To access Bloomberg produced videos on how to use the API effectively follow these steps:
1. At the top left of the Bloomberg interface where the blue curser is input API and select the green Help button (f1).
2. Select 3) Functions on the left of the interface.
3. Next in the centre content area select 41) DAPI Overview of Desktop API.
4. Next select 2) Getting Started: Bloomberg in Excel Video (5:15)
To access comprehensive documentation on the Bloomberg Excel Add-In:
1. On the Bloomberg interface at the top left corner where the blue curser is, input HELP DAPI and hit the <GO> button.
If Excel does not launch when selecting to download from Bloomberg try the following troubleshooting fixes.
The Fix
Press ALT + D on the keyboard or select the Options on the top right corner of Bloomberg terminal interface and select Terminal Defaults from the dropdown menu (see image below).
Terminal Settings window will pop up, click the Restore Default button and then Done will solve the issue.
Note: Bloomberg's data license is very restrictive. Data downloaded from Bloomberg must remain on the same terminal from which it is accessed. It cannot be moved to your personal computer.
The Bloomberg Excel Add-In is a powerful tool that delivers Bloomberg data and analytics into an Excel spreadsheet, provided the Bloomberg Excel API Add-on is installed on the desktop.
Tile the Bloomberg interface by clicking twice on each panel of the Bloomberg interface to expose the desktop or from the gear icon at the top left of the Bloomberg interface select Small.
Each download reduces our monthly data limit so this should be used judiciously.
Please login to Bloomberg first before you open Excel otherwise you will get an error message.
1. Select Bloomberg on the API ribbon.
2. Next select the fx Function Builder to activate the Bloomberg applications to enable building Bloomberg historical data (BDH) queries in Excel. The first Commonly Used Function displayed is BDH, select it.
3. Fill in the BDH query building string illustrated below as prompted with security , data, date fileds and frequency of data.
Here is an example of a query for the last price end of data data for the Bank of Nova Scotia, monthly data from Jan 1, 2105 to today.
4. Once you have completed your query string select the OK button and the data populates the Excel spreadsheet.
