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Home → Techniques and Tips

Techniques and Tips

• 1. All Products
  • 1.1. MyLumivero Portal and @RISK / DTS Licenses
  • 1.2. Palisade products are NOT impacted by the Log4J vulnerability
  • 1.3. Do @RISK and DecisionTools Suite use TLS encryption?
  • 1.4. What happens when you edit your model in Excel 365 and then open it in an older version of Excel?
  • 1.5. What's New in the Knowledge Base?
  • 1.6. How to Find Your Serial Number
  • 1.7. New user interface in Palisade License Manager
  • 1.8. Which Version of Excel Is Opened by Palisade Software?
  • 1.9. Which Version of Excel Am I Running?
  • 1.10. Getting Better Performance from Excel
  • 1.11. Opening a Second Instance of Excel
  • 1.12. Using Excel During Simulation or Optimization
  • 1.13. Identical Settings for Multiple Computers
  • 1.14. Transferring Settings to Other Models or Other Computers
  • 1.15. Running "Out of Process"
  • 1.16. Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry
  • 1.17. Removing Outdated References to Project from the System Registry
  • 1.18. Programming Languages and History of @RISK
  • 1.19. "Update Available" (7.x)
  • 1.20. "An update is available." (6.x)
  • 1.21. Which License Gets Used?
  • 1.22. Automating Palisade Software
  • 1.23. Example Files from Palisade-Published Books
  • 1.24. Heartbleed Bug and Palisade Software
  • 1.25. Troubleshooter for Releases 7.x: PalDiagnostics7
  • 1.26. Troubleshooter for Releases 6.x: PalDiagnostics6
  • 1.27. Troubleshooter for Releases 5.x: PalDiagnostics5
  • 1.28. Re-Register All Libraries
• 2. @RISK: General Questions
  • 2.1. Getting Started with @RISK
  • 2.2. @RISK User Groups
  • 2.3. Iterations versus Simulations versus Trials
  • 2.4. Simulation versus Optimization
  • 2.5. Different Results with the Same Fixed Seed for various distributions
  • 2.6. Placing Number of Iterations in the Worksheet
  • 2.7. How Many Iterations Do I Need?
  • 2.8. SQL for @RISK Library on Another Computer
  • 2.9. SSAS and SSRS with @RISK Library
  • 2.10. Sharing @RISK Models with Colleagues Who Don't Have @RISK
  • 2.11. Precedent Checking (Smart Sensitivity Analysis)
  • 2.12. Excel Tables and @RISK
  • 2.13. Avoiding "Do you want to change the current @RISK settings to match those stored?"
  • 2.14. Markov Chains
  • 2.15. Stochastic Dominance in @RISK
  • 2.16. Circular References
  • 2.17. Converting Crystal Ball Models
  • 2.18. File Compatibility: @RISK 4.5–7.x
  • 2.19. Latin Hypercube Versus Monte Carlo Sampling
  • 2.20. Random Number Generators
  • 2.21. Random Number Generation, Seed Values, and Reproducibility
  • 2.22. Different Results with Multiple Workbook Copies
  • 2.23. Statistical Calculations in @RISK and Excel
  • 2.24. Wilkie Investment Model
  • 2.25. Geometric Mean in @RISK
• 3. @RISK Distributions
  • 3.1. Which Distribution Should I Use?
