A Tour of Your Dashboard

Welcome back. You know how to get into TraderLobby. Now let's make the dashboard feel familiar. At first, a screen full of prices, labels, and panels can seem like a lot. You do not need to understand every number at once. You need a reliable way to answer three questions: Where am I? What am I looking at? And where should I go next?

Start with the main navigation. On a desktop, look for the navigation rail beside the main content. If it only shows icons, use Expand navigation to reveal the names. Find Trading. Selecting it opens the trading workspace, where you can review holdings, market information, and trading activity. Opening Trading does not place an order.

Now find the account menu. Check the displayed identity and make sure it is the account you intended to use. That identity belongs to your TraderLobby sign-in. It is separate from the exchange account that may supply balances or carry out trades. We will check that second layer on the next page.

Look across the workspace without pressing any trading controls. Some items report information. Others can change something. A price tells you about a market. A navigation label takes you to another section. A trading control may submit a request or affect automation. Read the label before deciding which kind of item you are using.

In particular, do not press the Trading running or pause control just to explore. It is not a play button for this lesson. It relates to trading automation. We have a separate chapter for understanding and supervising those controls. Today, finding the control and recognizing its purpose is enough.

Take a moment to locate Strategies, API Connections, Transactions, Settings, and Learn in the navigation available to you. Strategies helps you explore and manage strategies. API Connections lets you inspect your exchange connections. Transactions helps you review recorded activity. Settings contains preferences and account controls. Learn brings you back to these lessons. Some options depend on your account's access.

Here is your first check. Find Trading, find your account identity, and find the route back to Learn. On a phone, use the navigation provided by the mobile layout instead of searching for a desktop rail. You have completed this step when you can explain where you are and how to return, without changing any trading setting.

Before a balance can tell you anything useful, you need to know which workspace it belongs to. Think of the label on a folder. Two folders can contain similar-looking pages while describing completely different things. TraderLobby's account and mode labels help you avoid that kind of mix-up.

First, find Paper or Live. Paper is the practice workspace. Its trading results are simulated. Live refers to the workspace for supported activity involving a connected exchange account. A practice balance is not money waiting to be withdrawn, and a successful practice trade does not prove that a real order would get the same result.

For this tour, read the current mode without changing it. If you are already in Paper, stay there. If you are in Live, you can still complete the lesson by looking at labels and using navigation. You do not need to switch modes or place an order to pass any of these checks.

Next, identify the exchange connection associated with the Live workspace, if one is configured. Look at the provider or account information shown, and use API Connections to inspect the connection details when necessary. If no connection is selected, treat that as missing account context. Do not assume the app has chosen the exchange account you had in mind.

Paper can also show a reference market source or a delay notice. That source tells you where practice market information comes from. It does not turn simulated funds into exchange funds. Read the whole label, including any timing information, rather than stopping after the provider's name.

There is one more important distinction. Selecting a workspace and stopping automation are different actions. Enabled Live strategies can continue running while you view Paper. The app may display a notice explaining this. Moving between sections, closing a panel, or returning to Learn does not mean those strategies have stopped either.

Also, the words Live connected on the update indicator do not mean that Live trading mode is selected. That indicator describes a connection for updates. We will return to it later. For now, use the Paper or Live mode label to identify the workspace, and use the exchange information to identify the account context.

Try saying this in your own words: I am signed in as this TraderLobby user. I am viewing this mode. The exchange connection is this account, or it has not been configured. If you cannot identify one of those pieces, pause before interpreting account figures. Finding the missing context is progress, not a mistake.

Let's give each part of the workspace a job. You do not need to memorize every number. Learn the question each area answers, and you will know where to look when you need it.

Start with the balance area. This helps answer, what cash is shown in this workspace? Read its labels carefully. Tradable refers to cash available for trading within the displayed context. Locked identifies the profit reserve in this balance display. It does not simply mean every asset you own, and it is not a general label for every possible exchange restriction. Reserve controls change how cash is handled, so we will leave them alone during the tour.

Now find Portfolio. Its question is, what positions or holdings am I looking at, and how are they doing? A position is an amount held in an asset. Depending on the view, you may see its quantity, value, strategy information, and profit or loss. Profit or loss describes a gain or decline for the measurement shown. A changing value on an open position is not the same as cash from a completed sale.

