If your Expert Advisor doesn't trade, please check the following:

1. Check that the Expert Advisor button on the standard tool bar in your MT4 is switched on. You also should see a “smiley face” on the chart that has your EA attached.

   

2. Make sure the following options are checked in the MetaTrader 4 Tools → Options → Expert Advisors menu:

   • Allow automated trading: Experts can open and close trades automatically, without the trader's participation. This option enables live trading and using our Expert Advisors.
   • Allow DLL imports: Experts can use libraries (DLL files stored in the folder ...\MQL4\Libraries on your computer) to enlarge their functionalities. If this option is enabled, the libraries can be used without any limitations.
     
   
   
   

   The other options may be enabled or disabled depending on your preferences:

   • Disable automated trading when the account has been changed: This option is a safety tool that disables automated trading when the account has been changed. It can be useful, for example, when one switches from a demo account to a real one.
   • Disable automated trading when the profile has been changed: This option can disable automated trading when the profile has been changed.

     * A Profile is a specific group of charts with its own settings, templates and layout on the MT4 screen. Profiles can be created and managed via the File → Profile menu in the MT4. When you open a profile, each chart with its settings will be placed exactly in the same location where you placed it before.

   • Disable automated trading when the charts symbol or period has been changed: This option can disable automated trading when the trading symbol or period has been changed.
   • Allow WebRequest for listed URL: This option is used for receiving and sending information to websites by means of GET and POST requests. You need to specify the URLs of trusted website in the field below.

3. Make sure the settings of your EA comply with our trading terms:

   • The FXOpen minimum lot size is 0.01 lot. If your EA is trying to trade a smaller lot, you will see the error “Invalid Volume” in the Terminal window, Experts tab.
   • If you have an ECN account your Expert Advisor should be programmed to work with 5th decimal pricing. If it is programmed to work with 4th decimal pricing you may have to make changes to the code of the expert. You may do it yourself or contact the person who provided the Expert Advisor to you.
   • On ECN accounts the Expert Advisor must open a market order WITHOUT a STOP LOSS or a TAKE PROFIT. Stop Loss and Take Profit can be added to an open order using the order modification function seconds after the order has been executed. Or use pending (Stop and Limit) orders with an order opening price that is close to the market.

     Learn more about trading on ECN accounts.

4. Check the logs of all operations performed by your EA. They are available in the MetaTrader, Terminal window, Experts and Journal tabs. For example, the “Invalid Volume” error message means that your EA tries to open a trade with volume less than the minimum transaction size allowable on FXOpen accounts (0.01 lot). If the error is unknown to you, please e-mail a print-screen (screen shot) of the Experts tab to us.

5. Please remember that an Expert Advisor is a client terminal side feature. Due to this the EA will only trade while your MetaTrader 4 is connected to the FXOpen server and you are logged into your account. If you log off and shut down the MetaTrader 4, the EA will stop functioning. If you want your EA to be trading 24/5, consider using a VPS service.