REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 3, 1997 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of a new utility, the Money Link to Excel, for use with Microsoft® Money 98 and Money 98 Financial Suite. This utility allows users to extend the broad and customizable reporting and charting functionality of the Microsoft Money 98 and Money 98 Financial Suite products to Excel 97’s analysis tools, providing users with more financial tracking options than any personal finance software product today.
“Many users of personal finance products are familiar with Excel’s analysis tools,” said Lewis Levin, vice president of the desktop finance division at Microsoft and former general manager of the Excel product group. “With this utility, Microsoft is helping users who want in-depth personal finance management, but who would also like to download that data seamlessly into an Excel 97 spreadsheet for further analysis. Through the Money Link to Excel, Money 98 now provides extensive capacities for financial management and planning to the millions of users of the leading spreadsheet program.”
Money Users Gain Excel Capability
By adding the Money Link to Excel Wizard to the toolbar, the Money 98 user’s data is exported easily into Excel 97, where the user can format the information using Excel’s familiar charting and analysis features. For example, Excel PivotTable® dynamic views allow users to create a variety of customizable views of their information, which they can change easily by dragging and dropping data. Powerful Excel charting allows Money users to create an entire workbook of customized financial charts that will automatically update when they refresh their data using the Money Link to Excel. In addition, natural language formulas allow consumers to use their own terminology when building formulas such as “groceries” plus “dining out” equals “total food expenditures.” As Money tracks changes in the user’s finances, a simple click of a button will deliver an automatic update of the user’s Money data to the associated Excel file.
“The Money Link to Excel features an extraordinary array of choices and is extremely easy to use,” said Mel Meyers, a financial planner from Dallas. “Since I keep information on my investments, 401(k) and checking account in Money 98, the amount of data available and the ease with which it is available make this utility a wonderful addition. All I’ve been saying while importing different data, graphing financial forecasts and running statistical functions using the integrated link is wow!”
Money Link to Excel Download
Consumers can download the utility from the Money Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/money/ . Links to the download are also available at http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/ and http://www.microsoft.com/office/ . The download will present several scenarios and guidelines for maximizing the expanded capacity of this utility. For consumers who want to try Money Link to Excel but do not have Money 98, Microsoft is offering a free 90-day trial of Money 98 Financial Suite (connect-time charges may apply) at /money/ .
New to Money 98’s Tracking, Budgeting and Planning Features
The Money Link to Excel is new to the broad array of tracking, budgeting and planning features found in Money 98 Financial Suite. The suite’s tightly integrated features accomplish a broad range of financial tasks – from day-to-day management to long-term investment and financial planning. With 28 customizable reports and charts, including the new comprehensive Monthly Report, Money users can closely track their financial situation. Money 98 Financial Suite’s Goal Planner allows users to set up a plan to achieve short- and long-term goals, create and track their budget, and monitor their debt-reduction progress. Financial Suite also provides consumers with an array of investment management and tracking features, as well as seamless access to the rich features found on the award-winning Microsoft Investor Web site, (http://investor.MSN.com/) .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
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