The Multi-Timeframe Workflow: From 4H Bias to 1-Minute Execution

You've identified a 4-hour demand zone. Expectation order flow is shifting bullish. The question now: how do you execute? The multi-timeframe workflow provides a structured approach — confirming on the mid timeframe, refining on the lower timeframe, and executing with precision.

The Workflow Structure

The workflow flows from higher to lower timeframes:

4-Hour → Directional bias and key zones 15-Minute → First order flow shift confirmation 5-Minute → Second confirmation or direct execution 1-Minute → Precise entry execution

Each level confirms the one above it. The more confirmations you stack, the higher your confidence — but also the more you risk missing the move.

Step 1: The 4-Hour Bias

The 4-hour is your anchor timeframe. Everything references back to it.

What you're looking for:

• Expectation order flow direction (bullish or bearish)
• Key supply and demand zones
• Whether a change of character has occurred
• The structural range and its extreme levels

Bullish example: You see a change of character on the 4-hour — price broke the invalidation point high, and supply has failed. Expectation order flow suggests a shift from bearish to bullish. Price is returning into demand.

Important nuance: A change of character alone doesn't confirm the trend shift. You would need to see price break the most recent high to fully confirm. But that doesn't mean you can't look for long positions — expectation order flow gives you the directional bias.

Step 2: Mid-Timeframe Confirmation

Once price interacts with the 4-hour zone, drop to the mid timeframe (15-minute or 5-minute) to confirm the order flow shift.

Option A: 15-Minute Confirmation (More Confirmation)

Confirming an order flow shift on the 15-minute after price interacts with the 4-hour demand provides a high level of confirmation.

On the 15-minute, you'll see the same pattern:

• Price was making lower lows and lower highs (bearish into the 4H zone)
• A change of character occurs — a high breaks, supply fails
• If expectation order flow shifts bullish on the 15-minute, this confirms the 4-hour zone is likely to hold

After the 15-minute CHoCH, look for a 15-minute demand zone. Price should return to this demand, and this demand should hold — confirming the shift.

Then you have two choices:

1. Further confirm by dropping to the 5-minute
2. Go directly to 1-minute for execution

Option B: 5-Minute Confirmation (Less Confirmation, Earlier Entry)

Skipping the 15-minute and going straight to the 5-minute provides less confirmation but allows for earlier entries.

The 5-minute provides moderate confirmation in a reversal setting and strong confirmation in a continuation setting. If the 4-hour is already trending and you're entering a pullback (continuation), the 5-minute confirmation is often sufficient.

In a reversal setting (like a fresh change of character on the 4-hour), the 15-minute confirmation is recommended before dropping to the 5-minute.

Step 3: Execution Timeframe

1-Minute Entry: Two Execution Models

Once you've confirmed the order flow shift on the mid timeframe, drop to the 1-minute for execution. There are two primary entry models:

1. The Chain Model: On the 1-minute, look for a demand chain — successive demand zones where orders are stacking. A demand chain on the 1-minute, inside a confirmed 5-minute demand zone, inside a confirmed 4-hour demand zone, provides strong multi-timeframe alignment.

2. The Flip Model: On the 1-minute, look for a supply-to-demand zone flip. This is where supply fails and creates demand through transactional order flow. The flip provides even more context — it confirms that supply is being converted to demand at the execution level.

Directly from the 5-Minute

If you're not comfortable executing on the 1-minute, or if the 5-minute provides sufficient confirmation, you can execute directly from the 5-minute demand zone. This is a valid approach — particularly in continuation settings where the trend is already established.

The Confirmation Stack

Here's what makes this workflow powerful — each level confirms the one above it:

| Timeframe | Role | What You Confirm | |-----------|------|-----------------| | 4-Hour | Directional bias | Key zone + expectation order flow direction | | 15-Minute | First confirmation | Order flow shifting in 4H zone | | 5-Minute | Second confirmation | Order flow shifting in 15m zone | | 1-Minute | Execution | Entry via chain or flip model |

The expectation at each level:

• 1-minute entry → expect the 5-minute high to break
• 5-minute confirmation → expect the 15-minute high to break
• 15-minute confirmation → expect the 4-hour high to break
• 4-hour bias → expect the overall trend to continue

Reversal vs Continuation

The amount of confirmation you need depends on whether you're trading a reversal or a continuation.

Reversal Setting

• Fresh change of character on the 4-hour
• The trend hasn't been confirmed yet
• Recommendation: Use the full stack — 4H → 15m → 5m → 1m
• More confirmation is needed because the higher timeframe hasn't been validated

Continuation Setting

• Expectation order flow is already established on the 4-hour
• You're entering a pullback within a confirmed trend
• Recommendation: You can skip the 15-minute — go 4H → 5m → 1m
• Less confirmation needed because the trend is already confirmed

Practical Tips

1. Don't overthink the decisional vs extreme choice. Whether price respects the decisional or extreme level at any timeframe isn't the critical factor. What matters is that some level of demand (or supply) holds — confirming the order flow direction.

2. The workflow is fractal. The same pattern (CHoCH → demand → hold → break higher) appears on every timeframe. Once you recognize it on the 4-hour, you'll see the same thing on the 15-minute, 5-minute, and 1-minute.

3. Match your aggression to the context. Reversals need more confirmation. Continuations can be entered more aggressively. Adjust which steps you include based on the setting.

4. The 4-hour is non-negotiable. Everything starts from the 4-hour bias. Don't take trades on lower timeframes that conflict with the 4-hour direction.

Key Takeaway

The multi-timeframe workflow is a structured approach to confirming higher-timeframe zones through lower-timeframe order flow shifts. 4-hour provides direction, 15-minute provides first confirmation, 5-minute provides second confirmation or direct execution, and 1-minute provides precise entries via chain or flip models. More confirmation means higher confidence but potentially later entries. The balance depends on whether you're trading a reversal (more confirmation) or continuation (less confirmation).

Understand expectation order flow for the directional framework, or learn about break vs sweep dynamics for real-time decision-making.