Introduction to DataStream

Document History
Version Date Authors Changes

1. 15 July 2016 Chua Rui Ting First Issue for Eikon version 4.x
Vincent Chia

Contents
1. Overview .............................................................................................................. 3
2. Static Request ....................................................................................................... 4
Series/List ............................................................................................................. 5
Datatypes/Expression ............................................................................................... 6
Currency ............................................................................................................... 6
Date .................................................................................................................... 6
Options................................................................................................................. 6
3. Time Series Request ............................................................................................... 7
Start Date, End Date and Frequency ............................................................................. 8
4. Request List .......................................................................................................... 9
Constituent List of Equity Indices ................................................................................. 9
Static Request (Constituent List) ................................................................................. 9
Time Request (Request Table) .................................................................................. 11
5. Charting ............................................................................................................. 12

© Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016

Except as permitted by law, no part of this document may be reproduced or
transmitted by any process or means without the prior consent of Thomson Reuters.

Thomson Reuters, by publishing this document, does not guarantee that any
information contained herein is and will remain accurate or that use of the information
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Thomson Reuters, its agents and employees shall not be held liable to or through any
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contained herein.

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Introduction to DataStream in Excel Overview

1. Overview
This short introduction will only serve as a simple guide to the DataStream feature available on Eikon
Excel. For a more in depth understanding, please refer to the full Thomson Reuters DataStream User
Manual instead.
To use DataStream for Microsoft Office Excel, use the Thomson Reuters DataStream menu in your
Excel application.
In the Thomson Reuters tab, press on the button to log in. Ensure that the button now
shows before proceeding.

At the Thomson Reuters DataStream tab within Eikon Excel, the following options can be found.

We will only be looking at 4 of these options in detail.

1. Static Request

The static request function allows you to request data for a specific date. For example, the price, PE
or dividend yield for Apple on 14/01/1994.
Static Requests are also mostly utilised to pull up information about an instrument, such as sector
information, and other identifiers such as ISIN and Sedol Codes.

2. Time Series Request

The time series request function allows you to request data over a specific data, defined by a start
date, end date and frequency of data. For example, you can check the daily price of Apple from
14/01/1994 to 12/04/1994.

3. New Request Table

Users can consolidate their list of requests and organize them from here.

4. Chart

A visual representation of the time series data can be obtained. Economic indicators and their
respective charts can also be generated.

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Introduction to DataStream in Excel Static Request

2. Static Request

There are 5 main pieces of data that you would require to key in when using the Static Request
Function.
1. Series/List
2. Datatypes/Expressions
3. Currency
4. Date
5. Options

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Introduction to DataStream in Excel Static Request

Series/List
Here, you would need to specify the instrument that you wish to enquire about.
Other than typing in the name of the issuer, there are 3 ways for you to search for the instrument.
Firstly, you could key in the RIC (Reuters Instrument Code) if you are familiar with the shorthand.
E.g. If you know the RIC code for Apple (AAPL.O), you do the following.

Tick the RIC box and type in the RIC of the instrument you require. Lists could be entered by separating
RICs or DataStream codes with a comma. “,”

Secondly, you could key in the DataStream Instrument Code as follows, (E.g. @AAPL)

Thirdly, if you do not know either, you could search for it by pressing on the button.

Double click the symbol of the instrument or click on the box and press Use.

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Chapter 3: Introduction to DataStream on Excel Static Request

Datatypes/Expression
In this box, the specific type of data necessary could be selected.

By default, if the box is left blank, the default data (e.g. price) of the instrument would be provided.
However, you could instead enter the different datatypes if you know the code. Lists could also be
entered by separating each datatype with a comma.
For example, commonly used datatypes include PE (Price-to-earnings ratio) and EPS (Earnings per
Share).

Alternatively, you could similarly use the DFO Navigator by selecting the button.

Type in the datatype that you wish to search for and double click on the symbol or click the box next
to the name and press use.

Currency
Press on the button in order to adjust the currency. By default, the currency would be set to the
local currency.

Date

Choose the Date that you wish to obtain data for. For example, the latest available value is most
commonly used.

Options
Here, you could choose what titles you would want to be generated. Typically, the row and column
titles are used.

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Introduction to DataStream on Excel Time Series Request

3. Time Series Request

In order to conduct a time series request, the steps 1-3 and 5 are the same as that of a static request,
with the difference being in the 4th step (Start, End Date and Frequency)
1. Series/List
2. Datatypes/Expression
3. Currency
4. Start Date, End Date and Frequency
5. Options

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Introduction to DataStream on Excel Time Series Request

Start Date, End Date and Frequency

When conducting a time series request, you would need to key in the start and end date as well as the
frequency required.
The drop down tables are as follows,

Start Date End Date Frequency

Alternatively, you could key in the actual dates in the DD/MM/YY format as shown above. This would
generate the table of figures as follows.

