How to Retrieve Option Bid Prices in Excel with MarketXLS

The Option_Bid function in MarketXLS allows you to efficiently fetch the latest bid price for a given option symbol directly within your Excel spreadsheet. Maintaining accurate and up-to-date option quotes is crucial to making well-informed trading and investment decisions. With quick data retrieval and seamless integration, Option_Bid simplifies your workflow.

Why Use This Function?

• Gain near real-time access to option bid prices in Excel.
• Create dynamic spreadsheets that automatically update as market conditions change.
• Quickly compare bid prices for multiple symbols at once.
• Easily incorporate bid prices into other Excel formulas and trading models.
• Reduce time spent switching between your broker’s platform and Excel—analyze everything in one place.
• Ideal for individual investors, professional traders, and anyone needing to track option price movements.

How to Use in Excel

Simply type the following formula into any Excel cell:

Option_Bid(Symbol)

1. Replace Symbol with a valid option ticker symbol recognized by MarketXLS.
2. Press Enter to see the current bid price.
3. If the symbol is invalid or unrecognized, you will receive "NA".
4. If your license is invalid, a message or "NA" will be displayed.
5. In certain cases (such as data still refreshing), you might see "Refreshing" until the information is ready.

Parameters Explained

Example Usage

Basic Examples

1. =Option_Bid("AAPL230120C150")
   • Retrieves the bid price for the Apple 20 Jan 2023 Call option with a 150 strike.
   • If no valid quote is found, the formula returns "NA".

2. =Option_Bid("TSLA230120P320")
   • Retrieves the current bid price for the Tesla 20 Jan 2023 Put option at a 320 strike.
   • If MarketXLS is refreshing data at the time of request, it may temporarily return "Refreshing".

In each example, simply replace the string argument with a valid option symbol and the cell will update automatically with the latest bid price.

Advanced Scenarios

• Combine with IFERROR or IF statements:
=IFERROR(Option_Bid("MSFT230120C250"), "Check Symbol")
• This displays "Check Symbol" if the formula encounters a symbol error or returns an unexpected response.

• Track multiple option bid prices side by side in your spreadsheet. You can reference different symbols in separate cells to compare multiple contracts.

• Integrate with other MarketXLS functions for a complete trading strategy. For instance, combine the Option_Bid function with Option_Ask or Option_LastPrice to see the full quote picture and quickly identify potential trading opportunities.

• Use in macros or custom VBA solutions. For large-scale data retrieval or automated tasks, integrate Option_Bid within a script that updates your sheet or triggers email notifications when certain bid prices are reached.

Common Questions and Troubleshooting

1. Why do I get "NA"?

   • Your option symbol might not be recognized, your license could be inactive, or an unexpected error might have occurred. Verify the symbol format and ensure your MarketXLS license is valid.

2. Why do I see "Refreshing"?

   • Data may be temporarily queued for an update. MarketXLS occasionally places calls on a waitlist if multiple requests occur simultaneously. The result should change to the correct bid value once refreshed.

3. How often does the function update the data?

   • MarketXLS retrieves data based on external API calls and caching rules. Updates typically reflect near real-time data, but exact refresh frequency can depend on your subscription and other factors.

4. Can I use this function for non-US options?

   • While the function can work with various option symbols, please confirm that MarketXLS supports those markets. Certain international symbols may not be available or recognizable.

5. The symbol format in my broker’s platform is different—will it work?

   • Ensure you use MarketXLS-compatible option symbols. If your broker uses a different format, you may need to translate it into a MarketXLS-recognized symbol.

By leveraging the Option_Bid function in Excel with MarketXLS, you can seamlessly monitor and analyze option bid price movements. Its simple syntax and versatility ensure you’re always working with the most recent market data, helping you make better-informed trading decisions.