Microsoft Excel 2007 © Wiley Publishing All Rights Reserved. The L Line The Express Line to Learning L Line

Analyzing Data with Excel 12 Understanding what-if analysis Creating scenarios with the Scenario Manager Performing goal seeking with Excel Extending Excel charts into the future Stations Along the Way

What-If Analysis Tools Scenario Manager Change values in multiple cells and save as a scenario; compare scenario results Use if data you change is on same sheet Goal seeking Use when you know the outcome and need to determine the input variables Can work across multiple sheets Add trendlines to line charts

Scenario Manager Create multiple scenarios to find the best possible outcome Work within a copy of the workbook to avoid overwriting existing data Use formulas to determine values for the changing cells Output is a scenario summary report or a scenario PivotTable report

Goal Seeking Determine what values need to change to achieve the desired result Base the change of one cell on a change in another cell Set values in Goal Seek dialog box: Set Cell – the target cell To Value – the target value By Changing Cell – the cell that changes

Forecasting with Charts Add trendline to an existing line chart Extend trendline to estimate future values if conditions stay the same Several types of trendlines use different computations: Linear – a straight-line projection Exponential – projects data along a curve Logarithmic, Polynomial, Power, and Moving Average – less common types

Discussion Questions What is the difference between analyzing data and filtering or sorting it? What is the difference between the scenario process and the goal-seeking process? Can you have nonconsecutive cells in a scenario definition? Can you have cells from different worksheets in a scenario definition?

Discussion Questions (cont.) What is a target cell? Can you use nonconsecutive cells when you’re using Goal Seek? Can you use cells from different worksheets when you’re using Goal Seek? What type of trendline is the most accurate?