How simple is the GOOGLEFINANCE() function?
I created this simple project for daily price tracking of the ETFs in which I invest. It's nothing special, but I wanted to include it here for me, myself, and I.
This is a great project accessible to anyone!
All you need to do is open Google Sheets and leverage the GOOGLEFINANCE function.
Here's a step-by-step guide along with code syntax:
Inserting Ticker Symbol:
In a cell, input the stock or fund ticker symbol you want to track. For example, if you want to track Apple, use "AAPL."
Using GOOGLEFINANCE:
In another cell, use the GOOGLEFINANCE function. The basic syntax is:
=GOOGLEFINANCE(ticker, [attribute], [start_date], [end_date], [interval])
See above argument definitions below:
ticker: The stock or fund ticker symbol.
attribute: The type of data you want (e.g., "close" for closing price).
start_date: The start date for the data.
end_date: The end date for the data.
interval: The frequency of data (e.g., "DAILY" for daily data).
For daily closing prices of Apple stock over the last 30 days:
=GOOGLEFINANCE("AAPL", "close", TODAY()-30, TODAY(), "DAILY")
Additional Attributes:
You can change the attribute to get different data like open, high, low, volume, etc. Learn more here.
For example:
=GOOGLEFINANCE("AAPL", "high", TODAY()-30, TODAY(), "DAILY")
Formatting:
You can format the cell as a number or currency to make the data more readable.
Refreshing Data:
Manual Refresh: To update the data, you can right-click on the cell with the formula, and select "Refresh."
Auto-Updating Data: To make the data update automatically, you can use the TODAY() function for the end date. This way, every time you open the spreadsheet, it fetches the latest data.
For example:
While GOOGLEFINANCE is convenient, it may have limitations, and the data may be slightly delayed. If you need more real-time data or additional features, you will want to explore dedicated financial data APIs or services.