Sierra Chart trade DOM layout for beginners: what each column shows and how to arrange a readable ladder

What a beginner Trade DOM layout should look like

A readable Sierra Chart Trade DOM layout for beginners needs only a few columns: a center price column, bid size and ask size on either side, and one traded volume column. Everything else, such as cumulative depth, pulling and stacking, or recent volume, should be added only once you can explain what it shows. Most early confusion comes from too many columns and too much color, not from a lack of information.

This guide is about reading the ladder, not trading from it. It covers what the main trade DOM columns show and how to arrange them so your eyes move logically. It does not cover order entry, order placement, or execution tactics. If you have not yet enabled market depth data or opened a DOM on a futures symbol, start with the Sierra Chart DOM setup guide for futures, then return here to organize the layout.

How the market depth ladder is organized

The Trade DOM is a vertical price ladder. Each row is one price level, spaced by the instrument's tick size:

• ES and NQ: 0.25 per row
• YM: 1 per row
• RTY: 0.10 per row
• CL: 0.01 per row

Higher prices sit at the top, lower prices at the bottom. The best bid and best ask sit next to each other near the middle of the visible ladder, and the last traded price is usually highlighted. Above the best ask you see resting sell orders (offers). Below the best bid you see resting buy orders (bids).

One point beginners often miss: the depth columns show resting limit orders that can be modified or cancelled at any moment. The traded volume columns show transactions that already happened. Keeping those two categories visually separate is the main goal of a good layout. CME Group publishes contract specifications, including tick size, for products such as the E-mini S&P 500 futures, which is worth checking before you decide how many rows to display.

The main trade DOM columns explained

Column names can differ slightly between Sierra Chart versions, so match the descriptions below against the list in your own column customization window rather than relying on exact labels.

Price

The anchor of the ladder. Every other column is read relative to this one. Keep it in the center so bid-side information sits on one side and ask-side information on the other.

Bid Size and Ask Size

These are the core market depth columns. Bid Size shows the quantity of resting buy orders at each price at or below the best bid. Ask Size shows resting sell orders at or above the best ask. The number of levels you see depends on your data feed and the depth levels it provides for that symbol.

Traded volume columns

Sierra Chart offers several columns that show executed volume rather than resting orders. Common ones include a total volume at price column and separate columns for volume traded at the bid and at the ask, sometimes split into current or recent values. For a first layout, choose one: either a single volume at price column or a pair of bid traded and ask traded columns. Showing all of them at once makes the ladder hard to scan.

Recent bid and ask volume

These columns show volume traded at each price over a short recent window, then reset or fade. They are useful for seeing where activity is happening right now, but they move fast. Add them only after the basic layout feels comfortable.

Cumulative depth

This column sums depth from the inside market outward, so you can see total resting size across several levels. It is helpful context but redundant with Bid Size and Ask Size for a beginner.

Pulling and stacking

This column shows changes in resting size at each level, highlighting when orders are added or removed. It reacts quickly and can be distracting. Treat it as an advanced column.

Order and P/L columns

The DOM also includes columns related to your own working orders and profit or loss. Their use belongs to order-entry workflows, which are outside the scope of this article. For a reading-only layout, you can leave them at their default position or narrow them so they do not compete with the depth columns.

How to arrange a readable DOM workspace

The arrangement below is a starting point, not a rule. Adjust it once you know what you actually look at.

Step 1: open the column customization window

Look for the option to customize Chart/Trade DOM columns. In many recent versions it is reached from the Trade menu while the DOM chart is active. If you cannot find it, check the Sierra Chart documentation for your version. From this window you can add, remove, and reorder columns, and set their width.

Step 2: build a symmetrical core

A simple left to right order that many traders find readable is:

1. Bid traded volume
2. Bid Size
3. Price
4. Ask Size
5. Ask traded volume

This keeps everything bid-related on the left and everything ask-related on the right, with price as the dividing line. Your eyes only need to move horizontally to compare the two sides at one level.

If you prefer a single volume column instead of the bid and ask traded pair, place it immediately next to Price on one side and keep it consistent across every DOM you use.

Step 3: set the visible rows

Too few rows and the ladder recenters constantly. Too many and the numbers become tiny. As a rough guide, set the font and row height so you can see roughly 20 to 40 levels on each side of the inside market. On ES, 30 rows above the best ask covers 7.5 points. On CL, 30 rows covers only 0.30, so you may want more rows on crude oil to see a comparable amount of context.

Row height and font are controlled in the chart settings. The Sierra Chart Chart Settings documentation describes the available options; confirm the exact setting names in your version.

Step 4: use color for meaning only

Pick one color family for the bid side and one for the ask side, and keep the price column neutral. Use stronger shading only for the inside market and the last trade. Avoid using bright colors for every column, because nothing stands out when everything does.

Step 5: keep the ladder centered

Check whether automatic recentering is enabled and how it behaves. On a fast market like NQ, a ladder that does not recenter will drift off screen. On a slower session, constant recentering can make it hard to keep your place. Test both behaviors during a live session and choose what keeps the inside market visible without jumping too often.

Step 6: save the workspace

Once the layout feels right, save the chartbook. Chartbooks use the .Cht extension and preserve chart and DOM configuration, as explained in the Sierra Chart Chartbooks documentation. If you plan to experiment further, save a copy first; the guide on customizing a Sierra Chart chartbook without losing the original layout walks through that process.

If you would rather start from an organized layout and adjust it, a Sierra Chart depth of market chartbook gives you a configured DOM and order book workspace you can open and then tailor to your columns and colors.

Common beginner layout mistakes

• Mixing depth and volume on the same side without a clear order. If Bid Size and ask traded volume sit next to each other, it is easy to misread resting orders as executions.
• Showing every available column. Start with five columns and add one at a time.
• Using the same row count for every instrument. ES, CL, and RTY have different tick sizes and different typical ranges, so the same number of rows shows very different price distances.
• Forgetting the data source. Empty Bid Size and Ask Size columns usually mean market depth data is not enabled or not available for that symbol, not that the layout is wrong.
• Expecting a forex DOM to behave like CME futures. Depth on spot EURUSD depends entirely on what your feed provides and may be limited or unavailable. The 6E Euro FX futures contract on CME is the centralized equivalent if you want a futures-style ladder.

Conclusion

A beginner-friendly Trade DOM is symmetrical, sparse, and consistent. Put Price in the center, Bid Size and Ask Size beside it, one traded volume element on each side or a single volume column, and size the rows to match each instrument's tick size. Learn to separate resting depth from executed volume before adding advanced columns like pulling and stacking or cumulative depth. Once the ladder reads cleanly, save it as a chartbook so every session starts from the same view. You can also browse ready-to-use Sierra Chart chartbooks from SierraOnShop if you want a configured DOM workspace as your starting point.

FAQ

Can I use the same DOM layout for ES and NQ?

Yes, the column order can be identical because both contracts use a 0.25 tick size. You may still want more visible rows on NQ, since it typically covers more points during a session.

Why do my Bid Size and Ask Size columns only show a few levels?

The number of depth levels comes from your data feed and the symbol. Check the depth settings in your data feed configuration and confirm how many levels it provides for that contract.

Should I show the DOM next to a regular chart?

Many traders do, because the chart gives price context the ladder cannot. Keep the DOM narrow and to one side so the two windows do not compete for attention.

Does the Trade DOM need tick by tick data?

The live depth columns rely on market depth data. Traded volume columns are more reliable when intraday data is stored at 1 tick, which you can check under Global Settings >> Data/Trade Service Settings.