# Backtest Upload - Import Historical Data and Results

**Last Updated**: 2026-03-17
**Version**: 1.0.0

## How It Works

### Access the Upload Interface

Navigate to the Backtest Upload page from the main menu. This page provides a drag-and-drop file upload area where you can import external backtest results, historical price data, or strategy trade logs for analysis within the platform.

### Prepare Your Data File

Format your data file according to the platform's requirements. For price data, use CSV format with standard OHLCV columns (Date, Open, High, Low, Close, Volume). For trade logs, include columns for entry time, exit time, entry price, exit price, position size, and profit/loss.

### Upload and Validate

Drag your file onto the upload area or click to browse. The system automatically validates the file format, checks column headers, verifies data types, and reports any parsing errors with specific row numbers and field names for quick correction.

### Map Columns to Platform Fields

If your file uses non-standard column names, the upload wizard presents a column mapping interface where you can match your headers to the platform's expected fields. This ensures correct data interpretation regardless of your source format.

### Preview and Confirm Import

Review a preview of the parsed data showing the first several rows, detected data types, and any warnings about missing values or format inconsistencies. Confirm the import to process the full dataset into the platform's analysis engine.

### Process and Store Results

Once confirmed, the system processes your uploaded data and stores it in IndexedDB for local analysis. Imported data becomes available on the Backtest Results page where you can view equity curves, performance metrics, and trade history using the same tools as platform-generated backtests.

### Analyze Imported Data

Navigate to the Backtest Results page to analyze your imported data. Compare externally generated results against platform backtests, evaluate performance metrics side by side, and use the full suite of visualization tools on your uploaded dataset.

> The upload system supports CSV and JSON formats. Ensure your data file follows the expected schema to avoid parsing errors during import.

## Tips & Best Practices

- Always include a header row in your CSV file with clearly labeled column names; the validator uses headers to auto-detect field mappings and data types

- Use ISO 8601 date format (YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS) for timestamp columns to avoid ambiguity between date formats across regions

- Remove any summary rows, totals, or metadata rows from the bottom of your CSV before uploading, as these will cause validation errors on numeric columns

- For large datasets exceeding 100,000 rows, consider splitting into multiple files by date range to avoid browser memory limitations during processing

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What file formats and column structures are supported?

The platform supports CSV and JSON formats. For OHLCV price data, required columns are: Date, Open, High, Low, Close, and Volume. For trade log data, required columns are: entry_time, exit_time, entry_price, exit_price, position_size, and pnl. Column names are case-insensitive and common aliases are auto-detected.

### What is the maximum file size for upload?

The maximum upload size is 500MB per file. For datasets larger than this, split your data into multiple files by date range and upload them sequentially. Each uploaded file is processed independently and stored in IndexedDB.

### Can I upload backtest results from other trading platforms?

Yes, as long as you format the data according to the platform's expected column structure. Export your results from the external platform as CSV, map the columns to match the required fields (entry/exit times, prices, position sizes), and upload. The column mapping wizard helps bridge format differences.

### What happens if my data has missing values or gaps?

The validator flags rows with missing or malformed values during the preview step. You can choose to skip problematic rows or cancel the upload to fix your source data. Missing volume data is tolerated for trade log uploads but required for OHLCV price data imports.

## Important Notes

> Uploaded data accuracy is the user's responsibility. The platform validates format and structure but cannot verify the correctness of historical prices or trade execution data. Imported results do not guarantee future performance.

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Source: https://stratcraft.ai/help/backtest-upload/