In a scenario session, Zella AI can coach you while you replay the chart. This article covers how to turn guidance on, what Zella does at each level, and where guidance stops.
What is Zella AI guidance in a scenario session?
Zella AI coaches you while you replay the chart. Zella can:
Walk you through the checklist — it takes you through the scenario's preparation checklist.
Speak up — it tells you when something in the scenario's rules needs your attention.
Pause the replay — it stops the replay when a decision is needed.
How do I turn on guidance and pick a level?
Guidance is set in the window that opens before a session starts.
Start a scenario session.
In the window that opens before the session starts, pick a guidance level.
Start the session.
There are three levels:
Minimal — Zella answers what you ask and never interrupts. Best for experienced traders.
Medium (default) — Zella speaks up when something needs your attention and pauses the replay when it needs a decision from you.
Full — a step-by-step replay. Continuous playback and the playback speed slider are switched off, so you move the replay forward one step at a time and watch each candle resolve.
The window also lists what Zella can watch for in this scenario. Each check appears as a small tag, and each tag is a rule Zella can check automatically as you replay — so before you start, you'll know which parts of your setup it's tracking for you.
When you use guidance on a new strategy, Zella first works out what it can watch for and shows a Preparing message while it does. This can take a few minutes.
How does Zella walk me through the preparation checklist?
At Medium and Full, the session opens on the Zella AI pane. Zella posts Step 1 of N for the first step you haven't ticked or skipped. Each step has three buttons:
Done — ticks the step.
Skip — marks the step as skipped.
Help me — explains where to click, then shows the same step again below the answer.
You can also type that a step is done, or tick it in the Preparation steps from the Scenario tab.
Before Zella ticks a timeframe, indicator or chart-layout step, it checks your chart. If the chart doesn't match, Zella tells you what to change and leaves the step open — for example, if your chart is on 1min and the step needs 15min.
Other steps tick on your word. If Zella can't read your chart, it won't tick the step and points you to the Done button instead.
When you finish the checklist, the completion box offers an Open Zella AI button. Use it to start playing the chart candle by candle.
What happens while I replay the chart?
At Medium, Zella speaks up when something in the scenario's rules needs your attention, and pauses the replay when it needs a decision from you.
At Full, you move the replay forward one step at a time. Continuous playback is off, and the speed slider is disabled. When Zella pauses the replay, the notice shows a Got it button instead of Resume.
After a trade closes at Medium or Full, Zella offers to help you write the trade up in your journal and to mark which rules you followed. You can also do each of these yourself.
Note: Zella never reveals candles after the current replay point unless you ask.
What happens when I come back to a session later?
If you return to a scenario session after an hour or more away, Zella greets you with where you stopped — the period, date, time, and trades so far. It offers two buttons:
Review my scenario — a period-by-period review of what you played, covering what went right, what was missed, and what to try next time.
Continue — a short reminder of what the strategy rules look for next.
If a preparation step is still pending, Zella asks you to finish preparation first.
What are the limits?
Rules Zella can't check — if the scenario's rules aren't written in a form Zella can check automatically, Medium behaves like Minimal for that scenario. The level picker tells you when this is the case.
Minimal and mentor views — Minimal sessions and mentor views don't get the checklist walkthrough.
Full level — there's no continuous playback, and the speed slider is disabled.
Chart checks — Zella only checks the chart before ticking timeframe, indicator, and chart-layout steps. Other steps tick on your word, and nothing ticks if Zella can't read the chart.
Future candles — Zella never reveals candles after the current replay point unless you ask.
That's it! Zella AI guidance keeps you on your strategy's rules as you replay — from the preparation checklist through to writing up each trade.
Related help article: How to use Scenario in Backtesting
If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team — we're here to help!