What is Order Book in Stock Market? How to Read Orders
The order book on your trading platform is a record of all orders you have placed during the current trading session. It shows each order's status: whether it is pending, executed, cancelled, or rejected. It is your personal log of every instruction you have sent to the exchange.
Think of it as your order history on a food delivery app. You can see what you ordered, when you ordered it, whether it has been delivered or is still being prepared, and whether you cancelled anything. The order book does the same for your stock market orders.
What information does the order book show?
| Column | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Time | When the order was placed |
| Stock/Symbol | Which stock the order is for |
| Type | Buy or sell, market or limit or SL |
| Quantity | Number of shares ordered |
| Price | Limit price or 'Market' for market orders |
| Status | Open, Executed, Cancelled, Rejected, Partially Filled |
| Filled Qty | How many shares have been executed so far |
Why should you check your order book regularly?
Your order book confirms whether your orders went through correctly. A common beginner mistake is placing multiple orders accidentally or not realising an order was rejected due to insufficient funds. Checking the order book after placing an order confirms its status and prevents surprises.
The order book also helps you track pending orders that you may want to modify or cancel before they execute. A limit order sitting at a price far from the current market might no longer be relevant by afternoon.
Investments in securities market are subject to market risks. This article is for educational purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'Rejected' status in the order book mean?
A rejected order means the exchange or your broker did not accept the order. Common reasons include insufficient funds or margin, invalid price (outside circuit limits), market closed, or the stock being in a restricted segment. The rejection reason is usually shown alongside the status. Fix the issue and place a fresh order.
Can I modify an order that shows as 'Open' in the order book?
Yes. As long as the order has not been executed, you can modify its price, quantity, or other parameters. Once an order is partially or fully executed, the executed portion cannot be changed. You can only modify or cancel the remaining unexecuted portion.
Does the order book reset every day?
Yes. Day orders expire at market close, and the order book for the next session starts fresh. Historical orders from previous days are available in your trade history or order history section, depending on your broker's platform.
What is the difference between order book and trade book?
The order book shows all orders you placed, regardless of whether they were executed. The trade book shows only the orders that were actually executed and resulted in a completed trade. Think of it as: order book is everything you tried to do, trade book is everything that actually happened.
How do I export my order book for record-keeping?
Most broker platforms allow you to download your order book and trade book as CSV or Excel files. This is useful for maintaining trading records, analysing your trading patterns, and for tax filing purposes. Check your broker's reports section for the download option.
Investments in securities market are subject to market risks. This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
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