Last Updated: 13 Feb 2024 Views: 376 (After reading, tell us below if this answer was helpful)

Getting help in Bloomberg


Help is never far away in the Bloomberg terminal. Here are five ways to get support for yourself, and some other useful links.

  1. The ‘Getting Started’ function
  2. Help with the current function using the F1 key
  3. Still stuck? Ask Bloomberg with F1-F1 (press F1 twice)
  4. Change the language back to English
  5. Find fields and their mnemonics
  6. Help from other sources

1. The ‘Getting Started’ function

Bloomberg getting started

The ‘Getting Started’ function provides an overview with descriptions of the fundamental concepts of Bloomberg such as Command Line, Menu System, Functions, Securities, Bloomberg Keyboard.

Browse the page, or click the green menu link ‘Generate PDF’ if you want to download any of the information to read later.

2. Help with the current function using the F1 key

Help with FA function in Bloomberg

Whichever function you are currently using in Bloomberg, you can access the help function by pressing the green F1 key. If you are using Bloomberg Web, press the green 'Help' button at the top instead.

All help functions work in the same way with the Getting Started option mentioned previously.

Alternatively, type ‘HELP <function code><GO>’ if you want the help function directly and know the function’s code, such as ‘FA’ for Financial Analysis.

3. Still stuck? Ask Bloomberg with F1-F1 (press F1 twice)

Message box in Bloomberg

If you have exhausted the Bloomberg help functions and cannot find your answer here or on our Business Research Plus blog, you may need to speak with Bloomberg directly.

Student users may press F1 twice to access the ‘Contact Help Desk’ button. If you are using Bloomberg Web, click the green 'HELP' button then the grey 'LIVE HELP' button. Here, you can type a message to be read by one of the Bloomberg Help Desk team around the world. They usually reply within 24 hours to the email address you provide; make sure this is your university email address, otherwise the message may not reach you.

Academic and library staff have access to instant chat; please speak to the Library if you need your Bloomberg login to be updated with these privileges. Unfortunately, the documentation in Bloomberg incorrectly assumes that all users have access to instant chat, so students should take care in this regard.

4. Change the language back to English

Start in Chinese Chinese Bloomberg screen

Now for a specific problem you may encounter. The login page can be set to a language other than English; this can easily be changed by clicking on the word ‘English’.

But what about when the shared user account (login) has been left in another language by the previous user? Simply type ‘LANG<GO>’, (LANG then the Enter key in the command line at the top of the window). Find English at the top of this function and select it to change it back.

We would be grateful if all users leave the shared accounts set to English when they are finished.

Set the language in Bloomberg

5. Find fields and their mnemonics

Bloomberg field finder

If you want to look up the name, label or value of any particular data item, you can use the Field Finder function; type ‘FLDS<GO>’.

You need to choose a security (it will default to whichever one you last looked at) and type part of the name of the data field; use the two left-most amber fields at the top. The table below it shows the mnemonic, description and latest value of each of the matches. (You may need to change the Options in the red menu to show all columns.)

This function is particularly useful if you are writing formulas in Excel and need to know the mnemonic code for each data type.

6. Help from other sources

We recommend the following other sources for getting help with Bloomberg:

If you find any good resources, please let us know.

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