Quick Start Guide: From Free Account to Tracking Your First Option Trade

Why Dedicated Option Tracking Beats Spreadsheets

If you sell options for income—covered calls, cash-secured puts, or the wheel strategy—you already know that tracking your positions accurately is critical. You need to know your true cost basis, how much premium you have collected, and whether your overall strategy is actually making money. Most traders start with a spreadsheet, and most traders eventually hit a wall with that approach.

Spreadsheets break down fast when you start layering multiple contracts, rolling positions, handling assignments, and adjusting cost basis across dozens of trades. Formulas get brittle. One mistyped cell can throw off your entire P&L. And if you are running the wheel strategy on multiple tickers, the complexity multiplies quickly. You end up spending more time maintaining the spreadsheet than actually analyzing your trades.

MyATMM was built specifically for option sellers who need accurate, automated cost basis tracking without the spreadsheet headaches. This guide walks you through every step—from creating your free account to logging your first cash-secured put trade—so you can be up and running in under ten minutes.

What You Will Learn: This guide covers account creation, adding tickers, logging your first option trade on the Cost Basis V2 page, understanding the dashboard, using built-in screeners, and exploring the trends page. By the end, you will have a fully functional tracking setup ready for your next trading session.

Step 1: Create Your Free Account

Getting started with MyATMM takes about sixty seconds. Head to app.myatmm.com and click Create Free Account. You will need to provide an email address and create a password. After submitting the form, a PIN verification code is sent to your email. Enter that PIN to confirm your account, and you are in.

No credit card is required. No trial period that expires after 14 days. The free tier is a permanent, fully functional version of the platform with generous capacity limits that work well for traders focused on a handful of core positions.

Free Tier Includes:
  • 3 tickers for full cost basis tracking with unlimited transaction history
  • 10 tickers to monitor on the covered calls and cash-secured puts screener
  • 30 AI imports to automatically pull transactions from broker screenshots
  • Full dashboard access with positions, premiums, projections, and performance tabs
  • Built-in option screeners and trends analysis

Once logged in, you can immediately personalize the interface. MyATMM supports both dark mode and light mode—toggle between them from the settings to match your preference. Dark mode is popular among traders who spend hours watching charts and want to reduce eye strain, while light mode provides a clean, high-contrast layout for quick data scanning.

Step 2: Add Tickers to Monitor

Before diving into cost basis tracking, you will likely want to set up your watchlist. The Covered Calls & Cash-Secured Puts page functions as a built-in screener where you can monitor tickers you are interested in trading. Think of it as your personalized option watchlist with real-time data.

To add a ticker, navigate to the screener page and enter the symbol you want to track. The platform pulls current pricing data, option chain information, and key metrics relevant to option sellers—premium levels, implied volatility, and more. On the free plan, you can monitor up to 10 tickers here, which is plenty for most focused option selling strategies.

Monitoring vs. Tracking: There is an important distinction in MyATMM. Monitoring a ticker on the screener page means you are watching it for potential trades. Tracking a ticker on the Cost Basis page means you are logging actual transactions and calculating your real cost basis. The free plan gives you 10 monitored tickers and 3 fully tracked tickers.

The screener provides at-a-glance data to help you decide which contracts to sell. You can quickly compare premium levels across your monitored tickers and identify the best opportunities for your next trade. For a deeper look at what the screener offers, check out the features page.

Step 3: Log Your First Option Trade on Cost Basis V2

This is where MyATMM really shines. The Cost Basis V2 page is the core of the platform—it is where you record every option transaction, track your positions, and watch your cost basis update automatically as you collect premium over time.

Adding a Ticker to Track

Navigate to the Cost Basis page and add the ticker symbol you want to track. For this walkthrough, imagine you are tracking a stock and want to log a cash-secured put you just sold. Once the ticker is added, the page creates a dedicated tracking section for that symbol with a header showing your aggregate data and tabs for positions and transactions.

Recording a Cash-Secured Put (STO)

To log a new trade, you will enter the transaction details. Here is what a typical cash-secured put entry looks like:

Example: Selling a Cash-Secured Put

Field Value
Action STO (Sell to Open)
Contracts 1
Strike Price $20.00
Premium $0.80 per share ($80.00 total)
Commission $0.65
Fee $0.01
Net Premium $79.34

In this example, you sold one contract of a cash-secured put at the $20 strike for $0.80 per share. After the broker commission of $0.65 and a regulatory fee of $0.01, your net premium collected is $79.34. MyATMM tracks all of this automatically—no formula maintenance required.

