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In this hands-on course, you’ll learn how to replicate a professional 401k trading sheet to manage your own investments using Google Sheets.
You’ll learn how to:
Copy the master sheet.
Update your own portfolio value.
Enter holdings and track performance.
Simulate trades, profits, and risk/reward.
This method helps you think like an investor—organizing positions, tracking gains, and managing exposure using a data-driven visual system.
Module 1: Copying the Master Sheet
Goal: Set up your own portfolio tracker in Google Sheets.
Click the shared link to access the 401k sheet.
Go to File → Make a Copy.
Rename it (e.g., “401k - MyAccount”).
Save it to your Google Drive.
✅ Outcome: You now have your own editable version ready to track and trade.
Module 2: Updating Portfolio Value
Goal: Set your current account value as a benchmark.
Locate the portfolio value cell.
Replace the existing amount with your current balance (e.g., $10,000).
Update the “As of” date (today’s date).
The sheet will automatically calculate open and closed P&L (Profit and Loss) based on your new numbers.
📍 Tip: Update this once a week or month to stay current.
Module 3: Entering and Organizing Holdings
Goal: Structure your portfolio into clear sections.
Index Funds (e.g., S&P 500, NASDAQ) → for benchmarking
Core Stocks → your long-term, largest positions
Watchlist or Smaller Positions → trades you’re testing or scaling into
You can remove irrelevant rows or rename sections to match your investing style.
Purpose: Organized portfolios help you quickly compare performance and allocation against your targets.
Module 4: Adding or Adjusting Stocks
Goal: Add new holdings or change existing ones.
Enter the stock ticker (e.g., AAPL, WOLF, SEDG).
Update your average buy price and number of shares.
The sheet auto-fills price, value, % gain/loss, and portfolio impact.
“Delta” shows how far your position is from the target size.
Green = good (balanced)
Red = needs attention
🎯 Tip: Use “% Port” to ensure no single stock exceeds your comfort zone.
Module 5: Tracking Profit and Funding Progress
Goal: See which positions are paying for themselves.
Funded? = how much profit has covered your original investment.
100% = fully paid for itself.
100% = free money at work.
Use color-coding to visualize profit strength.
“Open P/L” = unrealized gains or losses.
“Real. P/L” = realized profit from sold shares.
💡 Investor Insight: When positions are fully funded, future losses are easier to handle emotionally.
Module 6: Managing Risk and Reward
Goal: Learn to visualize your trade setup.
The BUY/SELL columns simulate your entry zone and exit zone:
BUY = a good buying range (smaller = better value).
SELL = area where price may be extended or ready for trimming.
Use these as dynamic guides for entries, exits, and trimming profits.
Color cues (green/red) help reduce emotion in decision-making.
Module 7: Practicing a Trade Example
Pick a new stock (e.g., “BW”).
Enter shares, price, and target allocation.
Use the sheet to calculate risk/reward automatically.
Simulate buying, partial selling, and tracking results.
✅ You’ve now recreated a live trade environment for practice.
Module 8: Reflection & Maintenance
Review “% Portfolio” weekly.
Compare your performance to benchmarks (S&P 500, NASDAQ).
Ask: Am I beating the market? If not, simplify or rebalance.
Color updates = visual signals. Red = risk. Green = progress.
🧩 Keep it simple, track consistently, and think long-term.
Bonus: Risk Management Framework
Metric | Meaning |
Delta | Difference between your current vs. target size |
Port % | Impact on total portfolio |
BUY | Suggested entry zone |
SELL | Suggested trim/sell zone |
Final Thoughts
This course shows you how to think like a portfolio manager — plan your trades, visualize your risks, and manage your emotions.
Every cell on the sheet represents a decision: what you own, why you own it, and when to act.