Using the Bloomberg Excel Add-in
12/11/2018
In an earlier post we explained how to install the Bloomberg Office add-in which allows data to be exported from the Bloomberg terminal to Excel.
Within Excel, the Bloomberg add-in toolbar has various tools you can use to draw data from the Bloomberg terminal directly into Excel.
One of the tools, the Template library, provides predefined templates covering different financial areas to allow you to pull relevant data from Bloomberg. Highlight any template name to get a description of what it covers.
Another useful tool is the Import Data option. This uses a Bloomberg Data Wizard to guide you through several steps where you specify the security, the data you need and the dates you need it for. This is the easiest way to extract data from Bloomberg as it writes the Bloomberg API formulas for you.
However if you need more flexibility than the wizards allow, you can write your own formulas.
The detailed help function <HELP DAPI> guides you through this:
When creating a formula, you need to specify the security (ticker, market sector), e.g. IBM US Equity; and the field (datatype), e.g. PX_LAST and a field. You can use the Field search tool (<FLDS>) on the Bloomberg tab to find the field mnemonic by category or keyword.
Depending on the type of data you want to download, you can use one of the following:
BDP (Bloomberg Data Point) – This returns data to a single cell. It contains only one ticker and one field.
= BDP (Security, Field) e.g. =BDP(“IBM US Equity”, “Px_Last”) retrieves the price of the last trade on IBM stock.
BDH (Bloomberg Data History) – This formula returns the historical data for a selected security.
=BDH (Security, Field, Start Date, End Date) e.g. =BDH (“IBM US Equity”, “Px_Last”,”01/01/01″, “12/31/01”) retrieves the closing prices for IBM from the first to the last day of 2001.
BDS (Bloomberg Data Set) – This formula returns multi-cell descriptive data.
=BDS(Security, Field) e.g. =BDS (“IBM US Equity”, “CIE_DES_BULK”) retrieves IBM’s company business description.
As always, if you need any assistance with Bloomberg, please contact the MIRC team.
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
How do I reference… analysts’ reports in the APA7 style?
Brokers' and analysts' reports can be invaluable sources if you are researching a company or industry. If you are are using any in your work, you will need to cite and reference them, just as ...
Keen to develop your study skills?
Make sure you have the skills you need to study effectively and make the most of your learning experience at Cranfield. You can use the Study Skills Hub in Canvas to learn transferable life skills ...
Meet Mendeley: a powerful referencing tool that does the hard work for you!
Are you looking for a way to manage your references and create reference lists for your assignments or thesis? If so, you may wish to consider using Mendeley. What is it? Mendeley is a free ...
Need help using the Python programming language?
We know some of our students are currently trying to learn Python, so we wanted to make you aware of some great LinkedIn Learning videos that can help. But don't you have to pay for ...
Researching IPOs on Workspace (SDC)
If you need data on IPOs and share issues, our best source would be SDC Platinum via Workspace. SDC contains data going back to the 1960s and is one of the most comprehensive resources covering ...
The benefits of studying a Level 7 banking apprenticeship
Q&A with Maciej Gasiorowski IT Governance and Control Analyst at TSB Bank Current apprentice on the Senior Investment and Commercial Banking Professional Apprenticeship Can you provide a brief description of your role? I work ...