FitchConnect Add-In for MS Excel allows us to use larger datasets in one table (up to 5000 institutions instead of 500) and older historical data (30 years instead of 10) than directly from browser.
Functions Templates and Chart are presented below, let us quickly just mention some of the others here:
In order to use the FitchConnect Excel Add-In we need to download and install it first. By clicking on Support Center button (the question mark one) we arrive at the page where this can be done. Choose the right version, download and install it.
After the installation, a new tab Fitch Connect will appear in Excel.
Choose Login to sign in to Fitch Connect through a window that opens.
To draw charts using data from Fitch we use the option Charts. A windows opens where we can select the data. The procedure is then identical to drawing charts in browser — the instructions can be found in the Data Tools -> Interactive Charts chapter.
The Templates tab from Excel Add-in allows downloading various pre-built templates that can significantly ease the use of data from Fitch. As it holds in general for the Add-in, we have 30 years of historical data and up to 5000 instruments available, which makes it very useful for e.g. downloading larger portfolios of banks.
When the Templates tab is chosen, a new window opens.
Let us for example download the Sovereign Peer Analysis Template. This one will be helpful with comparing credit ratings and other data for different countries. Select download on the right side.
Template gets downloaded as a new Excel file that we save and open. Let us see what the structure of such files is using our downloaded file.
It contains numerous sheets. The first one — Quick Start Guide — usually presents some of the functions, options and instructions to use:
The main sheet is Template, which contains the user interface. As it can be observed from the screen capture, there are cells to change the data displayed (on the left). However, some other Templates might have a significantly different structure.
The last two sheets, namely Data and Sovereigns Reference can be used to reference data in the template or edit it.
