Before you start
Prepare your MT5 demo account, check the exact EUR/USD symbol and read the installation guide. The trial clock starts when issued, including weekends. Use one account/server; do not plan a multi-account trial.
Day 1 · Install and document
Save the EA version, inputs, broker server, timezone and terminal build. Confirm license activation, Algo Trading permissions and the correct chart. Keep private license keys and account identifiers out of screenshots.
Day 2 · Observe costs
Record spread at actual entry opportunities, commission per round trip and requested versus filled prices. Inspect your broker's symbol specification. A quiet market may produce no trades.
Day 3 · Check risk behavior
Read the stop and sizing settings and compare planned risk with observed fills. Check account-wide exposure. Do not increase size to manufacture activity. A stop does not guarantee its execution price.
Day 4 · Check operational controls
Inspect logs, news-calendar availability, time settings and notifications. Do not disable protection to force a trade. If there is no relevant event during the trial, mark that behavior not observed.
Day 5 · Examine the losing side
Review losing trades and floating drawdown as carefully as winners. Separate balance from equity. Record missing data and rejected orders; do not silently exclude them.
Day 6 · Save a reproducible record
Export the report and save unchanged settings. If comparing risk modes on the same permitted demo account, test sequentially and label each period; simultaneous runs can change account-wide exposure.
Day 7 · Decide what you learned
Classify installation, execution and controls as observed, failed or not observed. Record trade count and costs. An uneventful or profitable week is not proof of future profitability. Continue only if the software, costs and risks suit your own requirements.
Keep three separate verdicts
- Installation: Does the software run and validate on your permitted setup?
- Execution: What costs, fills, rejected orders and control behavior did you observe?
- Strategy: What remains uncertain about robustness, live results and future market conditions?
Do not merge those into a promise of profit. Record “not enough evidence” when that is the correct conclusion.