Excel Solver Tutorial Step By Step Easy To Use Guide For Excel S

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 28, 2025, 2:16 PM

excel solver tutorial step by step easy to use guide for excel s

This tutorial is for the traditional Solver in desktop Excel. For the new, free Solver for Excel for the Web, Macintosh, and Windows, click here. To let the Excel Solver know which cells on the worksheet represent the decision variables, constraints and objective function, we click Solver button on the Excel Data tab (or on the Home tab), which... In the Set Objective (or Set Target Cell) edit box, we type or click on cell F5, the objective function. In the By Changing Variable Cells edit box, we type B4:E4 or select these cells with the mouse. (Click on the image to see it full-size.)

To add the constraints, we click on the Add button in the Solver Parameters dialog and select cells F8:F11 in the Cell Reference edit box (the left hand side), and select cells G8:G11 in... (Click on the image to see t full-size.) We choose the Add button again (either from the Add Constraint dialog above, or from the main Solver Parameters dialog) to define the non-negativity constraint on the decision variables. (Alternatively, we can check the Make Unconstrained Variables Non-Negative option in the Solver Parameters dialog.) When we've completely entered the problem, the Solver Parameters dialog appears as shown below. Frontline's Analytic Solver products can emulate this style, and they also offer a new Ribbon-based user interface.

(Click on the image to see it full-size.) Excel includes a tool called Solver that uses techniques from operations research, a field focused on optimizing decisions, to solve all kinds of problems. To load the Solver add-in, execute the following steps. 2. Under Add-ins, select Solver Add-in and click on the Go button. 4.

You can find the Solver on the Data tab, in the Analyze group. The model we are going to solve looks as follows in Excel. Solver is a Microsoft Excel add-in program you can use for what-if analysis. Use Solver to find an optimal (maximum or minimum) value for a formula in one cell—called the objective cell—subject to constraints, or limits, on the values of other formula cells on a worksheet. Solver works with a group of cells, called decision variables or simply variable cells that are used in computing the formulas in the objective and constraint cells. Solver adjusts the values in the decision variable cells to satisfy the limits on constraint cells and produce the result you want for the objective cell.

Put simply, you can use Solver to determine the maximum or minimum value of one cell by changing other cells. For example, you can change the amount of your projected advertising budget and see the effect on your projected profit amount. In the following example, the level of advertising in each quarter affects the number of units sold, indirectly determining the amount of sales revenue, the associated expenses, and the profit. Solver can change the quarterly budgets for advertising (decision variable cells B5:C5), up to a total budget constraint of $20,000 (cell F5), until the total profit (objective cell F7) reaches the maximum possible amount. The values in the variable cells are used to calculate the profit for each quarter, so they are related to the formula objective cell F7, =SUM (Q1 Profit:Q2 Profit). After Solver runs, the new values are as follows.

On the Data tab, in the Analysis group, click Solver. In the example in "How to use Solver in Excel", why do you define a constraint for B2, when it is not one of the variable cells? I have tried deleting that constraint and the solution is the same. In the analysis of the solution you say "provided there are at least 50 clients per month" when the condition B4<=50 means that you have "at most 50 clients per month". Otherwise, nice instructions. Very helpful.

We define a constraint for B3 because it contains a condition that should be met (cost of the new equipment is $40,000 - it's a fixed amount). Variable cells are B4 and B5. The phrase "provided there are at least 50 clients per month" relates to a particular solution shown in the screenshot - cost per service ($66.67) was calculated assuming there are 50 clients per month... B4<=50 was the condition for Solver. This article contains a list of articles that explains this topic step wise. Follow the steps given in these articles systematically to solve complex problems using Excel Solver.

The following are two real-life problems we all have faced at one point of time. 4x+ y– 2z= 0 2x– 3y+ 3z= 9 –6x– 2y+ z= 0; Find out the values of x, y, and z. As a student, you might have come across mathematical problems like the one above. Suppose you run a company that produces three products: Product A, Product B, and Product C. Your company’s profit profile will be similar to the table shown below: Solver in Excel is a special tool with flexible options and features to solve linear and non-linear programming problems.

So, solver in excel is also called ‘Linear Programming Solver.’ Solver helps users change the values of multiple variables and provides desired data based on the specified criteria and conditions. Before learning about solver, consider the below table that shows two variables, X and Y, in column A. The total of the two variables must be equal to 100. Also, the variables must satisfy the two conditions. So, we need to use the following steps to find the values of the two variables using solver in excel. The Solver feature was introduced in Excel in the year 1991.

Even though it is a built-in tool by default, it is always hidden. The steps to enable or add Solver in Excel are as follows: Using Solver in Excel helps you find the best way to achieve a goal by changing different variables. You can use it to solve equations, optimize budgets, or even find the best schedule. Here’s how you can do it: input your data, set your objective, choose the variables to change, and define constraints. Then, run Solver and let it do the math.

Using Solver in Excel can make tasks like budgeting or scheduling a breeze. Here, we’ll break it down into simple steps. Go to ‘File’ > ‘Options’ > ‘Add-ins,’ and select ‘Solver Add-In’ from the list. Click ‘Go,’ then check ‘Solver Add-In,’ and hit ‘OK.’ This step is crucial because Solver isn’t enabled by default. Think of it as unlocking a hidden tool in your toolbox.

Enter your data into the spreadsheet, placing variables in separate cells. We make many assumptions when creating financial models in Microsoft Excel. These assumptions also have limitations 🚧 If you want to find optimal solutions from a model, you must change these assumptions. It will take hours to get the answer if you try to change these assumptions manually ⏳ That’s where the Excel Solver feature comes in handy!

Excel Solver Tutorial Step By Step Easy To Use Guide For Excel S

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This Tutorial Is For The Traditional Solver In Desktop Excel.

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(Click On The Image To See It Full-size.) Excel Includes

You Can Find The Solver On The Data Tab, In

Put Simply, You Can Use Solver To Determine The Maximum