Excel Data Analysis: Structured References, Log Returns, and Rolling Volatility Explained
About this lesson
@MattMacarty https://alphabench.com/data/excel-data-analysis-workflow.html More resources: https://alphabench.com/resources.html **Level up your financial data analysis in Excel** This tutorial covers four core concepts essential for professional financial modeling: efficient data referencing, the correct method for calculating compounded returns, and the crucial skill of calculating and annualizing stock volatility. In this Excel Power-Up tutorial, we continue our dive into **excel data analysis**. Learn how to effectively use **structured reference in excel** to automate calculations, understand the rationale behind using log change over **percentage change**, and calculate **historical volatility** for better risk understanding. This **excel tutorial** provides essential skills for anyone working with financial or time-series data. This tutorial covers four core concepts essential for professional financial modeling: efficient data referencing, the correct method for calculating compounded returns, and the crucial skill of calculating and annualizing stock volatility. Learn how to effectively use structured references in excel to automate calculations, understand the rationale behind using log change over percentage change, and calculate historical volatility for better risk management. This excel tutorial provides essential skills for anyone working with financial or time-series data. Using real stock data, you will learn the industry best practices for data preparation and risk measurement. ### **Key Concepts Covered:** 1. **Structured References:** Learn to use table names and column headers (`[@Column_Name]`) instead of cell addresses (e.g., `A1`) to build resilient, self-updating formulas [0:01:37]. 2. **Enriching Data:** Use the **`TEXT` function** to extract the day of the week from trade dates for time-based analysis [0:00:50]. 3. **Log Returns vs. Percent Change:** Understand why **Log Returns (`LN(Ending/Beginning)`)** must be used for time
DeepCamp AI