# Trade Life Cycle

## Placing an order <a href="#placing-an-order" id="placing-an-order"></a>

Orders can be placed in Place Order Panel in the trading dashboard. We support both basic order types (e.g. limit order and market orders) as well as several advanced order types (e.g. Stop orders and bracket orders). Details of the all the supported order types are available [here](https://guides.delta.exchange/delta-exchange-india-user-guide/trading-guide/order-types)

## Margin & PnL Calculations <a href="#margin--pnl-calculations" id="margin--pnl-calculations"></a>

A new order is allowed to be submitted to the exchange only if the trader has sufficient balance available to reserve the order margin. Order margin computation happens in one of the two ways:

* **Trader doesn’t have an existing position in the contract:** the system computes the initial margin that would be required if this position is acquired. This is the amount that is blocked as order margin.
* **Trader has an existing position in the contract:** in this case, the system computes the margin required for the updated overall position after the placed order has been executed. The difference between this computed margin requirement and the current position margin is what is additionally needed for this order. This is the amount that is block as order margin.

Details on the margin and their calculations are available [here](margin-explainer).

## Fair Price Marking <a href="#fair-price-marking" id="fair-price-marking"></a>

Existing positions on Delta are marked at [fair price](https://guides.delta.exchange/delta-exchange-india-user-guide/trading-guide/fair-price-marking). This means that your unrealised PnL and hence the current value of margin allocated to a particular position are a function of the marked price. PnL calculations are illustrated with examples in the Options and Futures guide section.

## Settlement <a href="#settlement" id="settlement"></a>

You can square off a position in a derivatives contract in the exchange. Position that are held till maturity are cash settled at a price that is computed using the settlement method described in the [contract specifications](https://india.delta.exchange/contracts).

