1. Microsoft Office 2013 - Illustrated
Unit K:
Using What–If Analysis

2. Objectives Define a what-if analysis
Track a what-if analysis with Scenario Manager
Generate a scenario summary
Project figures using a data table
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

3. Objectives (cont’d.) Use Goal Seek
Set up a complex what-if analysis with Solver
Run Solver and summarize results
Analyze data using the Analysis ToolPak
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

4. Define a What-If Analysis
What-if analysis: explore multiple outcomes based on variable inputs
Model: name for what-if worksheet
Input cells: data cells that generate outputted calculations
Dependent cell: formula cells whose value changes based on input values
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

5. Define a What-If Analysis (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

6. Track a What-If Analysis with Scenario Manager
Scenario: set of values that generate different results
Variable: a value that changes
Changing cells: cells that will change (vary) for different scenarios
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

7. Track a What-If Analysis with Scenario Manager (cont’d.)
Click DATA tab, click the What-If Analysis button in the Data Tools group, then click Scenario Manager
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

8. Track a What-If Analysis with Scenario Manager (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

9. Track a What-If Analysis with Scenario Manager (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

10. Track a What-If Analysis with Scenario Manager (cont’d.)
Merging scenarios
Scenarios: stored the workbook and on the worksheet in which you created them
Click the Merge button in the Scenario Manager dialog box
Select scenarios from other locations
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

11. Generate a Scenario Summary
Scenario summary: Excel table that compiles data from the changing cells and corresponding result cells for each scenario
Create names for cells to make scenario summary easier to read
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

12. Generate a Scenario Summary (cont’d.)
Click DATA tab, click the What-If Analysis button in the Data Tools group, click Scenario Manager, then click Summary in the dialog box
Include entries in the Result cells text box and click OK
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

13. Generate a Scenario Summary (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

14. Project Figures Using a Data Table
Data table: range of cells showing varying results (output values) when one or more input value changes
One-input data table: range of cells showing results when one input value is varied in a formula
Enter only one cell reference (Row input cell OR Column input cell) in the Data Table dialog box
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

15. Project Figures Using a Data Table (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

16. Project Figures Using a Data Table (cont’d.)
Creating a two-input data table
Shows the resulting values when two different input values are varied in a formula
Enter both a row input cell and a column input cell in the Data Table dialog box
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

17. Use Goal Seek
Goal seek: specify solution and ask Excel to find the input value that produces the answer you want
Backing into a solution: backsolving
Goal cell: contains a formula in which you can substitute values to find a specific value, or goal
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

18. Use Goal Seek (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

19. Use Goal Seek (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

20. Set up a Complex What-If Analysis with Solver
Add-in: program providing optional features
Solver: finds best solution from several inputs
Target cell/objective: contains formula
Constraints: limitations or restrictions on input values
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

21. Set up a Complex What-If Analysis with Solver (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

22. Set up a Complex What-If Analysis with Solver (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

23. Run Solver and Summarize Results
Enter parameters in Solver Parameters dialog box and run Solver
In some cases, Solver may not be able to find a solution meeting all constraints
Summaries can be created from Solver solutions
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

24. Run Solver and Summarize Results (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

25. Run Solver and Summarize Results (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

26. Analyze Data Using the Analysis ToolPak
Analysis ToolPak: add-in containing many statistical analysis tools.
Descriptive Statistics tool: generates a statistical report including:
Mean median, mode, minimum, maximum, and sum for an input range
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

27. Analyze Data Using the Analysis ToolPak (cont’d.)
Choosing the right tool for your data analysis
Analysis ToolPak: options for data analysis
Anova (analysis of variance): applied to one or more data samples
Regression: creates a table of statistics from a least-squares regression
Correlation: how strong of a linear relationship exists between two random variables
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

28. Analyze Data Using the Analysis ToolPak (cont’d.)
Analysis ToolPak: offers 19 options for data analysis (cont’d.)
Moving Average: displays long-term trends by smoothing out short-term changes
Random Number Generation: creates a set of random numbers
Rank and Percentile: creates a ranking and percentile distribution report
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

29. Analyze Data Using the Analysis ToolPak (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

30. Analyze Data Using the Analysis ToolPak (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated

31. Analyze Data Using the Analysis ToolPak (cont’d.)
Microsoft Office Excel Illustrated