Retrieve a Complete Option Chain with Greeks in Excel

The QM_GetOptionChainStructured function from MarketXLS allows you to download a structured option chain—calls and puts side by side with essential Greeks—right into Excel. It’s designed to help you quickly analyze your option positions, compare strikes, and review multiple contract details (including implied volatility) in a neat, all-in-one spreadsheet output. With a single formula, you can streamline your option research and decision-making process.

Why Use This Function?

• Quickly gather calls and puts side by side for any symbol.
• Automatically fetch Greeks like Delta, Gamma, Theta, Rho, and Vega.
• Save time by retrieving critical option quotes, strikes, and implied volatility in one place.
• Ideal for comparing multiple strikes or expirations in a single Excel view.
• Helps you spot potential opportunities or manage existing trades with up-to-date data.
• No manual data entry—fewer errors and faster workflows.

How to Use in Excel

QM_GetOptionChainStructured(Symbol)

1. In an empty Excel cell, type =QM_GetOptionChainStructured("TickerSymbol").
2. Replace "TickerSymbol" with the specific underlying you want to analyze (e.g., "AAPL" or "MSFT").
3. Press Enter. MarketXLS will automatically download the structured option chain and place it below the cell containing the formula.
4. You may see multiple rows of data, including strike prices, calls, puts, and their respective Greeks, last prices, bids, asks, volume, open interest, and more.

Note: The function overwrites cells below the formula’s location to display the full option chain. Ensure you have enough empty rows for the data.

Parameters Explained

No other parameters are required by the user. The function internally requests full option chain data (calls, puts, Greeks) for the given Symbol, including non-expired contracts.

Example Usage

Basic Examples

1. =QM_GetOptionChainStructured("AAPL")
   • Retrieves Apple Inc.’s option chain with calls, puts, and Greeks.
   • Data populates starting two rows below the formula cell.
   • Includes columns like “Bid,” “Ask,” “Last,” “Delta,” “Gamma,” “Theta,” “Vega,” and more.

2. =QM_GetOptionChainStructured("MSFT")
   • Returns Microsoft’s structured option data.
   • Great for quickly comparing near-the-money options or scanning for unusual volume.

In both cases, you’ll see new rows populate with call and put columns side by side for quick scanning.

Advanced Scenarios

• Filtering for specific expirations: Once your option chain is in Excel, apply the built-in Excel filters to show only the expiration dates or strikes you need.
• Building a trading strategy: Copy and reference your formatted chain (including Greeks) elsewhere in Excel for strategy modeling (e.g., covered calls or spreads).
• Combining with functions like VLOOKUP or SORT: After the chain populates, you can use standard Excel formulas to highlight opportunities or parse out certain Greeks.

Use these techniques to build comprehensive option trackers or advanced trading dashboards.

Common Questions and Troubleshooting

• “I get ‘No Data Retrieved.’”

• Make sure your symbol is valid. Typos or delisted symbols will return empty results.

• “Data overwrote existing cells—what happened?”

• The function expands downward to print the chain. Place the formula in a clear area or new sheet.

• “I don’t see any historical or expired data.”

• By design, QM_GetOptionChainStructured only fetches active contracts. Expired options are excluded.

• “Why am I not seeing Option Greeks?”

• Double-check that your MarketXLS subscription is active (and includes option data). Also confirm you entered the formula correctly.

• “How do I refresh the data?”

• Generally, MarketXLS functions update automatically, but you can force a refresh by recalculating your Excel workbook (e.g., press F9).

With QM_GetOptionChainStructured, you can quickly analyze and compare entire option chains without leaving Excel. Whether you’re a casual investor or an advanced trader, this function simplifies your workflow by placing critical option metrics at your fingertips.