Summary cards provide a wider view. Read the measurement and its time period together. Value, fees, and return percentages answer different questions. A label such as last twenty-four hours sets a time window. Potential cash from closing holdings is an estimate, not a promise that all those holdings can be sold instantly for that exact amount. Do not add every card together as though each one were separate money.

Coin Universe answers, which markets can I explore in this view? It is a market list, not a list of everything you own. Strategy Eligible Candidates has a different purpose: it shows candidates surfaced by the strategy system. A candidate is not proof that an order has been placed, and appearing in a list is not a promise of a good outcome.

Exit alerts help draw attention to positions approaching the exit conditions being tracked. An alert is information to review. It is not a receipt for a completed sale. Recent fills, where available, show recent executions. A fill means an order has actually executed for some amount. An order can have more than one fill, so a single entry does not always describe the complete order.

Transactions gives you a place to investigate recorded activity beyond the brief recent view. Keep the account, mode, filters, and time period consistent when comparing screens. Two views can look different because they are answering different questions.

For your check, choose three questions: What cash is shown? What do I hold? Which markets can I explore? Point to the area that answers each one. If your account has no holdings or recent fills, explain the area's purpose anyway. You do not need to create trading activity to learn the map.

Now let's practice finding one market. We are gathering information, so keep your attention on the market view and leave the buy and sell controls alone.

In the desktop workspace, look for the search field labeled Search coin name, symbol, or pair. You can search with an asset name, a short symbol, or a trading pair. On a phone, use the search available in the market view. The placement may change, but the task stays the same: narrow the list to the market you want to inspect.

For example, try searching for Bitcoin or BTC. Treat this as a navigation example, not a recommendation to buy it. If your current list does not contain that market, choose another supported asset that is visible. A missing result can reflect a filter, the selected provider, or the markets available in that view. It does not prove that the asset has disappeared everywhere.

Before opening a chart, read the full pair. BTC paired with USD is a Bitcoin price expressed in U.S. dollars. A pair ending in USDC uses a different quote asset, even when its displayed number looks close. The quote asset is the unit used to express the price. Matching only the first symbol is not enough when comparing two markets.

Use the chart or market-detail control offered by the row. If a row has separate trading buttons, those have a different purpose. Opening market information should let you inspect the market; you do not need to submit an order to make the chart meaningful.

Once the chart opens, read its selected period or interval. Changing a chart's view changes how price history is displayed. It does not change the account's trading mode. A short view can emphasize a recent movement, while a longer view provides more history. If both a total time range and a candle interval are shown, read both: the whole window and the time represented by one candle are different things.

Read the price and any percentage change with their labels. A percentage describes a comparison over a particular period. A green candle shows an upward move within that candle's interval; it does not guarantee the next move. A chart price also does not promise the exact price a future order would receive. This tour is about understanding the screen before acting on it.

Finish by clearing your search and returning to the broader list. Your check is to identify one full pair, the chart period shown, and the unit used for its price. If the chart fails to load, the right answer is that you cannot inspect it yet. We will learn how to recognize that situation next.

A dashboard is useful when you understand how current its information is. The screen being open does not prove that every part has finished loading or that every service is responding.

Start with the update connection indicator. When it says Live connected, it reports the connection used for live updates. Here, live describes the flow of information. It does not select Live trading mode, verify every exchange permission, or prove that an order succeeded. Check those things in their own places.

If the indicator offers Connect live updates, the update connection is not currently active. If it asks you to sign in, account access needs attention. Read the actual message you see. Different parts of the app can depend on different requests, so one healthy indicator does not guarantee that a balance or chart has loaded successfully.

Now separate four situations. Loading means the app is still trying to obtain information. An empty result means the current request or view has no items to show. Stale information means you may be seeing an older result. An error means something prevented the requested information from being obtained or displayed normally. These states need different explanations.

Imagine that Portfolio has no rows. Perhaps there are no positions in this mode. Perhaps a filter hides them. Perhaps the request has not finished. Read the surrounding labels and messages before deciding. An empty panel by itself does not prove that the account has a zero balance. A dash beside a value is not the number zero either.

Look for a displayed update time, reference delay, loading message, or error notice when one is available. If there is no visible timestamp, do not invent one. Say that freshness has not been confirmed. This is especially useful when comparing a chart, a balance, and a transaction record that may update at different times.

When something looks wrong, first confirm your mode and account context. Then check the search or filters and read the message. Allow a loading request to finish. Use a retry or refresh control if the affected view offers one. If the issue continues, note the affected section and the message so you can seek help without sharing account secrets.

