Excel is one of the most important tools when it comes to the financial world. This is due to its advanced features that help manage day-to-day finances for individuals and institutions. Recently, Microsoft Excel added a data card feature that allows users to import real-time currency exchange rates and stock prices.
The data card not only shows real-time prices but also historical data and other analytical data such as 53-week highs and lows etc. In this tutorial, I will show you on how to insert exchange rate in Excel.
Type the currency pairs
The first step is to type the currency pairs that you want to import their exchange rows. Examples of currency pairs include USD/CAD, CAD/JPY, GBP/EUR, USD/AUSD, and CNY/GBP just to mention a few.
Insert the currency symbol
Highlight all the exchange pairs and then click on the data tab. Find the currencies icon and click on it. What this does is that it allows Excel to pull real-time data for the trading pairs highlighted. It converts all the currencies separated by “;” or “/” to get the conversion rates and more data.
Get the price
Click on the icon that appears on the adjacent row that looks like a vertical rectangle with a plus. A data card will pop up with different types of information about the currency trading pair. Find the price and click on it.
Once you click on price excel will automatically display the current exchange prices of the currency pairs you have listed in the adjacent column. Also, it displays the currency icons.
What is the formula for inserting the exchange rate in Excel?
The formula to insert the exchange rate in Excel is =cell reference.[price]. Whereby the cell reference refers to the cell holding the currency trading pair. This formula currently works in Microsoft Excel 365 and Excel for the web.
As you can see from the image above the formula =D4.[Price] gets the exchange rate for the trading pair USD/CAD
Data Card
Apart from the current currency exchange rates the data card contains a handful of other useful data.
To access the data card click on the currency icon located at the left of the currency pair.
Once you do that a data card will launch with more details about the currencies. These details are:
- Price: The amount at which a currency pair is currently bought or sold in the market.
- Last traded time: The timestamp indicating the time of the most recent completed trade for a particular currency pair.
- Ticker symbol: A shorthand code used to uniquely identify a currency pair on an exchange.
- Change $: The absolute difference in the currency pair’s price from the previous period.
- Change %: The percentage change in the currency pair’s price from the previous period.
- Currency: The form of money used in a particular country or region.
- From Currency: The base currency in a currency pair used as a reference for exchange rates.
- Previous Close: The last trading price of a currency pair at the end of the previous trading session.
- Open: The initial price at which a currency pair starts trading at the beginning of a trading session.
- High: The highest price reached by a currency pair during a specific period.
- Low: The lowest price reached by a currency pair during a specific period.
- 52-week high: The highest price reached by a currency pair in the past 52 weeks.
- 52-week low: The lowest price reached by a currency pair in the past 52 weeks.
- Instrument type: The category or classification of financial assets, like stocks, bonds, or derivatives, being traded in the market.
Final Thoughts
The recent integration of Excel’s data card feature revolutionizes financial management, offering real-time and historical currency exchange data. This tutorial simplifies the process, guiding users on importing and accessing critical information effortlessly. The formula =cell reference.[price] facilitates quick retrieval of current rates, enhancing decision-making. Beyond prices, the data card provides a comprehensive array of details, from trade times to 52-week highs and lows.