This tool lets you import data from Money 98 into a Microsoft Excel 97 spreadsheet. Once it's installed, new commands will be added to Excel's interface that start the Money Link to Excel wizard and synchronize data that you may have already imported. The Money Link to Excel wizard will walk you through the steps to bring your financial data into Excel. Once it's there, you can use Excel's data analysis and charting tools to help you look at this information in different ways. If you change the data in Money, you can update those changes in Excel with the push of a button.
This screen shot shows you what the Money Link wizard looks like as well as the type of data that you can import from your Money file.
Here are some of the ways you can manipulate your data in Excel:
| Import this type of Money data... | You can do this in Excel... |
| Account Transactions for All Accounts | Create a Pivot Table to see how your spending has changed over time per category or per account dynamically. |
| Investment Prices for All Investments | Create a graph to show the percentage gain of each stock relative to the others over time. |
| Investment Lots | Create a worksheet that shows the percentage and amount gained or lost for each lot, then use the Subtotal feature to create a summary. |
Installing and Using Money Link
The instructions below are all youÆll need to install and use the Money Link to Excel. You might want to print them out for easy reference.
Installation requirements:
- Microsoft Excel 97
- Microsoft Money 98
- A Money 98 file
To install Microsoft Money Link to Excel:
- Download the self extracting file containing the add-in, this file, and the example spreadsheet.
- Select "Run this program from its current location", then click "OK".
- When prompted for the extraction just press "Unzip" to extract the files.
- ONLY PERFORM THIS STEP IF YOU ARE USING THE TRIAL VERSION OF MONEY 98: From the "Start" menu choose "Run" and type "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Money\Money Link\presetup.exe". Then click "OK".
- Start Excel 97 and open a new or existing spreadsheet.
- From the Tools menu, select Add-Ins to bring up the Add-Ins installation dialog.
- Click Browse, then select "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Money\Money Link\Money Link.xla".
- The Add-Ins list now shows a new entry, "Microsoft Money Link".
Make sure this box is checked, then click "OK".
NOTE: Installing Money Link to Excel will increase Excel's startup time.
To import Money data into Excel:
- Select the cell in where you want to import the data. If you want to import into a new worksheet, you can choose that from the wizard.
- From the Data menu, choose Get Money Data to start the import wizard.
For your security: If your Money file has a password, you will have to
enter the password in order to import the data from Money.
After youÆve imported your data once, a Money Link to Excel toolbar appears to the right
of your existing toolbars. You can use the buttons on this toolbar just like the
items on the data menu.
- Just follow the instructions on your screen to complete the wizard and import your Money data.
TIP: You can import one type of Money data (for example, your account list or investment performance) at a time. You can run through the wizard many times to get all the data you want.
TIP: If you place a formula in the cell just to the right of a block of imported Money data, that formula will automatically be filled into all the other cells beside the data the next time you refresh it.
Updating Money 98 data in your spreadsheet
ItÆs easy to update your spreadsheet with the latest information in your Money file. You can update a single block of data (for example, just your Account List) or all the data youÆve imported.
- Click anywhere within the Money data on your Excel worksheet.
- From the Data menu, choose Refresh Money Data (to refresh a single block of data that youÆve clicked in) or Refresh All Money Data (to refresh all the data youÆve imported).
Removing the Money Link to Excel add-in:
- From the Tools menu in Excel, select Add-Ins to bring up the Add-Ins installation dialog.
- Clear the Microsoft Money Link to Excel box in the Add-Ins dialog, then click OK.
- Delete the Money Link.xla file from the place where you saved it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What about security? Could someone else import my data?
If you use a password, Money Link to Excel is just as
secure as Money 98 -- very secure. Money Link to Excel follows the same security
protocols as Microsoft Money itself, so youÆll need to enter your password each
time you import or re-import data from Money into Excel.
However, if you donÆt use a password, someone working on your machine could
import your data, just as they could open your Money 98 file.
Can I set Money Link to Excel up to filter my data, so that it only imports some of it?
The options in the Money Link ot Excel wizard let you do some
filtering. For example, you can import all investment performances, performance from a single
investment, or prices according to dates. However, for filtering options beyond what you see
in the wizard, youÆll need to do your filtering in Excel. For example, select AutoFilter
from ExcelÆs Data menu.
How are my split transactions in Money imported?
Money Link imports the individual portions
of a split transaction entered in Money. For example, you might enter a single
transaction for $50 in Money split into $30 for groceries and $20 for cash.
Money Link to Excel will import two transactions: one for $30 and the other for $20. You wonÆt
see a separate transaction for $50.
When I refresh my Money data, it destroys any formatting
I've done. How can I use the data in a customized way?
The best thing to do is import your Money data into
one worksheet and then reference that information from another worksheet. You can format the
information any way you want in the second worksheet without worrying about how it will be affected
when you refresh the data from the first.
What if I rename an account in Money?
If you rename an account in Money, your
data wonÆt be correctly updated in Excel the next time you refresh your data.
After renaming a Money account, re-import the Money data that uses the renamed
account to make sure your file is updated.
Can I import data from more than one Money file into the same workbook?
You can import data from as many Money 98 files as you like into a
single workbook but you will only be able to refresh the data from the last Money file you
imported from.
Some of my accounts don't show up in the account list. Why not?
For now, Loan accounts are not supported by Money Link.