Saving Time Bitches (Investment Banking & Private Equity)

You scoundrel. +SB. This is a good list. I've borrowed a lot of these from WSO too

I have a basic LBO template that I use to drop in the financials for a given CIM along with template output pages. It lets me pull together basic (but not thoughtful) CIM digest materials in < 1 hour.

Probably old news, but for checking I always compare the prior PDF with the new version I'm about to send and I go page-by-page alternating between the two (alt-tab). Makes it easy to see all of the changes.

Saves time, because then I have an answer when VP says "Why did this change" as opposed to scrambling to 20 minutes and looking unprepared.

Bump. Nothing else to contribute monkeys??

What do you guys use as base assumptions for your LBO with respect to financing (% bank debt vs % mez % vs revolver etc.)?

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Good list, however,

Would slightly disagree with this as seems like (now) data service providers are tracking if an account is logged in multiple times or at different IP addresses

Make sure every excel has the majority of its outputs formatted so you can paste in as a picture. Makes updating books take 20 minutes rather than a couple hours

You should never use someone else's logins. Someone at my firm did that, the research provider tracked the IP address, sent a hostile letter threatening legal proceedings, and the letter landed on the CEO's desk. Needless to say, he doesn't work here anymore.

THIS SHOULD BE UNDER PE.

Thank you for the list. Much appreciated!

/delete post is probably beyond the scope of this forum, see last link to www.spreadsheetguru.com

Any other time savers, monkeys?

Regarding using the same excel file over and over again, you should seriously consider versioning in case the file becomes corrupted or you want to re-visit an assumption down the road. Also might help with any potential audits.

1. Checks for existing files. Paste this into developer (alt+f11)!

Function FileExist(FilePath As String) As Boolean
'PURPOSE: Test to see if a file exists or not
'SOURCE: www.TheSpreadsheetGuru.com/The-Code-Vault
'RESOURCE: http://www.rondebruin.nl/win/s9/win003.htm
Dim TestStr As String

'Test File Path (ie "C:\Users\Chris\Desktop\Test\book1.xlsm")
On Error Resume Next
TestStr = Dir(FilePath)
On Error GoTo 0

'Determine if File exists
If TestStr = "" Then
FileExist = False
Else
FileExist = True
End If

End Function

2. Excel version control:

Sub SaveNewVersion_Excel()
'PURPOSE: Save file, if already exists add a new version indicator to filename
'SOURCE: www.TheSpreadsheetGuru.com/The-Code-Vault

Dim FolderPath As String
Dim myPath As String
Dim SaveName As String
Dim SaveExt As String
Dim VersionExt As String
Dim Saved As Boolean
Dim x As Long

TestStr = ""
Saved = False
x = 2

'Version Indicator (change to liking)
VersionExt = "_v"

'Pull info about file
On Error GoTo NotSavedYet
myPath = ActiveWorkbook.FullName
myFileName = Mid(myPath, InStrRev(myPath, "\") + 1, InStrRev(myPath, ".") - InStrRev(myPath, "\") - 1)
FolderPath = Left(myPath, InStrRev(myPath, "\"))
SaveExt = "." & Right(myPath, Len(myPath) - InStrRev(myPath, "."))
On Error GoTo 0

'Determine Base File Name
If InStr(1, myFileName, VersionExt) > 1 Then
myArray = Split(myFileName, VersionExt)
SaveName = myArray(0)
Else
SaveName = myFileName
End If

'Test to see if file name already exists
If FileExist(FolderPath & SaveName & SaveExt) = False Then
ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs FolderPath & SaveName & SaveExt
Exit Sub
End If

'Need a new version made
Do While Saved = False
If FileExist(FolderPath & SaveName & VersionExt & x & SaveExt) = False Then
ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs FolderPath & SaveName & VersionExt & x & SaveExt
Saved = True
Else
x = x + 1
End If
Loop

'New version saved
MsgBox "New file version saved (version " & x & ")"

Exit Sub

'Error Handler
NotSavedYet:
MsgBox "This file has not been initially saved. " & _
"Cannot save a new version!", vbCritical, "Not Saved To Computer"

End Sub

[disclaimer: google is amazing, and this likely will need to be tweaked slightly to your file paths etc.]

Edit: on #1 change activeworkbook to activedocument

lastly start using OneNote for your tasks/list

If it isn't painfully obvious at this point start automating the repetitive tasks that take you a lot of time.

Edit: Easier yet just buy all the add in a from www.spreadsheetguru.com I think it will automate a good portion of that list.

Thanks for this site. Very helpful for incoming bankers. Really appreciate the work and am looking forward to new content.

adding a few others to the list...

10. MappingIntern.com - similar to LogoIntern, but great for creating a quick map of US locations (company geo footprint, etc)
11. Macros. Try them. One of the posters keyed me into this - great way to save time on some of the most mind numbing formatting work.

Does anyone who knows VBA code have any good suggestions for ways to use VBA to save time? Doesn't have to just be recorded macros.

Trace first precedent

Sub AUDIT_TRACE_1st_Precedent()
On Error Resume Next
Selection.ShowPrecedents
ActiveCell.NavigateArrow TowardPrecedent:=True, ArrowNumber:=1, LinkNumber _
:=1

End Sub

To trace precedents with multiple links:

• Run the macro on a formula with multiple links
• A dialogue box will pop up
• Enter the number corresponding to the link you are seeking to audit (i.e., first linked number is in the leftmost part of the equation).
• Enjoy!!

  Sub AUDIT_TRACE_PRECEDENT_2ND_LINK()
  On Error Resume Next
  LINK_NUMBER = InputBox("Link number...")
  Selection.ShowPrecedents
  ActiveCell.NavigateArrow TowardPrecedent:=True, ArrowNumber:=1, LinkNumber _
  :=LINK_NUMBER

  End Sub

Jump to sheet navigation macro:

Sub GotoSheet() Dim sSheet As String
sSheet = InputBox( _
Prompt:="Sheet name or number?", _
Title:="Input Sheet")
On Error Resume Next
If Val(sSheet) > 0 Then
Worksheets(Val(sSheet)).Activate
Else
Worksheets(sSheet).Activate
End If
End Sub