Excel 2013 does not have a built-in “Stocks” data type feature, as Microsoft introduced native stock tracking features later in Microsoft 365 and Excel for the Web.
Because native tracking is absent, you must rely on alternative workarounds to pull real-time or delayed stock quotes into an Excel 2013 spreadsheet. 1. Use the Native WEBSERVICE Function
Excel 2013 introduced the =WEBSERVICE(url) function, which can pull data directly from an external API or financial website. You can combine it with string filtering functions to extract specific stock prices.
The Formula: You can ping a free financial API that returns a simple string or CSV format. Example Syntax: =NUMBERVALUE(WEBSERVICE(”http://example.com”)) Use code with caution.
(Note: Traditional free sources like Yahoo Finance’s old CSV API have been shut down, so you must find an active, free API provider that allows URL-based queries). 2. Pull Data via Power Query
You can link your Excel 2013 sheet directly to web-based financial tables, such as Google Finance pages.
Download and install the Microsoft Power Query Add-in if it is not already visible in your ribbon. Navigate to the Power Query tab and select From Web.
Paste the URL of the public financial page tracking your stock.
Select the matching data table from the preview navigator and click Load To. Set it to auto-refresh via Data > Connections > Properties. 3. Install Third-Party Office Add-ins
Excel 2013 allows you to install lightweight connector applications directly into the workspace. Navigate to the Insert tab on your ribbon. Click on My Apps or Store.
Search for financial tools like Finance Stock Connector or similar market data utilities.
These tools insert a dedicated pane or custom formula (e.g., =PSQ(A1)) to automatically pull 15-minute delayed stock details. 4. Create a VBA Scraping Script
If you want total control, you can write a short Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro to grab information from a finance page.
Press ALT + F11, insert a new Module, and use an InternetExplorer or MSXML2.XMLHTTP object request to fetch the web page’s HTML data.
Isolate the specific HTML class or ID containing the price to load it directly into your cells. How To: Get Live Stock Quotes In Excel 2013
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