> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://nexgen-software-services.gitbook.io/nexgens-software-day-trading-documentation/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://nexgen-software-services.gitbook.io/nexgens-software-day-trading-documentation/indicator-packages/ninjatrader-8-indicators/t3-trend-matrix-strategy.md). # T3 Trend Matrix Strategy ## The Trend Trade Strategy The goal is to enable users to trade Nexgen's Trend Trades with minimal effort and analysis. The current version continues to add functionality, consistency, and automation of the T3 ProTrader indicators analysis for trend trading. We have designed the T3 Trend System to replicate what we have taught and continue to teach over the last decade. The system will use any user-desired combination of strong-momentum looks in the triggers and pullbacks for entry when there is room to the target, provided no termination conditions limit that room. See the inputs section to adjust the inputs to your personal preferences. Click below to download a quick reference guide. {% file src="/files/5dLoK2vEF7dkSQFWSL4K" %} {% hint style="warning" %} ### ⚠️ Important Risk & Monitoring Notice ⚠️ Automated futures day-trading systems by Nexgen Software Services are **not set-and-forget tools**. While the strategy handles 100% of the entries and exits, all users must continuously monitor positions and system activity. Market conditions can change rapidly, and during periods of **extreme volatility, news events, sharp trends, or unusual price behavior** can cause automated strategies to behave in ways that require immediate user intervention. Failure to monitor may result in significant losses. By using the automated strategies, you are solely responsible for managing your risk, ensuring proper system functioning, and pausing or overriding the strategy if markets become excessively volatile or behave outside normal expectations. {% endhint %} *** ### Clean Up Temporary and Cache Files The Cached Files should be removed.
You should also clean out your tick data daily. This is a good practice for maintaining consistency in the chat room and with other users.
## Windows Settings - ### Sync your clock The final piece of the puzzle to make sure that your computer clock is in line with the atomic clocks of the world. Do this by going to your date and time settings and clicking SYNC.
### Use a Windows High Power Plan - Very Important. If you use a "balanced plan," which most laptops use by default, your hard drive will shut off, and the CPU will run at 5% instead of 100% to save energy. Ninja Trader needs 100% all the time. {% embed url="" %} {% hint style="warning" %} ## Adjust TIME ZONE To Eastern or Change Templates **If the T3 Trend Matrix Strategy templates that use" start and end times"are based on the EASTERN / New York time zone, and if you are not set to Eastern time in the USA, please adjust your template settings to your personal clock time.**
{% endhint %} ## T3 Trend Matrix Strategy *** ### The Trend Matrix Strategy The T3 Trend Matrix is the single-chart evolution of the Nexgen T3 trend-trading toolset for NinjaTrader 8. It runs every piece of the analysis, applies all applicable indicators to the chart, handles all setups, triggers, higher-timeframe context, terminations, targets, and trade management — on **one chart**, so the chart you watch is the chart that trades. It was built to replicate and automate the discretionary trend-trading method Nexgen has taught for decades: take strong-momentum trigger looks and pullback entries when there is room to the target and no termination is standing in the way. Everything the system decides is shown on the chart through the **Rules Grid** and the reference plots, so it stays transparent rather than a black box. Use the inputs to tune it to your own preferences and risk. {% hint style="info" %} **Designed for:** index futures using Nexgen's Dynamic Renko Bar Type — we focus primarily on **MNQ / NQ**. It will run on any Dynamic Renko size you wish to test; volatility may push you to a larger bar (e.g., a 21-3 or 55-8 on the NQ) or any combination of 5-1, 13-2, or 21-3,34-5,55-8,89-13. {% endhint %} *** ### How a Trade Happens The Trend Matrix evaluates each bar in a fixed pipeline. A candidate must clear **every** stage to become a trade: 1. **Setup** — one of the five entry setups (Section 02) finds a valid rejection or signal at a meaningful price level based on Fibonacci, Mid Bands, One to Ones, Divergence Lines, or the Extreme Edges of a buy or sell zone. 2. **Filter** — the candidate is checked against the chart triggers, the Higher-Timeframe filter (Section 11), the Large- and Small-Chart terminations (Sections 12–13), and the dynamic-zone entry area that is highlighted on the chart. 