If you are preparing for a career in investment banking, you will spend a lot of time in Excel. Learning how to work efficiently without constantly reaching for your mouse can make a significant difference when building and reviewing financial models. One of the tools that can help is an Excel macro.
What Is an Excel Macro?
An Excel macro is a sequence of actions that can be automated and triggered with a command or keystroke. Instead of completing the same series of steps manually, a macro allows Excel to perform them for you.
For example, financial models often require consistent formatting. Rather than navigating through Excel's menus every time you need to change font colors, a macro can automate that process with a keyboard command.
Adventis' Financial Modeling Macros are designed around this principle: helping you perform common modeling tasks more efficiently so you can spend less time navigating Excel and more time building the model.
Macro vs. Keyboard Shortcut: What's the Difference?
A keyboard shortcut is a command that Excel already recognizes. For example:
F2: See the contents of a cell/change filename
Esc: Cancel a cell entry
= or +: Start a formula
F5 + Enter: Go back to previous cell
Ctrl + A: Select entire worksheet
Shift + Arrow Keys: Move curser to highlight data region
A macro, on the other hand, automates a sequence of actions. A macro can also be assigned to a keyboard shortcut, effectively creating a customized command that goes beyond Excel's standard shortcuts.
Why Do Macros Matter in Financial Modeling?
Efficiency matters in financial modeling. Investment banking analysts may repeat the same formatting, navigation, and editing tasks hundreds of times while building or reviewing a model.
The goal is not simply to work faster. Becoming comfortable with keyboard shortcuts and macros helps you navigate Excel with less reliance on the mouse, build muscle memory, and develop a more efficient modeling workflow.
That is why learning these tools early can pay dividends throughout your finance career. The more familiar you become with Excel, the more attention you can devote to understanding the financial analysis behind the model.
Start Building Your Excel Skills
Keyboard shortcuts and macros are just one part of becoming proficient in financial modeling. Developing these skills through hands-on practice can help you become more confident building three-statement, valuation, and LBO models.
The Financial Modeling Certification® Program gives students the opportunity to build those skills through practical financial modeling exercises while developing the Excel efficiency expected in finance.