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Introduction to DataStream o`n Excel Request List

4. Request List
Constituent List of Equity Indices
Before discussing how to use the request list function on DataStream, let’s explore how to view data
for constituents of an index.
For example, the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong trades with the DataStream code <HNGKNGI>. In order
to generate the data for the list of constituents that make up the index, one can add an “L” in front of
the DataStream code. Hence, the data for the constituents has the code <LHNGKNGI>
However, it would be good to note that DataStream cannot generate data for a time series constituent
list (TS). Instead, utilise the TSL to create a list for constituent list.

Static Request (Constituent List)

Here are the steps in order to generate a request list as shown above.
1. In the first column, press Y for Yes to automatically update the table with the live values.
Alternatively, press N for No.
2. In the second column, indicate the type of request necessary, by pressing the buttons in grey
S - Static request
TS - Time series request
TSL - Time series for lists
L - List request
C – Chart request
3. In the third column, indicate the format required. (i.e. Row, Column = RC)
F - Custom Header
R - Row Titles
C - Column Titles
H - Request Headings
T - Transpose returned Data
$ - Include currency
X - Data only
E - Display expression 1st series as title
N – Display expression title as title
K - Hyperlink to Series metadata
B - Hyperlink to Datatype definition
M - Display Code
L - Latest Value First
Y - Display dates in Yearly Format
Q - Display dates in Quarterly Format

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Introduction to DataStream o`n Excel Request List

4. In the fourth column, indicate the datatype required. Use the Datatypes search if you are not sure
what the shorthand is.
5. For a static request, the start date could be -1M or -1D or the specific date and no end date or
frequency is required.
6. In order to generate the data in a separate sheet, create a new sheet, and highlight the data from
the “Update” column to the “Data Destination Column”. Next, press the button.

7. Lastly, press the button for the table to be generated.

A table as follows would then be generated, with the P/E ratio in one column and the list of
constituents and the price in another.

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Introduction to DataStream o`n Excel Request List

Time Request (Request Table)

To perform a time request, similar steps could be taken. However, constituent lists cannot be
generated for time request lists.

Take note that for a time request, the start date, end date and frequency must be entered.
As a result, a table as follows can be generated.

A request list is useful for consolidating all the inputs of every request created on the file and can
allow users to quickly locate the data that they are looking for.
Even though there are additional functions for the different request types, we will not cover it in the
course of this short introduction.

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Introduction to DataStream on Excel Charting

5. Charting
On DataStream, you would be able to plot charts of economic indicators and different datatypes of
different instruments.

1. Press the button in the Thomson Reuters DataStream tab. Alternatively, in the Eikon
Toolbar, search <CBOOK.

2. Press the to open a new chart

3. Change the colour scheme if necessary (Charcoal or Pearl)

4. In the following box, type the DataStream code, or a keyword to search for the instrument required.

5. If the DataStream code is not known, press the small arrow at the bottom right of the screenshot,
and press on Find New Series. Search for the necessary series as you have done for “Series/Lists” in
the Static and Time Series Request.
6. To change the datatype for individual instruments, click on the arrow located next to the line in the
formula

7. Select “Datatype” to change the specific instrument’s datatype.

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Introduction to DataStream on Excel Charting

If you wish to change the datatype(s) for multiple instruments, you could do the following.

1. Firstly, press on the arrow and select Datatypes. After which, you could either manually enter the
Datatype or use the find new datatype function.
2. Next, if you want to change the data of the charts, do it in the boxes as follows. You can either
insert the period of time or type in the date in the DD/MM/YY format.

3. If you wish to view the data for the chart plotted, select the button at the top right
hand corner of the page.
4. Sometimes, the data follow different axis (i.e. different currency or one being in absolute price and
the other being in percentage). Hence, double click on the line in order to change the details of the
line. Here, you can change the colour and weight of the line as well as the name in the legend.
5. If you wish to plot different information, such as the percentage year-on-year change, or the moving
average, you could do so by pressing the button below each line.

6. After plotting the line, save the chart by pressing the button. (Note that unless you save the
chart, you would be unable to export the chart)
7. After which, you are now free to export the chart to different Microsoft Office Applications (Word,
Excel, and PowerPoint)
8. If you wish to update the charts in your report or presentations, you could go to the
button in the Thomson Reuters tab to update all the charts or individual charts
every time you open the file.

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Introduction to DataStream on Excel Charting

For example,
Plot the Year on Year change of the Price-to-Book Value of Apple and Samsung for the last 10 years.
Hence, you would key in the following and the chart will be produced.

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