3. **Entry** — if it passes, an order is placed using the chosen Entry Type (Section 02.1): market, limit, or stop (market/ limit) entry. 4. **Manage** — once filled, Trade Management (Section 01) runs the targets, stops, break-even, trailing, and the daily loss/win guardrails. 5. **Testing** — it is important to note that every historical trade is plotted on the chart. ( turn on your text and markers) from the data series format box. You can use tick replay to see a more live-like historical version. 6. **Analysis — once the strategy is done calculating history, you can right-click on a chart and select analysis, historical, and see what the hypothetical back-tested performance is.** ( NOTE: dynamic renko bars have a FAKE open, and while using limit orders, entries, stops, and profit targets will be accurate, any market order entries or exits will generate a more favorable exit. {% hint style="info" %} **The Rules Grid is the fastest way to learn the system.** Each row is one rule; each column is a bar. The cell color tells you whether that rule allowed a long, allowed a short, or blocked. When a setup does not trade, the grid shows you exactly which rule stopped it. {% endhint %} {% hint style="warning" %} **Hover over each input for a description of what it is if you need to know on the fly from the format screen.** This will give you a detailed description of what the input does and its rules, and tell you everything you need to know about it. {% endhint %} *** ### Adding the Strategy to Your Chart Build the chart and bar size you want to trade, then add the T3 Reversal Bar Marker indicator to the chart, or your T3 system chart template you have saved (remember, you will NOT need to load the indicators, as the system will do it for you). Now right-click the chart and choose Strategies. Add **T3 Trend Matrix**, pick your account and ATM, format your rules, and enable it. When enabled inside a trading session, with the rules met and a valid entry bar, the system places and manages the trade on this chart's account. Historical arrows plot so you can study past signals. Remember it will not trade outside of a session selection if checked. {% hint style="warning" %} ### ⚠️ Check Your Grid Immediately After enabling the strategy, check the Rules Grid right away. If it is populated, you will see trades evaluated in real time. **If it is not populated, reboot NinjaTrader and clear the cache and temp files** during the reboot. {% endhint %} Remember: while the automation runs, you retain 100% control over your trades, stops, and targets. You may enter manually under your own conditions, and any exit rules you have active will also manage your manual trades. *** ### On-Chart Side-Panel Buttons With Chart Trader open, a column of buttons appears in the trading panel. They give **live, discretionary control** without changing your saved parameters. Any button can be preset on or off by default, and toggled on the fly. | Button | What it does | | -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **AUTO ENABLED** | Master automation switch. Green when the system may place trades automatically. Turn it off and no new automated entries are taken; existing positions are still managed. | | **LONGS** | Enable or disable long entries independently. Grey when that direction is off. | | **SHORTS** | Enable or disable short entries independently. | | **SOFT CLOSE** | Gently flattens the current position on this instrument — a one-click manual exit that does **not** disable the strategy. (The standard Close button disables strategies on all charts.) | | **IGNORE FILTERS** | Discretionary override. When active (red), the system ignores every **Large Chart Termination** (Section 12) and **Small Chart Termination** (Section 13) and will take any trade that otherwise fits the rules. It does **not** bypass the setups, the dynamic-zone gate, the direction toggles, or the daily limits. Resets to off on reload. | | **OPPOSITE DIVERG** | Toggles the opposite-divergence exit live. | | **HIGHER/LOWER DIV** | Toggles the higher/lower-divergence exit live. | | **SHOW GRID** | Shows or hides the Rules Grid. | *** ### The Entry Setups (Section 02) The Trend Matrix can run five distinct setups. Each can be turned on or off, and they compete on each bar — the last qualifying setup wins priority. 