A truly interesting new Excel feature is now going public. Stock and Geography are the first two Linked Data Types (LDT) that bring stock prices and geographic info direct into Excel 365.
Stock data type gives you information on stocks and indexes from over 60 global stock exchanges.
No messing about with PowerQuery, ‘Get and Transform’, data feeds and all that technobabble.
We’ve been trying out the Stock and Geography data types for months and have written about them already.
Our book Real Time Excel has special and detailed chapters on Linked Data Types plus the specifics and problems of Stock and Geography feeds. Real Time Excel has been updated in mid-November 2018 to reveal the latest changes and tricks available.
There are still problems with the incoming data but the underlying technology appears to work well.
What you need
Stock and Geography data types are getting a low-key and slow rollout. None of the usual Microsoft hype and fanfare, for the moment.
Eventually all Office 365 for Windows customers will get this feature. That’s Office 2016 for Windows with an Office 365 subscription.
At first, it’s available to English language Office 365 for Windows. Starting with version 1811 or above (check File | About). If you don’t have v 1811, try Update | Update Now on the same pane.
Linked Data Types also needs the necessary data connection. The rollout to Microsoft’s global server network is also underway.
Support for other languages is planned later in this slow rollout.
Most Excel 365/Windows/English customers should have Linked Data Types now or in the next week or two.
Do I have Linked Data Types?
See if you have Linked Data Types from Excel’s Data tab.
If the Data Types section is there with Stocks and Geography options (see image above) then you’re good to go.
