I am looking for a formula (or a simple way) to have MS Excel
automatically pull up to date stock information (last price, volume,
etc)  from the web based on a stock symbol in Excel cell.  So, one
column would have symbols, and next would update the value.
I'd think its pretty easy, just can't seem to find the right syntax.

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Request for Question Clarification by aht-ga on 04 Jul 2004 00:09 PDT

vladi2001-ga:

As the comment below from dreamboat-ga indicates, the best way to
accomplish what you are hoping to do, especially if you have a long
list of symbols to look up, is to use a Visual Basic for Applications
program within Excel. About two months ago, I provided a similar
answer to a Google Answers client who was looking for a solution that
would work with MS Access:

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=335335

Depending on what it is that you are trying to do, and how complex
your needs are, your problem can be solved with a similar program for
Excel.

Please describe in greater detail what it is that you are trying to
accomplish, and I can advise you on the effort that is required to
provide a customized solution.

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

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Clarification of Question by vladi2001-ga on 04 Jul 2004 07:39 PDT

aht,
you are right - it does look quite similar to the other question.  All
I need is a function (in the programming sense) where I'd send a
parameter - Stock symbol and get back Price that I could just fit in a
cell.  In the other question,
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?s=GTW%2c+DELL%2c+MSFT 
returns way too much information.  All I need is Trade as a value. 
I have a list of stock symbols that is very lengthy and that changes
every day so that's why I am looking for a simple formula so send a
parameter and get back 1 value.

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Request for Question Clarification by aht-ga on 04 Jul 2004 09:47 PDT

Unfortunately, a 'simple formula' does not exist in Excel for this.
For the situation you describe, where you have a long list of symbols
that you need to look up stock information for, you very much need to
use a VBA program linked to a simple button on your Excel sheet, and
have that VBA program retrieve the desired information from Yahoo!
Finance (the easiest stock info website to work with for this type of
thing) in the form of a CSV file, then import that data back in the
spreadsheet. From the user perspective, it may seem simple, but the
actual manipulation and retrieval of data is complex.

As for controlling the information that Yahoo! Finance provides, part
of the reason why I say they are the easiest website to work with for
this type of thing is because you can easily manipulate the data that
is presented. For the example of:

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?s=GTW%2c+DELL%2c+MSFT 

If you instead used:

http://finance.yahoo.com/d/d?s=GTW,DELL,MSFT&f=sl1

you should see rather different results.

The challenge here is not manipulating Yahoo! Finance to give you the
data you want, the challenge is getting that data into Excel for a
large number of symbols. Using a VBA program, you can:

a) maintain a dynamic list of symbols in an Excel spreadsheet;

b) upon triggering the VBA program (using a button or key
combination), retrieve the desired information for those symbols from
Y! Finance, with the information being as current as is available from
Y! Finance at the time of retrieval (ie. if done during the trading
day, the exchange-mandated quote delay will be in effect; refer to my
other answer at http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=301267
for more info)

However, the effort required to create this customized program exceeds
the $7.50 that a Researcher would effectively earn from providing it
as an Answer. So, I suggest that you think about whether this
customized program is of value to you first, before proceeding. If it
is, then please consider increasing your list price. Then you can let
me know whether or not you would like to have me produce this
customized program for you.

Best regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

within excel, if you go to data->get external data->run web query
there is likely already a query which pulls current stock information.