One situation deserves extra care: an uncertain order result. Refreshing a view is not the same as submitting the order again. Check the relevant activity and exchange record before repeating a financial action. Our troubleshooting chapter will cover that process in detail.

For this page's check, explain the difference between an empty account view and a failed balance request. Then find the update indicator and explain what it tells you, without using it as proof of trading mode or trading success.

You should be able to read the workspace comfortably. A useful layout helps you focus on the information you need without making you feel that every panel must stay open all the time.

On desktop, begin with the navigation rail. Expand it when you want to read section names. Collapse it when you recognize the icons and want more space. This changes the presentation. It does not sign you out, disconnect an exchange, or stop a strategy.

Some trading panels also offer collapse controls. For example, the workspace provides controls for the candidate panel and Coin Universe. Before hiding a panel, identify how the workspace lets you show it again. Use the named panel controls available in your version. Do not assume every panel can be dragged, resized, or rearranged simply because another app works that way.

Hiding a panel removes it from your current view. It does not remove the underlying market or close a position. The same idea applies to display filters: hiding information and changing the account are different operations. If something seems to be missing later, check presentation settings before assuming the data is gone.

For appearance and language, go to Settings and find Preferences. Inspect the theme and language controls. A theme changes the display's appearance. A language selection changes supported interface text. Neither changes your trading pair, converts a balance into another currency, or switches the exchange account.

You may try one reversible preference if you wish, then return it to the setting you prefer. You can also complete this lesson by locating the control without changing anything. Keep in mind that some lesson recordings or captured screen labels may use a particular language even when the surrounding interface uses another. Read the available labels rather than assuming every piece has already been translated.

On a phone, expect a different arrangement. Sections may be reached through mobile navigation, and information may be stacked instead of placed side by side. Follow the section name and purpose. Find Trading, then the relevant holdings or market view. Do not look for a button at an exact desktop coordinate, and do not assume every desktop panel is reproduced in the same form.

If text is difficult to read, use the display and browser options available on your device. When reviewing a lesson screenshot later, use its inspection controls instead of trying to read tiny labels. A clear view is part of understanding the task.

Your check is simple: locate the navigation control, locate Preferences, and explain how you would reach the same main section on your device. You should also be able to explain why closing a panel does not stop the activity it describes.

You have seen the main pieces. Now let's put them together in a short dashboard check. This is not a speed test. The goal is to find information, explain what it means, and recognize when you need more context. Pause the lesson whenever you need time.

First, identify your TraderLobby account. Find the account identity and check that it is the one you intended to use. You do not need to read personal details aloud or share a screenshot. Just confirm it privately.

Second, find the Paper or Live mode label. Read it without changing it. If an exchange connection is configured for the Live workspace, identify it through the account context or API Connections. If there is no connection, say so. An accurate description of what is missing is better than guessing.

Third, find the balance area. Choose one figure and explain its label. For example, Tradable describes cash available for trading in the displayed context, while Locked identifies the profit reserve in this display. Check whether the value is present and whether an error or loading message affects your interpretation. Do not count a missing value as zero.

Fourth, find Portfolio and Coin Universe. Explain the difference: one helps you review holdings or positions, while the other helps you explore markets. If you can see candidates or exit alerts, explain why those are not proof of a completed order.

Fifth, find one market. Read the entire pair, inspect its chart if it is available, and identify the period shown. Then clear your search or return to the broader market view. You have finished this step without buying or selling anything.

Sixth, find Transactions. Check the context and any filters before interpreting its records. If there are no entries, do not make a trade just to create one. Knowing where to look and what would belong there is the purpose of the exercise. Reporting is another destination for reviewing performance; later chapters will explain its measurements in detail.

Finally, locate the update connection indicator and return to Learn. Explain why Live connected does not tell you that Live trading mode is selected. Explain why changing sections does not stop enabled automation. Those two distinctions help prevent some very avoidable misunderstandings.

If you got stuck, return to the page that covers that area and try again. If a feature is unavailable for your role, provider, or device, identify the available route or the limitation. You do not need to unlock a paid feature to finish this tour.

You now have a repeatable routine: confirm the account and mode, check the information's condition, find the right panel, and understand the control before using it. Next, we will look more closely at preferences and account security. You do not have to know the whole app today. You have a dependable way to learn the next part.