What is a GTT order?

GTT stands for Good Till Triggered. It is an order you set once with a trigger price, and it stays active for a long period (often up to a year, depending on your broker) until that price is hit.

Normal orders expire at the end of the trading day. A GTT is different because it is stored by your broker, not sent to the exchange immediately. When the stock touches your trigger price, the broker places a regular limit order on the exchange for you.

An example makes it clearer. You like a company at ₹800 but it is trading at ₹860 today. Instead of checking the screen every morning, you set a GTT buy with a trigger at ₹800. Three weeks later the stock dips to ₹799, the trigger fires, and a buy order goes in.

Investors also use GTTs to protect long-term holdings. Bought at ₹1,000? A GTT sell trigger at ₹900 can act as a standing exit point while you’re busy at work.

Two practical points. First, triggering does not guarantee a fill; if the stock gaps down sharply, your limit order may sit unexecuted. Second, make sure you have enough funds or shares available when the trigger fires, or the order gets rejected.

Placing, modifying and testing GTTs on a real broker platform is part of the hands-on work in our four-month diploma programme.