Guide

Name the strategy before connect

Before you connect a broker, wallet, or spend connector, write down the strategy name, allowed instruments, size ceiling, and kill conditions — so the agent inherits a named plan instead of improvising. Pair it with connect only what you need, one connector at a time, paper before live, dry run before first live place, and never skip review before place.

By Agent Lane Editorial · Page dated 27 September 2026

Answer first

Do not enable a live spend or trading connector until a short written plan exists: a name you can cite, what is allowed, how large, and what stops the run. The agent should inherit that named plan — not invent size, instruments, or exits mid-session. Caps and review help only if there is something honest to review against. Agent Lane publishes the checklist. We do not place trades, hold wallets, invent broker UI, or run your agents.

What this page is

A short operator guide for the plan gate on the shield — name the strategy before connect — so live connectors start with a written brief instead of a blank prompt. Pair it with connect only what you need, one connector at a time, paper before live, dry run before first live place, never skip review before place, fund the session ceiling, agent spend caps, whitelist merchants only, and the shared-box checklist.

We are a publisher, not a trading desk. Product screens change; write the plan in your notes or the settings your product already shows. We do not invent strategy builders or Agentic click-paths. You name the strategy.

Why connecting without a named plan is the failure mode

• Blank plan = improvised size and instruments. A live connector with no written brief invites the agent to invent scope mid-session — connect only what you need.
• Review has nothing honest to check. Without name, instruments, ceiling, and kill conditions, “looks fine” is not a gate — never skip review before place.
• Novelty without a dry prove burns the first live place. A new strategy still needs paper and dry-run before live — paper before live, dry run before first live place.

What “name the strategy before connect” means

• Strategy name. A short label you can cite in chat, memory, and the session log — one job, one name.
• Allowed instruments or payees. Markets, symbols, or merchants in scope; everything else out — pair with whitelist merchants only.
• Size ceiling. Session and per-place maxes you already set — agent spend caps, fund the session ceiling.
• Kill conditions. Time-box end, loss limit, odd fill, connector error, travel/offline — what stops the run without improvising.
• Then connect. Only the rails this plan needs; one connector at a time; review on.

Where it sits in the shield stack

1. Name the strategy before connect — written plan before any live grant.
2. Connect only what you need — enable only rails this plan requires.
3. One connector at a time — never re-enable the whole stack at once.
4. Paper before live + dry run before first live place — prove the named plan before live size.
5. Never skip review before place — human gate against the written plan.
6. Fund the session ceiling + log session end checklist — cash and close match the plan.

Healthy flow: write name → instruments → ceiling → kill conditions → connect only what you need → one connector → paper/dry-run → review on → fund only the ceiling → log the close. Skip the named plan and review has nothing to check.

How to name the strategy before connect

1. Write the strategy name. Short label for chat, memory, and the session log. One job, one name.
2. List allowed instruments or payees. Markets, symbols, or merchants in scope. Pair with whitelist merchants only and connect only what you need.
3. Set the size ceiling. Session max and any per-place max — agent spend caps, fund the session ceiling — before any live connector.
4. Write kill conditions. Time-box end (session time-box), loss limit, odd fill, connector error, travel/offline (kill switch before travel).
5. Then connect — one rail, review on. Enable only what this plan needs. One connector at a time. Keep review before place on. No invented UI.
6. Paper and dry-run before first live place. Prove the named plan — paper before live, then dry run before first live place. Confirm in the broker UI — confirm fills in the broker, not chat. Close with log session end checklist.

Practical checklist

• Strategy named. Short label written where you and the agent can see it.
• Instruments / payees listed. In-scope only; rest off.
• Size ceiling written. Session and per-place maxes before connect.
• Kill conditions written. Time, loss, odd fill, error, offline.
• Connect after the plan exists. Not before. One connector at a time; review on.
• Paper / dry-run on the named plan. Before first live place.
• No invented UI. Official venue screens and your notes only; you name the strategy.
• Shared-box pass. Who can see or edit the written plan on a shared computer — see shared-box.

Brokerage path: Shield brokerage spend. On-chain pay: Shield crypto spend.

What Agent Lane does not do here

• We do not place trades, preview your orders, or babysit your agents.
• We do not hold your funds, run a hot wallet, or settle payments.
• We do not invent strategy builders, Agentic menus, or product click-paths.
• We do not name your strategy for you or claim a product “strategy” feature.

Related guides

• Write invalidation before entry
• Connect only what you need
• One connector at a time
• Paper before live
• Dry run before first live place
• Never skip review before place
• No averaging down without a new thesis
• Journal every override
• Max open positions per sleeve
• Confirm cancel in the broker, not chat
• No overnight margin without GO
• Fund the session ceiling
• Cap daily loss before session
• One strategy, one sleeve
• Read-only quote before trade connector
• Agent spend caps
• Whitelist merchants only
• Review before place
• Session time-box
• Confirm fills in the broker, not chat
• Log session end checklist
• Separate funding from trading wallet
• Kill switch before travel
• Write invalidation before entry
• Reject duplicate place same thesis
• Confirm symbol before place
• No scale-in without GO
• Flatten all before connector revoke
• One order per idea until fill
• No place while unconfirmed fill
• Write max loss before entry
• Shared-box and connector checklist
• Write GO before scale-up
• Paper before live, same rules
• Stop adding size after a loss day
• Shield brokerage spend
• Shield crypto spend
• More on Resources

FAQ

What does name the strategy before connect mean?

It means: before you enable a broker, wallet, or spend connector for an agent, write a short named plan — strategy name, allowed instruments or payees, size ceiling, and kill conditions — so the agent inherits that plan instead of improvising live. Pair with connect only what you need, one connector at a time, paper before live, dry run before first live place, and never skip review before place.

What belongs in the written strategy?

At minimum: a short name you can cite in chat and memory; allowed instruments, markets, or merchants; a size or session ceiling; and kill conditions that stop the run (time-box end, loss limit, odd fill, connector error). You write it; Agent Lane does not invent broker strategy screens.

Why is connecting without a named plan the failure mode?

A live connector without a written strategy invites prompt improvisation — the agent invents size, instruments, or exits mid-session. Caps and review help, but without a named plan there is nothing honest to review against.

Do I invent a broker strategy UI?

No. Write the plan in your notes, checklist, or product settings your venue already shows. Agent Lane does not invent strategy builders, Agentic menus, or product click-paths.

Does this replace paper-before-live or dry-run?

No. Naming the strategy is the plan gate before connect. Paper before live and dry run before first live place prove the pipe. Connect only what you need and one connector at a time limit surface. Never skip review before place is the human gate. You need the stack.

Where do I apply this next?

Surface: connect only what you need. Reconnect: one connector at a time. Prove: paper before live, then dry run before first live place. Gate: never skip review before place. Cash: fund the session ceiling. Close: log session end checklist. Agent Lane publishes the checklist; we do not place trades or invent broker UI.

Next steps

Before an agent touches real money, review every order before it is placed, shield your brokerage account, and map the trading-agent options. Or browse all Agent Lane guides.