How to place a basket order on Kite

From WebNotes, a public knowledge base. Last updated . Reading time ~7 min. Level: Intermediate.

A basket order on Zerodha Kite lets you configure multiple buy and sell orders across different instruments and submit them all at once with a single click. This is useful for portfolio rebalancing, executing a multi-leg option strategy, or simultaneously entering positions in a watchlist of stocks without having to open each order ticket individually. The basket order reference article explains the concept; this guide covers the step-by-step placement procedure on Kite web.

When to use basket orders

Portfolio rebalancing: You have decided to buy three stocks and sell two, all in a specific proportion. Entering five separate order tickets is time-consuming and introduces slippage because prices move while you are placing the later orders. A basket order lets you configure all five legs and execute them simultaneously.

Multi-leg option strategies: Strategies such as a bull call spread or iron condor require buying and selling different option strikes simultaneously. A basket order reduces the risk that leg one is filled while the market moves before leg two is submitted.

Systematic investing: If you maintain a watchlist of stocks and want to deploy a fixed amount across all of them on a specific date, a basket makes the process repeatable and faster.

Step-by-step procedure

Log in to Kite

Open kite.zerodha.com and sign in with your client ID, password and TOTP.

Open the Basket feature

In the top navigation bar of Kite web, look for the Basket icon (it may appear as a shopping basket or as a text link labelled Basket). Click it to open the basket panel, which slides in from the right or opens as a full panel depending on your screen size.

Create a new basket or open an existing one

Click + New basket or the equivalent button. A text field appears where you can name the basket (for example, “Nifty rebalance May” or “Bull call spread RELIANCE”). Named baskets are saved in your Kite account and can be reused or modified in future sessions.

If you have previously created a basket, it appears in the list. You can open and edit any existing basket.

Search and add instruments

Within the basket panel, use the Search for instruments field to find scrips. Type the company name or symbol and select from the dropdown. The instrument is added as a row in the basket with default values.

You can add up to 20 instruments per basket. Instruments can be from equity, F&O or currency segments, mixed within the same basket.

Configure each leg

For each instrument row in the basket, configure the following fields:

  • B/S (Buy or Sell): Click the toggle to set whether this leg is a buy or a sell.
  • Product: Select CNC for equity delivery, MIS for intraday, or NRML for F&O overnight.
  • Order type: Select LIMIT, MARKET, SL or SL-M. Each leg can have a different order type.
  • Qty: Enter the number of shares or lots.
  • Price: For a limit order leg, enter your limit price. For a market order leg, the price field is greyed out.
  • Trigger price: For SL or SL-M legs, enter the trigger price.

Work through each row, configuring the complete parameters for every leg of the basket.

Review the basket summary

Before executing, Kite displays a summary at the bottom of the basket panel:

  • Total estimated value: Sum of all buy leg values.
  • Available margin: Your current available balance or margin.
  • Margin shortfall: If the estimated value exceeds your available margin, Kite flags the shortfall. You must add funds or reduce quantities before executing.

Review the estimated total value carefully. Check each leg’s parameters one more time, especially the transaction type (buy/sell) and product code.

Execute the basket

Click Execute (or Submit basket depending on the Kite version). Kite submits all configured orders to the exchange simultaneously. A results panel appears showing the order ID and status for each leg:

  • A green tick indicates the order was placed successfully.
  • A red cross with a message indicates rejection, with the reason (insufficient funds, circuit limit, etc.).

Individual rejected legs do not cancel the other successfully placed legs. You must re-enter any rejected leg as a separate order after addressing the rejection reason.

Saving and reusing baskets

Baskets you have created are saved automatically and persist across sessions. To reuse a basket from a previous session, open the basket panel and select the saved basket from the list. Update the prices and quantities as needed, then execute.

Saved baskets are useful for strategies you repeat regularly, such as monthly rebalancing or a recurring option spread structure.

What can go wrong

  • Partial execution. One or more legs may be rejected while others are filled. Check each leg’s status after execution. If a critical leg fails, you may need to manually exit the successfully placed legs to avoid an unintended net position.
  • Margin shortfall on execution day. Margins are calculated at the time of execution, not at basket creation. Market price movements or margin changes overnight can create a shortfall even if the basket looked adequately funded when created.
  • Wrong transaction type. Accidentally setting a buy leg as sell (or vice versa) in a complex basket is a common error. Double-check every B/S toggle before executing.
  • Stale prices. If you configured limit prices in a basket the previous evening, today’s market open may have gapped through those prices. Update limit prices in the basket before executing.

References

  1. Zerodha Support, Basket orders on Kite, support.zerodha.com.
  2. Zerodha Blog, Introducing basket orders, zerodha.com/z-connect.
  3. NSE India, Multi-leg order execution guidance, nseindia.com.
  4. SEBI, Investor awareness on order entry practices, sebi.gov.in.

Reviewed and published by

WebNotes Editorial Team

The WebNotes Editorial Team covers Indian capital markets, payments infrastructure and retail investor procedures. Every article is fact-checked against primary sources, principally SEBI circulars and master directions, NPCI specifications and the official support documentation published by the intermediary in question. Drafts go through a second-pair-of-eyes review and a separate compliance read before publication, and revisions are tracked against the SEBI and NPCI rule changes referenced in the methodology section.

Last reviewed
Conflicts of interest
WebNotes is independent. No relationship with any broker, registrar or bank named in this article.