What it does
Market Depth Manager combines two market-depth tools into a single Sierra Chart study: a cursor-based depth quantity display that surfaces the resting bid/ask size at the cursor price level, and a heatmap sensitivity controller that drives the Lowest/Highest Quantity for Coloring parameters of an external heatmap study with four ACS buttons.
If you trade off market depth or use a heatmap of historical depth, you know two pain points: reading exact quantities off a heatmap is hard (colors give you ranges, not numbers), and adjusting the heatmap's color sensitivity in real time requires opening the study settings, editing a value, and reapplying: far too slow when the book is shifting. Market Depth Manager solves both: hover the cursor over any price level to read the exact size in a clean text overlay, and bump the heatmap's color thresholds up or down with one button click while the chart keeps running.
Key features
- Cursor depth display: shows the market depth quantity at the cursor position as a clean text overlay; as you move your cursor across the chart the study reads historical or real-time depth and displays the exact bid or ask size at that level.
- Toggle the depth display on or off with a single ACS button, keeping the overlay out of the way until you need it.
- Configurable block size: sum multiple consecutive tick levels together for an aggregated view, useful when the book is fragmented across many close ticks.
- Max or Last quantity mode: Max shows the maximum size recorded at that price level over the bar's lifetime; Last shows the most recent size (real-time bars only).
- Heatmap sensitivity controller: four ACS buttons drive the Lowest and Highest Quantity for Coloring parameters of an external heatmap study, with Decrease/Increase actions on both thresholds.
- Live parameter display on chart: the current Lowest and Highest Quantity for Coloring values are rendered as fixed-position text on the chart so you always know what color scale the heatmap is using.
- Full text styling: color, background color, font size, X/Y percentage position for both the depth overlay and the parameter display, independent of each other.
- Works with historical and real-time market depth data: equally usable for live trading and for post-session review of recorded depth.
How it works
After purchase, Market Depth Manager is added to your Sierra Chart account automatically. Restart Sierra Chart, then add the study to a chart that has an external Market Depth Historical heatmap study already configured. Add Market Depth Manager via Analysis → Studies → Add Custom Study → Market Depth Manager.
In the settings dialog, set the Market Depth Historical Graph ID to the chart ID of the heatmap study, configure the block size and quantity mode, assign your five ACS button slots (one to toggle the depth display, four for the heatmap sensitivity controller), and position the two text overlays.
At runtime, when you move the cursor across the chart, the depth display reads the recorded bid or ask size at the cursor's price level (aggregated by the block size) and renders it as a text overlay. When you press one of the four sensitivity buttons, the study writes a new Lowest or Highest Quantity for Coloring value into the external heatmap study, and the heatmap recolors immediately. The current values are displayed on the chart so you can track every adjustment in real time.
A full setup walkthrough (including how to map the buttons to the Sierra Chart Control Bar) is available in the dedicated Documentation tab on the product page.
Who it's for
- Order flow day traders trading off market depth on ES, NQ, CL, GC, or any liquid futures who want exact resting size readings at any chart price instead of color estimates.
- Scalpers who watch the depth heatmap evolve through the session and need to retune sensitivity as the book thickens or thins, without opening the study settings.
- Tape readers who pair depth with footprint or numbers bars and want a single overlay that travels with the cursor.
- Prop firm traders (Apex, Topstep, MyFundedFutures) managing entries and exits off heatmap-defined liquidity walls.
Compatibility & requirements
- Requires Sierra Chart with ACSIL custom study support
- Requires an external Market Depth Historical heatmap study on the chart (referenced by chart ID)
- Requires recorded or live Market Depth data on the chart
- Windows desktop platform
- Compatible with any instrument that has Market Depth data available
- No external dependencies beyond the heatmap study referenced by chart ID
- Automatic activation on your Sierra Chart account after purchase; no DLL download or manual installation required
- Lifetime updates included
Support
- Email support: support@scstudies.com (response within 24 hours on business days)
- Documentation: see the Documentation tab on the product page for the full setup walkthrough and keyboard-shortcut configuration
- Discord community: https://discord.gg/8agxJx6wRN