Once you save the transaction, several things happen immediately. The cost basis header at the top of the ticker section auto-updates to reflect the premium you just collected. Your positions tab shows the new open put position, and the transactions tab logs the complete record with every detail you entered. Everything is linked and calculated for you.

Positions vs. Transactions

MyATMM separates your data into two views for maximum clarity:

  • Positions Tab: Shows your current open positions—what contracts you have active right now, their status, and key metrics like days to expiration and current profit/loss.
  • Transactions Tab: A complete historical ledger of every trade you have made on this ticker. Every STO, BTC, assignment, expiration, and roll is recorded here with full detail.

This separation means you can quickly check what is active (positions) or audit your complete trade history (transactions) without the two views cluttering each other.

Optional: Create Position Without a Transaction. Sometimes you need to add a position that was opened before you started using MyATMM, or you want to manually set up a position for tracking purposes. The platform supports creating a standalone position without requiring a linked transaction, giving you flexibility in how you onboard your existing portfolio.

Step 4: Speed Up Data Entry with AI Import

Manually entering every transaction works fine, but MyATMM offers a faster path. The AI Import feature lets you import transactions directly from broker screenshots. If you use thinkorswim, you can take a screenshot of your transaction history or position statement, upload it to MyATMM, and the platform automatically extracts the relevant data.

The AI import handles two key tasks:

  • Transaction Import: Extracts trade details (action, contracts, strike, premium, commissions) from your broker's transaction history screenshots and creates the corresponding records in MyATMM.
  • Position Verification: Cross-references imported data against your broker's position statement to ensure everything matches up correctly.

The free plan includes 30 AI imports, which is enough to get your existing portfolio loaded into the platform. If you are starting fresh with new trades, manual entry is straightforward and only takes a few seconds per transaction. For traders with extensive existing histories, AI import can save significant time during initial setup.

Supported Brokers: AI import currently works with thinkorswim screenshots. The platform reads your transaction history and position data directly from the screenshot, eliminating the need to manually re-enter dozens or hundreds of past trades. Need help with import? Visit the support page for detailed instructions.

Step 5: Explore the Dashboard

With your first trade logged, the dashboard comes alive. This is your central command center for understanding how your option selling strategy is performing across all tracked tickers. The dashboard is organized into four tabs, each providing a different lens on your portfolio.

Positions Tab

The positions tab gives you a consolidated view of every open position across all your tracked tickers. At a glance, you can see which contracts are active, their current status, days until expiration, and unrealized profit or loss. This is the tab you will check most frequently to monitor your active trades.

Premiums Tab

The premiums tab answers a fundamental question: how much option income have you actually collected? It breaks down your total premium collected across all tickers, showing you the cumulative income from your covered calls and cash-secured puts. This is the number that tells you whether your option selling strategy is generating meaningful cash flow.

Projections Tab

The projections tab takes your historical performance data and projects it forward. Based on your actual trading history—not theoretical backtests—it estimates future income at your current pace. This is valuable for setting realistic expectations and understanding whether your strategy is on track to meet your income goals.

Performance Tab

The performance tab provides weekly and monthly breakdowns of your trading results. You can see exactly how much premium you collected each week, track your consistency over time, and identify patterns in your trading performance. Are you more profitable in certain months? Are your weekly returns consistent or volatile? The performance tab surfaces these insights.

Full Dashboard Access on Free Plan: All four dashboard tabs—positions, premiums, projections, and performance—are available on the free plan. You get complete visibility into your portfolio performance from day one, limited only by the number of tickers you can track (3 on the free tier). See all platform features for more detail.

Built-In Screeners: Find Your Next Trade

Beyond tracking your existing positions, MyATMM includes tools to help you identify new trading opportunities. You do not need to switch between multiple platforms to find option contracts worth selling.

Covered Calls & Cash-Secured Puts Page

This dedicated screener page shows real-time option data for your monitored tickers. For each symbol, you can see available contracts, premium levels, implied volatility, and key metrics that matter to option sellers. The page is designed to help you quickly compare opportunities across your watchlist and decide where to deploy capital next.

Option Search

The option search feature lets you dig deeper into specific contracts. Filter by expiration date, strike price range, and option type to find exactly the contracts you are looking for. Whether you are hunting for weekly premium on a covered call or evaluating a longer-dated cash-secured put, the search tools help you zero in on the right contract efficiently.

