Sierra Chart study collection vs chartbook: what each file preserves

Short answer: study collection vs chartbook

A Sierra Chart study collection stores a set of studies and their settings, while a chartbook stores whole charts, including symbols, chart layout and the studies on them. If you want to share indicator settings that load onto any chart, use a study collection. If you want a complete, ready-to-open workspace, use a chartbook.

The difference matters most when you buy, sell or hand off a setup. The wrong format can leave you with missing studies, wrong symbols or a layout that does not match the screenshots.

What a study collection preserves

A study collection is a saved group of studies with their input settings, styles and subgraph colors. In Sierra Chart you can apply a collection to a chart through the Studies window, which makes it closer to a reusable recipe than a finished workspace.

Typical contents:

• Which studies are included and their order
• Input values such as volume thresholds, lookback lengths and bar periods
• Colors, line widths and display options for each subgraph

What it generally does not carry: the symbol, the chart's bar period, window size or the arrangement of multiple charts. Those belong to the chart or chartbook level.

Example: a footprint study set

Say you built a footprint study set on ES with a cluster of volume at price, delta display and a volume profile. Saved as a collection, you can apply it to NQ or CL and adjust. Thresholds such as an imbalance ratio or a big-trade filter may need retuning, because NQ ticks and volume differ from ES. The collection gives you the structure, not instrument-specific calibration.

What a chartbook preserves

A chartbook (a .Cht-based collection of charts) saves the charts themselves: symbols, data settings, bar periods, studies and their settings, and how chart windows are laid out. Opening it restores a full working view.

Typical contents:

• Each chart's symbol and number of bars or days to load
• Intraday bar type, such as 1000-volume or 5-minute
• All studies applied to each chart, with settings
• Chart-level options like scaling, session times and background
• Linked chart arrangement inside the chartbook

A chartbook is the format behind most premade order flow workspaces. For how to evaluate one, see our guide on organizing and evaluating an order flow chartbook template.

Where chart templates and presets fit

The terms overlap, so separate them clearly.

• Study presets: saved settings for a single study. Useful for switching one study between configurations, such as a footprint set for ES and another for EURUSD.
• Chart templates: a saved chart look and study stack that you can apply to other charts. Sierra Chart supports saving and applying chart templates through its Chart menu options, and the Sierra Chart documentation explains the details.
• Study collection: a group of studies, usually the middle ground between one preset and a full chart.
• Chartbook: the full container of charts.

A useful mental model: presets cover one study, collections cover a study stack, templates cover one chart's look, and chartbooks cover the whole set of charts.

Where the workspace file fits

Many traders say workspace file when they mean the chartbook. In Sierra Chart, the closest idea is the chartbook plus the saved window layout. Global settings, such as data feed configuration, trade service setup, and some global study defaults, live elsewhere and are not part of the chartbook you send to someone. That is a good thing for privacy, but it means a buyer must still connect their own data.

Comparison at a glance

Item	Study collection	Chartbook
Study settings	Yes	Yes
Symbol and data range	No	Yes
Bar period	No	Yes
Multi-chart layout	No	Yes
Works across instruments	Easily	Needs edits
Best for	Sharing indicator setups	Full ready workspace

How to choose for sharing or buying

Choose a study collection when

• You want the same studies on different instruments such as ES, NQ and CL
• You already have a layout you like
• The seller's value is in the study configuration

Choose a chartbook when

• You want to open it and see a working screen
• The setup depends on multiple linked charts, such as a footprint, a DOM-adjacent chart and a profile chart
• You are a newer user who does not want to build the layout

Ask these questions before buying

1. Which format is delivered, and can I get both?
2. Which symbols and bar types was it built for?
3. Does it use custom DLL studies or only built-in studies? Custom studies need to be installed separately.
4. Which Sierra Chart version and data feed was it tested on?
5. Does the footprint need exchange volume-at-price data, such as from CME futures? See CME Group for data basics.

Step-by-step: preparing a setup to share

1. Clean the chart: remove studies you do not want to share.
2. Name studies clearly so the user can find them.
3. Save study presets for the main studies.
4. Create the study collection for the stack.
5. Save the chartbook with a neutral symbol and a modest number of days loaded.
6. Write a short note listing instrument, bar type, session times and required data.
7. Test on a clean Sierra Chart install, ideally on a second computer.

Common problems after loading

• Blank footprint: the data feed may not supply tick-level data or the days to load are too few.
• Wrong session profile: session times differ by instrument. ES and EURUSD trade on very different schedules.
• Missing study: a custom study file is not installed.
• Scale looks off: tick size differs on NQ versus CL, so price scale and cluster sizing may need changes.

If your footprint looks unreadable after loading, review the settings in our footprint chart setup guide.

Conclusion

Use a study collection to move study settings, and a chartbook to move a full working screen. Chart templates and presets sit between them for smaller jobs. Whatever format you choose, test it on a clean install and recalibrate thresholds for each instrument. A shared setup is a starting point for reading order flow, not a guarantee of any trading outcome. If you want tested Sierra Chart tools and clear setup notes, explore the range at SierraOnShop.

FAQ

Can I open a chartbook in a different Sierra Chart version?

Usually newer versions open older chartbooks, but older versions may not handle files saved in newer ones. Keep Sierra Chart updated and check the seller's tested version.

Will a study collection change my existing charts?

Applying a collection adds or replaces studies on the selected chart, depending on how you apply it. Back up your chartbook first so you can revert.

Do chartbooks include my data feed login?

No, connection and service credentials are stored in global settings, not in the chartbook. Still, review any file before sharing.

Can I use the same footprint settings on EURUSD?

You can reuse the structure, but forex volume differs from exchange futures volume because spot FX is decentralized. Treat volume-based readings carefully and retune the thresholds.