  • 3.2. Swap Overlayed Distributions
  • 3.3. Cell References in Distributions
  • 3.4. Setting the "Return Value" of a Distribution
  • 3.5. Generating Values from a Distribution
  • 3.6. Specifying a Descriptive Name for a Distribution
  • 3.7. Shift Factor in a Distribution
  • 3.8. Cutting Off a Distribution at Left or Right
  • 3.9. Truncate and Shift in the Same Distribution
  • 3.10. Statistics for an Input Distribution
  • 3.11. Statistics for Just Part of a Distribution
  • 3.12. All Articles about RiskMakeInput
  • 3.13. Event or Operational Risks
  • 3.14. Combining Frequency and Severity
  • 3.15. All Articles about RiskCompound
  • 3.16. Sum of Distributions Must Equal Fixed Value
  • 3.17. Multinomial Distribution
  • 3.18. Cumulative Probability
  • 3.19. Specifying Distributions in Terms of Percentiles
  • 3.20. Specifying Distributions in Terms of Desired Mean and Standard Deviation
  • 3.21. Combining Estimates from Several People
  • 3.22. Algorithm Used by RiskJohnsonMoments
  • 3.23. Distribution Parameters from "Alt" Distributions
  • 3.24. Turning Inputs On and Off
  • 3.25. RiskSixSigma Property Function
  • 3.26. Replacing RAND with RiskBernoulli or RiskUniform
  • 3.27. Triangular Distribution: Specify Mean or Median Instead of Most Likely
  • 3.28. Double Triangular Distribution
  • 3.29. Entering Parameters for Gamma Distribution
  • 3.30. Entering Parameters for Log-normal Distribution
  • 3.31. Log-normal Distribution with 2 Percentile Parameters
  • 3.32. Left Skewed or Negative Skewed Log-normal Distribution
  • 3.33. Geometric Mean and Geometric SD in Log-normal
  • 3.34. Preventing Duplicates in Discrete Distributions
  • 3.35. Delimiters and Discrete Distributions
  • 3.36. Cauchy Distribution
  • 3.37. Extreme Value Distributions: Gumbel and Fréchet
  • 3.38. F Distribution
  • 3.39. Generalized Pareto Distribution
  • 3.40. Four-Parameter Pert Distribution
  • 3.41. Sensitivity Simulation with RiskSimtable for Specific Values
  • 3.42. RiskSimtable with Distributions as Arguments
  • 3.43. Multiple Simtables — Need All Combinations of Values
  • 3.44. Selecting Exactly Two Items (Two Numbers Guaranteed Different)
  • 3.45. Add Your Own Distribution to @RISK
  • 3.46. Custom Distribution Using RiskCumul
  • 3.47. How does RiskSplice Work? (Technical Example)
  • 3.48. Nesting RiskSplice Distributions
  • 3.49. Bimodal or Mixed Distribution
  • 3.50. Password Protecting a Worksheet or Workbook
  • 3.51. Cell References with RiskCompound
• 4. @RISK Distribution Fitting
  • 4.1. Capacity of Distribution Fitting
  • 4.2. Bootstrapping for Distribution Fitting
  • 4.3. Discrepancy from Fits Performed by Other Software
  • 4.4. "Distributions to Fit" Dialog Doesn't Allow Every Distribution
  • 4.5. Discrete Density Data Treated as Continuous
  • 4.6. RMS Error Calculation in Distribution Fitting with (x,p) Pairs
  • 4.7. RMS Error Calculation in Distribution Fitting with (x,y) Pairs
  • 4.8. P-Values and Distribution Fitting
  • 4.9. Interpreting Anderson-Darling Test Statistics
  • 4.10. Number of Bins in Distribution Fitting
  • 4.11. Discrepancy in AIC Calculation?
  • 4.12. Interpreting AIC Statistics
  • 4.13. Bounds of Fitted Uniform and Exponential Distributions
  • 4.14. Best Fit for Small Data Sets?
  • 4.15. N/A in Results from Parametric Bootstrapping
  • 4.16. "Auto Detect" Button in Time Series Fitting
  • 4.17. ARIMA Model in Time Series
  • 4.18. Constraining Time Series to Return Positive Results
  • 4.19. Number of Periods to Forecast in Time Series
  • 4.20. Technical Details of Distribution Fitting
  • 4.21. Time Series with Irregular Intervals
• 5. Correlation in @RISK
  • 5.1. How @RISK Correlates Inputs
  • 5.2. Limit on Correlated Variables?
