MT4 CFD Dashboard

The following screen-shot below shows the main MT4 cfds platform Dashboard. As a beginner trader trying to learn how to execute cfd orders in the online cfd market, the main tool for trading the cfd market is the MT4 software software. This MT4 cfds platform is the software that you will connect to your cfd broker with and execute cfd trade transactions and monitor your cfd account balance from this MetaTrader 4 software.

The CFDs MT4 cfds platform software is provided for free through the various cfd broker websites. This MT4 cfd software looks like the cfd examples explained & illustrated below:

Main Areas of this MT4 cfds platform as shown above are:

1. MT4 Navigation Menus
2. Toolbars
3. MetaTrader 4 CFDs Chart Window
4. MetaTrader 4 Navigator Window
5. MetaTrader 4 Market Watch Window
6. MetaTrader 4 Terminal
7. MT4 Connection Bars

For this MetaTrader 4 cfds platform tutorial we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn MetaTrader 4 platform:

1. Navigation Menus

The MT4 navigation menus are:

1. File
2. View
3. Insert
4. Charts
5. Tools
6. Window
7. Help

These are the main MT4 cfds platform navigation menus that can be used to navigate the MT4 cfd software. As a beginner trader you can start by just clicking any of these MT4 cfds platform navigation menus to familiarize yourself with the various MT4 buttons that are arranged as MT4 sub menus within these MT4 navigation menus.

These MT4 navigation menus will be discussed in details in the next MT4 cfds platform tutorials about navigation menus.

2. Tool-Bars

The MetaTrader 4 tool bars are used to manipulate MT4 cfd charts, either by placing MT4 indicators, MT4 line studies, change MT4 cfd chart timeframes and load MT4 template from a list of saved MT4 templates.

These MT4 tool bars will be discussed on other MT4 cfds platform tutorials which will outline each MT4 button on this MT4 tool bar and how to add and customize these MT4 tool bars.

3. Chart Panel

This MetaTrader 4 cfd chart window is the main area where MT4 cfd charts are displayed & a trader can analyze the cfd trend direction of a MT4 cfd chart whether up or down, place MT4 cfd chart indicators for technical analysis and even place orders from these MT4 cfd trading charts.

4. Navigator

MetaTrader 4 Navigator will contain information about MT4 accounts, whether practice or real, this MT4 window will also have a list of all the MT4 indicators as well as MT4 CFDs Expert Advisors & scripts.

A trader can select which MT4 account to login by expanding the Accounts menu, choose a MT4 indicator by expanding the MT4 indicator menu or choose a MT4 CFDs Expert Advisor by expanding the Expert Advisor menu.

5. Market Watch

MetaTrader 4 Market watch is used to show streaming cfd quotes for MT4 cfd instruments. This can list as many quotes provided by your MT4 cfd broker or a few selected by a trader. To save inter net bandwidth, right-click inside the MT4 market watch window and select "Hide All", so as to hide the MT4 symbols that you are not transacting on this MT4 cfds platform and save on internet band width.

6. Terminal

This is the MT4 window panel that is like the bank account trade area for your MetaTrader 4 cfd trade transactions, on this MT4 window you can view your account balance, profit & losses statement, equity, margin used also retrieve a copy of all your MetaTrader 4 cfd trade transactions history.

This MT4 panel will also list all open cfd trade transactions and calculate all the profit & loss in real-time as the cfd prices move upward or downwards.

7. Connection Bar

MT4 connection bars - Red bars are for no connectivity, green bars show that there's connectivity to the servers & MetaTrader 4 cfd trade orders can be placed. These MT4 connection bars should always be green when one logged into their MT4 practice cfd account or MetaTrader 4 live account.

These MT4 cfds platform main areas form the MT4 software Dashboard and will be the main areas to be covered in detail in next learn MetaTrader 4 cfds platform tutorials. For now it is best to download MetaTrader 4 cfds platform software and familiarize yourself with the MT4 software Dashboard.

Why CFD Software is Required for Placing CFD Trade Transactions with CFD Brokers

Cfds trading platform is software that is used to access the cfd market & analyze these cfd price movements using cfd charts and cfd technical analysis tools. There are various reasons why a trader requires to use a good cfd platform. A good cfd platform can determine if a as a trader you make a profit or not.

So why does a trader need a good CFDs platform:

To connect to the CFD Broker Trading Server:

To place a cfd trade order a trader needs to use a cfd platform that will connect to the trading servers of their cfd broker and this will allow them to open and close cfd trade orders. Good cfd platforms will connect with ease to the brokers' servers & allow cfds traders to place cfd orders at any time from their desktop computer.

To analyze cfd charts using trading analysis tools

To place a buy or sell cfd order one needs to first interpret the direction of a cfd pair using cfd charts. This is why all good cfd platforms provide cfd technical tools such as cfd price charts, cfd indicators & various different chart timeframes from which trader can analyze cfd price moves using the cfds chart time frames of their choice.

From the above cfd platform Dashboard, the summary of all information required by a trader is provided on this MT4 cfds platform Dashboard

• Connection - connection to the broker servers
• Charts - price graphs which display cfd prices
• Tool bars - tool-bars to add tools & technical analysis indicators on cfds charts
• Market Watch - for displaying available financial instruments on MT4 software
• Data window - provides MT4 account information & other indicator data
• Exchange rates - shows current market cfd price of a cfd trading instrument
• Menu bar - Shows all menu items on the MT4 software