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Market Intelligence › Basic Terminologies
How the average price is formed, and what to do with an incomplete position
Published by The Retail Trader · JUL 31, 2026 · Order Flow
An order does not have to fill entirely at one price. It can also fill in pieces at different levels, and often it does not fill completely at all.
When an order fills at different prices, your average price is the volume-weighted average of every fill. The terminal shows exactly that.
So your real entry price is not what you put in the order — it is the result of all those fills.
After a partial fill there are three options, and each has its own logic:
• Let the rest of the order stay pending — if price comes back, it will fill.
• Cancel the rest and build the plan on only what you got.
• Fill the rest with a market order — the most expensive, but certain.
• Immediately adjust the stop loss quantity to match the quantity that filled.
The biggest risk is that the stop loss stays in place for the full quantity while the position is half — or the other way round. Matching the stop quantity by checking the position book after a fill is a small habit that prevents a big mistake.
This article is for educational purposes only — it is not a buy or sell recommendation, makes no claim of guaranteed returns, and is not advisory. Rules, rates and mechanics are changed by the exchanges, SEBI and RBI from time to time, so verify every number yourself with your broker or the official source.