1. **MB (Mid-Band) Trend Trade** — a pullback rejection off the T3 Mid Band in the direction of the trend. 2. **Fib Level** — a rejection at a Fibonacci support/resistance ("flu") level. 3. **Divergence PSO** — Pivot Stop Out of a prior divergence: price reaches a prior divergence line and reverses. 4. **1:1 Level** — a rejection at a 1:1 measured-move level (small or large swing). 5. **Zone Extreme** — a rejection at the extreme edge of the dynamic entry zone. #### Shared Setup Conditions These apply to **all** setups at once: * **Block Any Trade Outside Outer Band** — refuses entries taken beyond the outer band. This is not really applicable to the Nexgen Dynamic Renko Style Charts and is usually reserved for range or tick-based charts. * **Outer-Band Filter Also Blocks Add-Ons** — extends that gate to pyramiding add-ons. * **Block Trades Against Str Sml Trigs** — blocks an entry taken **against** the small-chart trigger structure. A long is blocked when both trigger pairs are crossed down *and* the small pair sits entirely below the large pair; a short is the mirror. If any trigger value is unavailable on the signal bar, the entry is allowed (fail-open). * **Allow Trades with Weak Trigs** — permits entries even when the native bar timeframe triggers are not strongly committed. * **Require Setup In Dynamic Zone** — the setup's rejection line must fall inside the dynamic entry zone to qualify. *** ### Entry Types (Section 02.1) Once a setup qualifies, the **Entry Type** decides how the order is placed: * **Market** — fires on the signal. * **Limit** — rests at a configurable distance and waits for the price to come to it. * **Stop** — arms on a touch and triggers on confirmation, and can be used at a stop-market order or a stop-limit order. Supporting inputs: **Limit Distance** and **Stop Entry Distance** (ticks), **Wrong Side Tolerance** (how far a line may sit from the zone edge and still count), a **Placement Debounce** (bars) to stop rapid re-placing, **Use Market w/ Unblocked Signal**, and **Tick Replay for Backtest** for historical fill accuracy. #### Dynamic Entry Zones When the dynamic zone is enabled, the chart plots a **blue buy zone** or **red sell zone** that defines where setups are valid. Limit orders are placed at indicator lines inside the zone; market orders require the price to reach the zone before an entry is taken. Section 17 controls the zone colors and opacity. *** ### Higher-Timeframe Conditions (Section 11) **Use the Higher Timeframe Filter turns on the HTF context — a larger bar type (e.g., 55-8) that must agree before a trade is allowed.** The individual filters are: * Wide triggers (small pair entirely outside the large pair) * Large/small triggers crossed * Small trigger vs large trigger * Trigger vs EMA * Real-wick entry-bar check * EMA vs Mid Band It also sets the HTF bar type, EMA period, and wick handling. This section decides whether the bigger picture must be confirmed before the system trades. *** ### Large Chart Terminations (Section 12) The HTF "lines hit" terminations veto a trade when the price reaches a higher time-frame termination level and is rejected. Each line can be enabled individually: * **TMid Band** * **1:1 Small Swing** and **1:1 Large Swing** * **Support Value (SupVal)** and **Resistance Value (ResVal)** * **Divergence Bullish** and **Divergence Bearish** A termination **arms** when the just-closed bar touches the HTF line (within a tick allowance) and is direction-stamped by the approach (a hit from below blocks longs; a hit from above blocks shorts). #### How an HTF termination is lifted A block releases on **any** of the following: * **Filter strength** — enough of the four HTF trigger lines have moved past the level in the unblocking direction, reaching your **# Trigs to Break Lines** setting. * **Full HTF bar beyond the band** *(TMid Band and both 1:1 lines)* — a fully-closed HTF bar trades **entirely** beyond the live midband in the unblocking direction (the whole bar, high and low, past it). A decisive break immediately terminates the termination, independent of trigger strength or location. * **Opposite-direction block** — a new termination in the opposite direction supersedes it and will release the block from the other direction. * **Filter disabled** — turning the line's input off clears any active block. A same-bar guard prevents a line from setting and releasing on the same bar, and a re-block cooldown governs how soon it can arm again. {% hint style="info" %} **Show HTF Terms Labels** marks the chart the first time price rejects one of these HTF lines (the HTF line is hit, then