  • 5.3. Same Correlation Coefficients for Several Groups of Inputs
  • 5.4. How @RISK Tests a Correlation Matrix for Validity
  • 5.5. How @RISK Adjusts an Invalid Correlation Matrix
  • 5.6. Correlation of Discrete Distributions
  • 5.7. Correlating RiskMakeInput or RiskCompound, Approximately
  • 5.8. Correlation of RiskCompound
  • 5.9. Correlating Results of Calculations
  • 5.10. Correlation Matrix Exceeds Excel's Column Limit
  • 5.11. Changing Correlation Coefficients During a Simulation
  • 5.12. Making Correlations Conditional
  • 5.13. Excel Reports a Correlation Different from What I Specified
  • 5.14. How @RISK Computes Rank-Order Correlation
  • 5.15. Create a Correlation Matrix from Historical Data
  • 5.16. How and Why to Switch from RiskDepC to RiskCorrmat
  • 5.17. Correlation Coefficient of Output Distributions
  • 5.18. Correlation of Time Series
  • 5.19. Correlated Time Series in Batch Fit
  • 5.20. Copulas
• 6. @RISK Simulation: Numerical Results
  • 6.1. Convergence Monitoring in @RISK
  • 6.2. More Than 50,000 Iterations to Converge
  • 6.3. Convergence by Testing Percentiles
  • 6.4. Static Value of Output Differs from Simulated Mean
  • 6.5. Static Value of Input Differs from Simulated Mean
  • 6.6. Placing Simulation Statistics in a Worksheet
  • 6.7. Simulation Statistics for Output Ranges
  • 6.8. What Was My Random Number Seed?
  • 6.9. Mode of Continuous Data
  • 6.10. Conditional Tail Expectation or Conditional VaR
  • 6.11. Probability of an Interval
  • 6.12. Semivariance, Semideviation, Mean Absolute Deviation
  • 6.13. Correlation Coefficient of Output Distributions
  • 6.14. How @RISK Calculates Percentiles
  • 6.15. Which Iteration Produced a Given Percentile?
  • 6.16. Placing Iteration Data in Worksheet with RiskData( )
  • 6.17. Exporting Information During Simulation
  • 6.18. All Iterations of One Input or Output
  • 6.19. Sum of All Iteration Values
  • 6.20. How Many Iterations Were within a Certain Range?
  • 6.21. How Many Times Did an Event Occur?
  • 6.22. Which Sensitivity Measure to Use?
  • 6.23. Regression Coefficients in Your Worksheet
  • 6.24. Regression Equation from Calculated Sensitivities
  • 6.25. Placing Change in Output Statistics in Worksheet
  • 6.26. Calculating Contribution to Variance
  • 6.27. Placing Contribution to Variance in Worksheet
  • 6.28. Confidence Intervals in @RISK
  • 6.29. Customizing the Quick Reports
  • 6.30. Status Column of Output Results Summary Report
  • 6.31. Changing Columns in Results Summary
  • 6.32. Detailed Statistics with More Than Seven Significant Digits?
  • 6.33. Detailed Statistics: Live or Static?
  • 6.34. Detailed Statistics: Setting Default Targets
  • 6.35. Some Iterations Show Error in Data Window. What Can I Do?
  • 6.36. Additional Export Data options
  • 6.37. Writing Simulation Data to Excel
• 7. @RISK Simulation: Graphical Results
  • 7.1. Interpreting or Changing the Y Axis of a Histogram
  • 7.2. Number of Bins in a Histogram
  • 7.3. Setting Y Axis Maximum Not to Exceed 1
  • 7.4. Log Scale in Output Graphs
  • 7.5. Area Graphs
  • 7.6. Copy/Pasting Thumbnails
  • 7.7. All Articles about Tornado Charts
  • 7.8. Interpreting Regression Coefficients in Tornado Graphs
  • 7.9. Correlation Tornado versus Regression Tornado
  • 7.10. Interpreting Change in Output Statistic in Tornado Graphs
  • 7.11. Variable Selection in Tornado Graphs
  • 7.12. Combining Inputs in a Sensitivity Tornado
  • 7.13. Excluding an Input from the Sensitivity Tornado
  • 7.14. Missing Labels in Tornado Graphs
  • 7.15. Tornado Graph — How to Set Defaults
  • 7.16. Which Tornado Graph for Quick Reports?
