1. Lesson 16 Using What-If Analysis

2. Lesson Objectives
Create a scenario.
Set highlight cells rules conditional formatting.
Manage scenarios.
Forecast with a trendline.
Use Goal Seek.
Use Solver.

3. Enabling a Macro
A macro is a Visual Basic routine saved in a macro-enabled workbook.
A macro performs a task in the workbook such as inserting labels or values or formatting row/columns.
A macro-enabled workbook has an xlsm filename extension.

4. Enabling a Macro
The Trust Center in the Excel Options dialog box has options for how macro-enabled workbooks are opened.

5. Enabling a Macro
You must enable macros in order to use them.

6. Creating a Scenario
A scenario is a what-if analysis tool.
A scenario is a set of values saved with the workbook.
You can save many scenarios with a workbook.
You can show one scenario at a time.

7. The Add Scenario Dialog Box
The changing cells range can use cell addresses or a range name.

8. Changing Scenario Values
The values use General format in this dialog box.

9. Setting Highlight Cells Rules
Highlight cells rules are conditional formatting.
They apply formatting when cell contents meet conditions set with relational or conditional operators.
The rules can be used with values or labels.
You can apply more than one rule to the same range.

10. Setting Highlight Cells Rules
Select the cell range for the conditional formatting. Then choose the rule.

11. Setting Highlight Cells Rules
Choose More Rules when you want to edit the rule or its formatting.

12. Managing Scenarios
Scenarios can be:
Edited
Displayed
Included in a summary report

13. Showing a Scenario
Choose the scenario name and click Show to see the related values in the worksheet.

14. Printing a Scenario Summary Report
A scenario summary report shows the results and changing cells for every scenario in a workbook.

15. Printing a Scenario Summary Report
A scenario summary report is formatted as an outline. It can be further formatted like most worksheets.

16. Saving a Macro-Free Workbook
You can save a workbook that has a macro as a macro-free workbook.

17. Forecasting with a Trendline
A trendline is a line in a chart that points out or predicts general tendencies.
Trendlines are well-suited to column charts.
Trendlines can project forward or backward.

18. Forecasting with a Trendline

19. Formatting a Trendline

20. Forecasting with a Trendline

21. Using Goal Seek
Goal Seek backsolves a problem. It adjusts one cell with a value to reach a target value in another cell.

22. Using Goal Seek
You can save the Goal Seek solution as a scenario.

23. Using Solver
Solver is an Excel add-in.
An add-in is a feature or command that supplies some type of enhanced capability.
Solver backsolves the value for a cell with a formula.

24. Using Solver
A Solver problem has these components:
A target cell with a formula that you want to result in a particular value.
Adjustable cells that relate to the target cell and that Solver changes to produce the desired result.
Limitations, or constraints, placed on the target cell, adjustable cells, or other cells related to the target cell.

25. Using Solver
The value in cell F14 will be changed to 1,500,000 by adjusting the values in cells B6:E6.

26. Using Solver with Constraints

27. Using a Thumbnail Preview
Click the Properties View and Options button in the Document Information Panel to open the Properties dialog box.

28. Summary
What-if analysis tests values in a worksheet to predict future results.
A scenario is a saved set of values for specific cells, saved with a name in the workbook.

29. Summary
You can add multiple scenarios to a workbook.
Scenarios can be edited, displayed, or deleted when necessary.
A scenario summary report is an outline about each scenario in the workbook.

30. Summary
Highlight cells rules are conditional formatting for cells to display a chosen format when a requirement is met.
Highlight cells rules use comparison and relational operators.
Two rules can be true at the same time.

31. Summary
Business forecasting can be accomplished with a trendline added to a chart.
A trendline illustrates and predicts general tendencies of values.
In backsolving, you specify the desired results of a formula and adjust values to reach those results.

32. Summary
Goal Seek adjusts a single cell value to reach a desired outcome in a formula.
Solver is a what-if analysis tool. Its parameters are a target cell, adjustable cells, and constraints or limitations on the target or adjustable cells.
Document properties include an optional thumbnail preview that is visible in the Open dialog box.