the first small-chart reversal bar in the rejection direction confirms). {% endhint %} #### Exit W/ HTF Chart Term On by default. When an HTF termination fires **against an open position**, the system flattens it — using the same trigger as the termination labels (HTF line hit plus the first small-chart reversal bar). It is the higher-timeframe companion to the Section 13 *Exit W/ Sm Chart Term*. A resistance termination exists longs; a support termination exists shorts. *** ### Small Chart Terminations (Section 13) The native-chart termination blocks stop a trade when the price is rejecting a key level **on the chart you trade**: * Block on Fib Levels Rejection * Block on Trend Band Rejection * Block on Mid Band Rejection * Block on Large 1:1 Rejection * Block on Small 1:1 Rejection * Block on Divergence Pivot Supporting controls: a **Re-Block Cooldown (Bars)**, an **Opposite-Release Delay (Bars)**, **Show Term Dots on Chart**, and **Exit W/ Sm Chart Term** — which lets a small-chart termination also flatten an open position, not just block a new one. {% hint style="info" %} The **IGNORE FILTERS** button bypasses both Section 12 and Section 13 terminations. Nothing else is bypassed. {% endhint %} *** ### Targets (Section 08) Targets can be fixed tick distances or **structural "Area" targets** anchored to chart lines. You can elect to use the **Fib Levels**, the **Mid Band**, the **1:1 Small** and **1:1 Large** swings, and the **Outer Bands** as targets. When an Area target is on, the system places the target at the nearest qualifying line and **reprices it as that line drifts**, so the exit stays aligned with the structure. Target 1, Target 2, and Target 3 / Runner each take a configured share of the position; the remainder runs to the next target or the trailing logic. *** ### Exits Beyond the targets, the system offers several rule-based exits (toggle as desired): * **Any / Opposite Divergence** — exits on a divergence against the position. It also reads the small-trigger direction: if the small triggers favor continuation, the exit is held; if they are against the trade, the exit is taken. * **Higher / Lower Divergence** — exits when a second, escalating divergence prints against the position. * **Divergence PSO** — exits when price reaches a prior divergence line and reverses. * **Fibonacci-based exit** — exits on a reversal bar at a Fib level. * **1:1 exit** — exits on a reversal at a 1:1 level. * **Exit W/ Sm Chart Term** (Section 13) and **Exit W/ HTF Chart Term** (Section 12) — termination-driven flattens, native and higher-timeframe, respectively. {% embed url="" %} *** ### Trade Management (Section 01) The money-management core: * **Contracts** — position size. * **Stop Loss (ticks)** — the initial protective ("max") stop placed at entry. * **Target 1 / Target 2 / Target 3 (Runner)** — the three profit targets and the share of contracts each removes. * **Break-Even** — move the stop to break-even after a defined move or at the first partial fill. * **Trailing Stop & Offset** — trail the remaining position once active. * **Signal Pivot Stop** — anchor the stop to a confirmed up→down / down→up pivot near entry. * **Runner / Dynamic Exit** — let the final contract run to a structural exit. * **Max Daily Loss / Max Daily Win / Max Daily Win Trail** — account guardrails. On a loss limit, the system stops automating (it will still post arrows until the next date change). On a win target, it keeps trading until the trailing stop in dollars is hit. {% hint style="info" %} **Order cleanup:** when a position goes flat by any path — stop, manual flatten, or termination — the system sweeps and cancels any target limit orders still resting, so there are no orphaned profit targets after a trade is flattened. {% endhint %} *** ### Session Filter (Section 10) Define your trading session windows (start/end in HHMM) and a Daily Force Close time that flattens any open position at the end of the day. Outside the windows, the system will not take entries. Adjust these to your time zone (defaults are Eastern). *** ### Reference Plots & Indicator Settings The strategy reads indicator settings directly off the chart, so you can format the hosted indicators, and the system uses your values: * **Fib Flu Plots (Section 15)** — the auto-generated Fib support/resistance levels: timeframes, look-back, update period, collapse margin, line width, and colors. * **SYNTH Triggers (Section 04.1)** — a synthetic HTF trigger reproduced in-strategy: bar type, periods, MA types, large multiplier, and cross colors. **Show Synth