How to get an open order's entry time in TradingView Pine Script?

How to get an open order’s entry time in TradingView Pine Script?

TL;DR
Use strategy.opentrades.entry_time(tradeIndex) to fetch the bar timestamp of any open order, then convert it into human-readable text or holding-period metrics.

At a Glance

Difficulty	Intermediate
Time to implement	10-15 min
Category	Order Management

Quick Actions

• Open in AI Editor
• Browse PineScript Examples
• Connect to Live Trading

Quick Start

//@version=5
strategy("Entry time demo", overlay=true)

if strategy.position_size == 0 and ta.crossover(close, ta.sma(close, 20))
    strategy.entry("Breakout", strategy.long)

if strategy.opentrades > 0
    newest     = strategy.opentrades - 1
    entryStamp = strategy.opentrades.entry_time(newest)
    pretty     = tostring(entryStamp, "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm")
    label.new(bar_index, high, "Opened at " + pretty, textcolor=color.white, bgcolor=color.new(color.blue, 65))

Tip. `entry_time()` returns the bar's opening timestamp in milliseconds. Format it with `tostring(timeValue, "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm")` or subtract it from `time` to measure holding duration.

Why It Matters

Knowing when a position opened lets you manage exposure by age: you can trail stops after N minutes, flag trades that overstay their welcome, or calculate session boundaries for partial exits. strategy.opentrades.entry_time() exposes that timestamp so you can surface it in labels, tables, or risk checks without manually tracking every fill.

What You’ll Learn

• Identify which open trade index you want (oldest vs newest entry).
• Convert entry timestamps into readable strings or elapsed time values.
• Display entry times on-chart and inside automation logic.
• Handle multi-entry strategies by looping across strategy.opentrades.

Quick Reference

Call	Purpose
strategy.opentrades	Returns the number of open orders the strategy currently holds.
strategy.opentrades.entry_time(idx)	Provides the entry bar’s timestamp (int, milliseconds) for the given open order index.
tostring(value, format)	Formats timestamps into readable strings such as yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm.
time	Current bar’s opening timestamp; subtract to compute holding duration.
label.new()	Annotates the chart with the entry time or age of the trade.

Implementation Blueprint

1. Pick the trade index
   Zero (0) targets the oldest open order, while strategy.opentrades - 1 gives you the most recent fill.

   oldestIndex = 0
   newestIndex = math.max(strategy.opentrades - 1, 0)

2. Fetch and format the timestamp
   Grab the raw milliseconds and turn them into text or durations.

   entryMs   = strategy.opentrades.entry_time(newestIndex)
   entryText = tostring(entryMs, "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm")
   minutesInTrade = (time - entryMs) / 60000.0

3. Surface the information
   Use labels, tables, or conditional logic to react when a trade gets too old.

   if minutesInTrade > 90
       alert("Trade has been open for " + str.tostring(minutesInTrade, format.mintick) + " minutes")

Example Playbook

//@version=5
strategy("Breakout age tracker", overlay=true, default_qty_type=strategy.percent_of_equity, default_qty_value=5)

len   = input.int(40, "Breakout length", minval=2)
targetAge = input.int(120, "Minutes before attention", minval=5)

top   = ta.highest(high, len)
btm   = ta.lowest(low, len)
enterLong  = ta.crossover(high, top)
enterShort = ta.crossunder(low, btm)

if enterLong
    strategy.entry("LONG", strategy.long)
if enterShort
    strategy.entry("SHORT", strategy.short)

plot(top, "Breakout high", color=color.new(color.green, 60))
plot(btm, "Breakout low", color=color.new(color.red, 60))

if strategy.opentrades > 0
    oldest    = 0
    newest    = strategy.opentrades - 1
    firstTime = strategy.opentrades.entry_time(oldest)
    lastTime  = strategy.opentrades.entry_time(newest)

    minutesSinceFirst = (time - firstTime) / 60000.0
    minutesSinceLast  = (time - lastTime) / 60000.0

    txt = "First fill: " + tostring(firstTime, "MMM dd HH:mm") +
          "\nAge: " + str.tostring(minutesSinceFirst, format.mintick) + " min" +
          "\nLatest fill age: " + str.tostring(minutesSinceLast, format.mintick) + " min"

    label.new(bar_index, high, txt,
        textcolor=color.white,
        style=label.style_label_down,
        bgcolor=color.new(color.blue, 60))

    if strategy.position_size > 0 and minutesSinceFirst > targetAge
        strategy.close("LONG", comment="Time-based exit")
    if strategy.position_size < 0 and minutesSinceFirst > targetAge
        strategy.close("SHORT", comment="Time-based exit")

Why this works.

• The code watches both the oldest and newest fills, so pyramided positions have accurate age tracking.
• Formatting the timestamp keeps labels human-friendly and consistent with chart time zone settings.
• Age thresholds let you automate time-based exits or alerts without manually storing entry bars.

Pro Tips & Pitfalls

• Guard every call with strategy.opentrades > 0—entry_time() returns na when no open trade exists.
• Remember that the returned time is the bar open, not the exact tick when the order filled. Use smaller chart resolutions if you need finer precision.
• Loop from 0 to strategy.opentrades - 1 to inspect each leg when pyramiding.
• Convert timestamps to your preferred zone with timestamptz(entryMs, session.timezone) if you need session-aware reporting.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

I get na for entry time

This occurs when the strategy has no open orders. Check strategy.opentrades > 0 before accessing any index, and ensure the index you request is within bounds.

The reported time is earlier than the fill I saw live

entry_time() returns the bar’s opening timestamp. If the order filled later within that bar, you’ll see an earlier time. Consider running the strategy on a lower timeframe for more granular bar opens.

How do I see the entry time in my local timezone?

Wrap the timestamp with timestamptz(entryMs, "America/New_York") (or your zone) before formatting. Pine will adjust the milliseconds to the specified timezone.

Key Takeaways

• strategy.opentrades.entry_time() exposes the bar timestamp for each open order.
• Always guard against empty positions and out-of-range indexes.
• Subtract the timestamp from time to compute holding duration in minutes or hours.
• Surface the information in labels, alerts, or risk checks to keep trades on schedule.

---

Keep Going

• Open AI Editor to apply the pattern with guided assistance
• Browse Strategy Examples for ready-to-run templates
• Connect to Live Trading when you are ready to automate

Adapted from tradingcode.net, optimised for Algo Trade Analytics users.