Both screener tools are integrated directly into the platform, so when you find a contract you want to trade, you can immediately navigate to the Cost Basis page to log the transaction once you have executed it in your broker. For more details on the screening capabilities, visit the screener page.

Trends Page: Technical Context for Your Trades

The trends page provides technical analysis context for the tickers you are trading. While MyATMM is primarily a tracking tool rather than a charting platform, having basic technical data at your fingertips helps you make more informed decisions about when and where to sell contracts.

Moving Averages

The trends page displays the 20-day, 50-day, and 200-day moving averages for each ticker. These are the three most commonly referenced moving averages by option sellers and provide a quick read on short-term momentum, intermediate trend direction, and long-term trend health. Knowing where a stock sits relative to its key moving averages can inform your strike price selection and help you gauge directional risk.

Earnings Data

The trends page also surfaces upcoming earnings dates for your tracked tickers. Earnings announcements create significant volatility events, and most option sellers want to be aware of when these dates fall relative to their contract expirations. Selling a cash-secured put that expires the week after earnings is a very different trade than one that expires two weeks before earnings. Having this data visible in the same platform where you track your trades eliminates the need to check a separate earnings calendar.

Integrated Workflow: The trends page, screeners, and cost basis tracking all live under one roof. You can check a ticker's technical setup on the trends page, compare premium levels on the screener, and log the resulting trade on the Cost Basis page—all without leaving MyATMM. This integrated workflow saves time and reduces the chance of missing important context when making trading decisions.

Free Plan vs. Paid Memberships

The free plan gives you everything covered in this guide: 3 tracked tickers, 10 monitored tickers, 30 AI imports, full dashboard access, screeners, and trends data. For many traders—especially those who focus on a small number of high-conviction positions—the free plan is all you will ever need.

If you trade more tickers or want expanded AI import capacity, paid memberships start at just under $25 per month. Paid plans unlock additional tracked tickers, more monitored symbols, and higher AI import limits. The pricing is straightforward with no hidden fees or surprise charges.

Choosing the Right Plan

  • Free Plan: Ideal if you run the wheel on 1-3 core tickers and want a permanent, no-cost tracking solution.
  • Paid Membership: Best for traders managing larger portfolios across many tickers who need expanded capacity and more AI imports for bulk data entry.

Start with the free plan and upgrade only when you hit the limits. There is no pressure to convert and no functionality withheld from free users beyond capacity limits.

Quick Reference: Your First 10 Minutes

Here is a summary of everything you need to do to go from zero to tracking your first option trade:

  1. Create your free account at app.myatmm.com with email and password. Verify with the PIN sent to your email.
  2. Set your theme by toggling between dark mode and light mode in settings.
  3. Add monitored tickers on the Covered Calls & Cash-Secured Puts screener page to build your watchlist.
  4. Add a tracked ticker on the Cost Basis V2 page for the symbol you want to log trades against.
  5. Log your first transaction—enter the action (STO/BTC), contracts, strike, premium, commission, and fees.
  6. Review the cost basis header to see your premium collected update automatically.
  7. Check the dashboard to see your positions, premiums, projections, and performance data.
  8. Explore screeners and trends to find your next trade and check technical context.
Need Help? If you run into any issues during setup or have questions about specific features, the support page has detailed guides and contact options. The platform is designed to be intuitive, but support is always available if you need a hand.

Risk Disclaimer

MyATMM is a position tracking and cost basis management tool. It is not a brokerage, financial advisor, or investment advisory service. The platform does not execute trades, provide investment recommendations, or guarantee any specific financial outcomes.

Options trading involves significant risk and is not suitable for all investors. You can lose more than your initial investment when trading options. Cash-secured puts require sufficient capital to purchase the underlying shares if assigned, and covered calls limit your upside potential on owned shares.

All trading decisions are your own. Past performance—whether shown on the dashboard, projections tab, or any other part of the platform—does not guarantee future results. Always consult with a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions. For full details, see our disclaimer page.

Start Tracking Your Options Positions Accurately

MyATMM provides purpose-built cost basis tracking for option sellers, with the flexibility to track covered calls, cash-secured puts, and wheel strategy positions.

Track up to 3 tickers completely free forever. No credit card required.

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Built for covered calls, cash-secured puts, and the wheel strategy

Original Content by MyATMM Research Team | Published: March 28, 2026 | Educational Use Only