complete local workflow, see the IBKR Trade Journal product page and the Trading Tools overview.
Important: This is an independent browser tool and is not an official Interactive Brokers product. It does not connect to your brokerage account or request broker credentials.
Flex Query import FAQ
Do I need to give a journal my IBKR login?
No. You create the Flex Query inside IBKR, download the file, and import it locally. A local journal should not ask for your broker username, password, or Flex Web Service token unless you are using a different cloud product.
Should I export Trades → Execution or Trade Confirmation?
For this journal, start with an Activity Flex Query and Trades → Execution. Other journals sometimes want Trade Confirmation / Orders. If the import is empty or columns do not match, check that you exported Execution with CSV headers.
Can I keep the journal offline?
Yes. After you download the Evolve Quant journal, it runs as a local HTML file in your browser. Imported executions stay in local storage until you export a JSON backup.