Triggers** draws them. * **HTF reference lines** — when **Show Indicators on Chart** (Section 09) is on, the HTF termination lines plot and step on the HTF bar. *** ### Full Input Reference A section-by-section summary of every parameter group in the Strategy properties window. **01. Trade Management** Position size, protective stop, the three targets and their contract shares, break-even, trailing stop and offset, signal-pivot stop, runner / dynamic exit, and the Max Daily Loss / Win / Win-Trail guardrails. **02. Trade Setups** Enable/disable the five setups (MB Trend Trade, Fib Level, Divergence PSO, 1:1 Level, Zone Extreme) and the shared gates: outer-band blocks, Block Trades Against Str Sml Trigs, weak-trigger allowance, and Require Setup In Dynamic Zone. **02.1 Entry Type** Market / Limit / Stop selection, limit and stop distances, wrong-side tolerance, placement debounce, use-market-with-unblocked-signal, and tick-replay-for-backtest. **03. Entry Chart Triggers** Small and Large Trigger and Average periods for the trading chart. **04. HTF Triggers** The same trigger/average periods are computed on the higher-timeframe context. **04.1 SYNTH Triggers** Synthetic HTF trigger: show toggle, large multiplier, MA type, periods, and cross colors. **06. Signal Arrow / VR Arrows** On-chart entry arrows and setup labels (colors, font size). Display only. **07. Divergence / Exits** Opposite-divergence and higher/lower-divergence exits, and the divergence label color. **08. Targets** Which structural lines may serve as targets: Fib Levels, Mid Band, 1:1 Small/Large, Outer Bands (Area targets). **09. Behavior** Diagnostic Logging, Min Bars Between Trades, Show Indicators on Chart. **10. Session Filter** Trading session windows and the Daily Force Close time. **11. Higher Timeframe Conditions** Master HTF filter plus the individual HTF agreement filters, HTF bar type, EMA period, and wick handling. **12. Large Chart Terminations** The seven HTF line-hit terminations, Show HTF Terms Labels, and Exit W/ HTF Chart Term. **13. Small Chart Terminations** The native-chart rejection blocks, re-block cooldown, opposite-release delay, term dots, and Exit W/ Sm Chart Term. **14. Rules Grid** Grid colors, opacity, row height, history days, and empty-cell display. **15. Fib Flu Plots** Fib level computation: timeframes, look-back, update period, collapse margin, line width, and colors. **16. Fib2Fib Entry Filter** An additional Fib-to-Fib structural confirmation gate. **17. Dynamic Entry Zones** Long-zone and short-zone colors and opacity. *** {% hint style="warning" %} ### ⚠️ Important Risk & Monitoring Notice ⚠️ Automated futures day-trading systems by Nexgen Software Services are **not set-and-forget tools**. While the strategy handles 100% of the entries and exits, all users must continuously monitor positions and system activity. Market conditions can change rapidly, and during periods of **extreme volatility, news events, sharp trends, or unusual price behavior** can cause automated strategies to behave in ways that require immediate user intervention. Failure to monitor may result in significant losses. By using the automated strategies, you are solely responsible for managing your risk, ensuring proper system functioning, and pausing or overriding the strategy if markets become excessively volatile or behave outside normal expectations. {% endhint %} *** {% hint style="warning" %} ### Required CFTC Hypothetical Disclaimer *Hypothetical performance results have many inherent limitations, some of which are described below. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown. In fact, there are frequently sharp differences between hypothetical performance results and the actual results subsequently achieved by any particular trading program.* *One of the limitations of hypothetical performance results is that they are generally prepared with the benefit of hindsight. In addition, hypothetical trading does not involve financial risk, and no hypothetical trading record can completely account for the impact of financial risk in actual trading. For example, the ability to withstand losses or adhere to a particular trading program in spite of trading losses are material points which can also adversely affect actual trading results. There are numerous other factors related to the markets in general or to the implementation of any specific trading program which cannot be fully accounted for in the preparation of hypothetical performance results and all of which can adversely affect actual trading results.* {% endhint %} ***