Do you ever come across a complex mathematical problem and find it difficult to solve? The Excel Solver might be a solution. The Solver is a tool for performing what-if analysis, helping find the optimal value of a target cell by changing values in cells used to calculate the target cell. The Solver in Excel is an add-in that can be seen as an advanced Excel feature. Understanding the Solver in Excel can be relatively challenging compared to many other Excel options. If you’d like to use the Solver in Excel but aren’t sure how to approach it, read on!
How to Use Excel Solver?
The Solver in Excel is an add-in and might not be readily available in every Excel program. Before we delve into using the Solver in Excel, let’s first discuss how to add the Solver to Excel.
Adding Solver to Excel
To use the Solver in Excel, go to the File tab and select Options. The Excel Options menu will appear, and within it, choose Add-Ins. Next, under Manage, select Excel Add-ins and click on Go… See the screenshot with marked indications for extra assistance in locating the right components.
If all goes well, the Add-Ins menu should appear. Here, add the Solver Add-in and click OK.
The Solver should now appear under the Data tab, in the Analysis section. With the Excel Solver now available, let’s get started.
Using Excel Solver
To demonstrate how to use the Solver in Excel, let’s use a mathematical equation as an example. We want to maximize the outcome of a function by changing the variables X1, X2, and X3. However, these variables must meet specific conditions. The mathematical equation and its conditions are as follows:
Before we can use the Solver, we need to add the mathematical equation’s conditions that we want to maximize.
In cells B2:B4, the values of variables X1, X2, and X3 are stated. We will allow the Solver to adjust these values to achieve the maximum value for our function. The function formula is in cell D8, the first condition is in cell D2, the second condition is in cell D4, and the last condition is in cell D6.
After adding the mathematical equation and underlying conditions, we can proceed to fill in the parameters for the Solver. The objective function is the mathematical equation in cell D8, the conditions are in cells D2, D4, and D6, and the variable cells that need to be changed are cells B2:B4. In the screenshot below, you can see how to input this in the Solver. Once this is done, we can let the Solver do its work and observe the optimal solution.
The outcome of the Solver in Excel is as follows:
Need Help from an Excel Expert?
If you feel that you’re not fully utilizing the potential of your Excel tasks, it might be a good idea to hire an Excel Expert from Bouwmeester Consultancy. This could be for a Solver-related Excel issue or any other Excel inquiry; we’re here to assist. With our years of experience in Microsoft Excel, we can amaze you with our skills. Do you have questions about protecting your Excel file, filtering Excel, or other matters? Feel free to reach out to us without any obligation, and who knows, we might help you soon!
