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Lecture 4. Advanced Topics. OVERVIEW. Importing Data Data Analysis Add-In Solver Macros. IMPORTING DATA. You may receive data that is not in Excel that needs to be opened in Excel For example a text file, that is smaller and more amenable to email
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Lecture 4 Advanced Topics
OVERVIEW • Importing Data • Data Analysis Add-In • Solver • Macros
IMPORTING DATA • You may receive data that is not in Excel that needs to be opened in Excel • For example a text file, that is smaller and more amenable to email • Load this file into Excel, maintain the main columns
Importing Data From Text File • Save and Close the file • Open the file again from the folder • Notice the changes we made in the text file • The file is still a text fileeven though we have modifying it in Excel
Importing Data From Text File • From the Excel window select Save As Excel Workbook
DATA ANALYSIS ADD-IN • Some of Excel’s tools are not loaded automatically but must be activated by the user • For example the Statistical tools called “Data Analysis”
Data Analysis • Use Data Analysis to calculate Descriptive Statistics of the “Speed” column
SOLVER • Solver enables users to set up operations research problems e.g. integer linear programming, non linear programming etc • Operations research problems typically involve systems of equations that involve inequalities • Therefore, for non-inequalities problems we can use it as alternative, to say matrices, to solve systems of equations. • Solver must be activated from Add-Ins prior to use.
Optimization Using Solver • Consider the following investment decision problem for a financial institution • Three new financial products yield returns of 6.5%, 7%, 9% respectively • Total investment amount in these products altogether cannot exceed $500K • Due to risk, product 3 investment cannot exceed twice product 2 amount and product 2 investment cannot exceed three times product 1 • What is the optimal investment plan to maximize return on investment?
Optimization Using Solver • Note that the more objectives and constraints, the more complex the problem
MACROS • Macros are used to record and save the keystrokes used to perform a task • By so doing the user can then call the macro to run the same tasks on another dataset • This is especially advantageous for repetitive type tasks, e.g. a weekly or daily traffic update report • Before we can use macros we must activate the Developer tab through Excel Options
Activate Developer Tab • Format the traffic data, but save all work in a macro
Record Macro • Keystrokes: • Highlight top row • Bold • All Borders • Fill color (green) • Select: Date, Time, Vehicle • Format • AutoFit Column Width • Scroll back to left • Highlight first 30 rows of speed column • Fill with orange color • Developer • Stop Recording
Calling Your Macro • Now open a new traffic data file • Copy and paste the data to the macros enabled file, making sure all columns and rows are lined up as in the macros enabled file • Run the macro from View Macro
Call a Macro • The macro does the formatting on the new data for us in one shot • Note that we could have run it directly without copying over if we had selected the file name in the drop down • Students! Repeat the data import task, but this time save it as a macro • As we shall see macros can get VERY complex
References • http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/support/results.aspx?av=zxl • www.youtube.com