Excel 2000 in a Nutshell

Name

Tools → Solver

Synopsis

Provides a more complex method for finding the cell values needed to produce the desired results. This option is similar to the Tools → Goal Seek but it provides the ability to change the value in multiple cells to achieve the desired result from the formula.

Note

If this option does not exist on the Tools menu you will need to load Solver Add-in on the Add-ins dialog by selecting Tools → Add-Ins.

When you select this option the Solver Parameter dialog displays as shown in Figure 8-24. This is where you specify the parameters you want to use to achieve the desired result.

Figure 8-24. Solver Parameters dialog

These options are very useful when you are trying to determine why a cell does not contain the anticipated value.

1. Set Target Cell. Specify the cell that is the target value you want to solve for. The cell you specify must contain a formula. It can be selected by either typing the cell reference in the field or selecting the Collapse Dialog button and clicking on the cell.

   Once you specify the target cell, you need to indicate how you want to set the value of the cell. You can either set it to the maximum possible size (Max), minimum size (Min), or a specific value by typing the value in the “Value of” field.

2. By Changing Cells. Indicate the cells whose values Excel should modify in order to achieve the specified results for the target cell. You can ...