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·         SolverTable Add-in: Each version below has a corresponding Help file (a Word file) that you should read before contacting me about problems. Each zip file below contains only two files: the.xlam add-in file (or the .xla file for old versions) and the Word help file. You should unzip both to the same folder (any folder of your choice) and then read the help file for more instructions.

o   For Solver that ships with Excel 2016, Excel 2019 for Windows, or Office 365 for Windows: SolverTable.zip

o   For Solver that ships with Excel for Mac: SolverTable for Mac.zip

¨       This version of SolverTable was created for the Mac in October 2020. The essence of SolverTable has always been that it makes multiple uninterrupted Solver runs. For technical reasons, this is not possible in Excel for Mac, which explains why a version of SolverTable had never been available for the Mac. However, this version gets around the problem by making interrupted Solver runs. Specifically, before each run, you are prompted whether you want to make the next run. (This is explained more fully in the help file that is part of this zip file.) Admittedly, the interruptions slow down the process to some extent (besides the fact that Solver for the Mac is just plain slow), but it is much better than making multiple Solver runs manually, each with new input values. Fortunately, the user interface and the results sheets are exactly the same as those for the Windows version of SolverTable.

o   SolverTable fix: For those of you who have problems with SolverTable, here are instructions for a possible fix: Fixing SolverTable.docx.

o   SolverTable tip for international users: A user from outside the US discovered why his SolverTable wasn’t working. The problem was in the numerical settings (decimal symbols and list separators), and the fix was to change these in Windows settings, making sure the separator is a period, not a comma. I’m not sure how common this problem might be, but if you’re outside the US and your SolverTable isn’t working, this is worth a try.

o   Old versions (no longer supported): SolverTable 2013.zip, SolverTable 2010.zip, SolverTable 2007.zip

o   Missing Solver Reference: Here is another possible fix for SolverTable: Missing Solver Reference.docx

o   A strange SolverTable problem: Reynold Byers and his students at Arizona State discovered that in a straightforward integer-constrained model, SolverTable gave slightly suboptimal solutions. I originally thought this had to do with the Integer Optimality setting, but that wasn’t it. They found that the decimal input being varied, something like from 0 to 0.6 in increments of 0.1, was not being set to exactly 0.4, say, but instead to something like 0.400025 – a slight roundoff – and this was enough to cause the suboptimal solutions. Great detective work on their part, but I’m not sure how to fix the problem. Anyway, be aware!

o   An interesting use of SolverTable: One way to use SolverTable is to let the Input cell(s) (for a one-way or two-way table) be the initial value(s) of decision variable cell(s). For a linear model, the only point in doing this would be to check that Solver indeed gets to the optimal solution regardless of the initial values. For a nonlinear model, this could be used to check whether there are local optima that Solver might get to, depending on the initial values it starts from. (Thanks to Tom Schriber for this suggestion.)

·         DADM_Tools add-in: For various reasons, some users of our DADM and PMS books prefer not to use the Palisade add-ins discussed in these books. To provide another alternative, I created my own add-in called DADM_Tools that provides much of the basic functionality of the Palisade software. This add-in, written in Excel’s VBA language, is not used in the books but it is available here for free. Because it is totally free, no support is available. However, it is very easy to use, and it is compatible with Excel for Windows and Excel for Mac. Here is a link to instructions: DADM_Tools Help.docx. Here is a link to the add-in: DADM_Tools.xlam.

·         Random Functions Add-Ins: The DADM_Tools add-in mentioned in the previous bullet includes, among other things, a simulation program. For technical reasons, the custom functions I developed to generate random numbers from various probability distributions are not included in the DADM_Tools add-in. If you are interested in the technical details, read Explanation of Functions for Generating Random Numbers.docx. However,…

o   For Windows users, the random functions are contained in a special type of add-in (an XLL that works only with Excel for Windows 2010 or higher). First read the following: RandGen Add-In.docx (updated 1/24/2019). Then install the add-in by running the Setup file in: RandGenSetup.zip.

o   For Mac users, the random functions are in the following add-in: Random Functions for the Mac.xlam. Note that if you open one of my simulation example files when this add-in is loaded, the “green” cells that contain the random functions will probably show errors. However, if you select one of these cells and then select the formula in the formula bar and press return, the function will work properly. I have no idea why this happens. On the bright side, if you enter your own random functions, they should work fine.

o   For either version, Windows or Mac, you will see @ symbols in your formulas, which you can ignore. Go back to my home page to read about these strange symbols.

·         Excel tutorial: Here is a free version of my Excel tutorial: Excel Tutorial for Windows.xlsx. It provides information for upgrading to a more complete version called ExcelNow!. You can also download a version of the tutorial for the Mac: Excel Tutorial for the Mac.xlsx. By comparing these, you can see which features in Excel for Windows are not included in Excel for Mac.

·         Analysis ToolPak Guide: This is a supplement to our books for those of you who would like to use Excel’s built-in Analysis ToolPak add-in for statistical analysis. The zip file contains a pdf version of the guide and accompanying data files: Analysis ToolPak Guide.zip

·         StatPro and StatBasics Add-Ins

o   StatPro for Excel 2007 and later: Although I no longer support StatPro, I tinker with it from time to time, and this version is the result: StatPro New.zip. It doesn’t have all the options from the original StatPro (e.g., stepwise regression is missing), but it has some new features and a slightly different interface. It is contained in a single .xla file, and it works with Excel 2007 and later versions. To load it, just double-click the .xla file.

o   StatPro for the Mac: Some of you have requested a version of StatPro for the Mac, that is, for the Mac version of Excel. This was originally impossible because early version of Excel for Mac didn’t even have VBA, the programming language. That changed in Excel 2011, but the VBA interface is quite different from the one in Excel for Windows. Anyway, I gave it a shot, and you can try out this version: StatPro for Mac.zip. However, you’re completely on your own; I provide no support for this version. VBA programming for the Mac is no fun!

o   StatBasics for Excel 2007: StatBasics for Excel 2007.zip. This is a mini version of StatPro I created, mostly to practice my programming skills. It provides only the basics: summary measures and useful statistical charts. Installation instructions are in the zip file. Try it out, but keep in mind that I do not provide any support for it.


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Send e-mail to albright@indiana.edu

 

Albright and Winston are both retired from the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington.

 

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Updated: 3/10/2023