  • 7.17. Quick Report for Just One Output
  • 7.18. Interpreting Scenario Graphs
  • 7.19. Creating and Using Report Templates
  • 7.20. Excel Themes in @RISK Graphs and Reports
  • 7.21. Cell References in Tornado Graphs (RiskResultsGraph)
  • 7.22. Custom Color Selection in Graphs
  • 7.23. Multiple Browse Results Windows
  • 7.24. "OnScreen Control" app causing display issues in @RISK
  • 7.25. Setting DPI for Images Generated by @RISK
  • 7.26. More Than 10 Overlays?
  • 7.27. Automatic Overlays from Multiple Worksheets
  • 7.28. Sharing @RISK Graphs with Colleagues Who Don't Have @RISK
  • 7.29. Creating Scatter Plots with Inputs from Multiple Sheets
  • 7.30. Reproducing the Data from Spider Graphs
• 8. Advanced Analyses in @RISK
  • 8.1. Fix Distribution to Base Value When Not Stepping
  • 8.2. Stressing Each Input in Its Own Simulation
• 9. @RISK Performance
  • 9.1. How Long Did My Simulation Run?
  • 9.2. For Faster Simulations
  • 9.3. Simulation Speed of @RISK with Microsoft Project
  • 9.4. CPUs Used by @RISK 7.x
  • 9.5. CPUs Used by @RISK 4.x–6.x
  • 9.6. Memory Used by @RISK Simulations
  • 9.7. GPU Computations to Speed up @RISK?
• 10. VBA Programming with @RISK
  • 10.1. Automating Time Series Fitting in VBA
  • 10.2. Setting References in Visual Basic
  • 10.3. Using VBA to Change References to @RISK
  • 10.4. Sampling @RISK Distributions in VBA Code
  • 10.5. Automating @RISK Simulations in VBA
  • 10.6. Accessing Simulation Data in VBA Code
  • 10.7. Alternatives to =IF for Picking Distributions
  • 10.8. Distribution Functions as Arguments to User-Written Functions
  • 10.9. Solver and Other Excel Recalculations within Your Macros
  • 10.10. Placing Markers in Graphs
  • 10.11. Placing Delimiters in Graphs
  • 10.12. Placing Graphs in an Existing Worksheet with VBA
  • 10.13. Launching @RISK from a Visual Basic Macro in Excel
  • 10.14. Shutting Down @RISK from VBA Code
  • 10.15. Which Version of @RISK Is Running?
  • 10.16. @RISK 6.x VBA Macro Compatibility with 7.x
  • 10.17. @RISK 5.x VBA Macro Compatibility with 6.x/7.x
  • 10.18. @RISK 4.5 VBA Macro Compatibility with 6.x/7.x
  • 10.19. @RISK 4.5 VBA Macro Compatibility with 5.x
  • 10.20. Adding Outputs from VBA
  • 10.21. Name Conflicts with @RISK VBA Code?
• 11. @RISK 6.x/7.x with Projects
  • 11.1. How to perform Resource Leveling in MS Project during a simulation with @RISK
  • 11.2. Overview of @RISK with Microsoft Project
  • 11.3. @RISK for Project not in v8
  • 11.4. How Are Tasks Scheduled in a Project?
  • 11.5. Schedule Audit: Powerful Debugging Tool
  • 11.6. Common Mistakes in Scheduling
  • 11.7. Which Version of Project is Opened by @RISK?
  • 11.8. Auto Schedule or Manual Schedule?
  • 11.9. @RISK with Projects in Progress
  • 11.10. Linked Subprojects in @RISK
  • 11.11. Transferring Edits in MPP File to Excel Workbook via ProjectFieldVal
  • 11.12. Global Setting of Probability
  • 11.13. Gantt Chart: Adding or Removing Arrows
  • 11.14. Gantt Chart: Number of Tasks Imported
  • 11.15. What Happened to Conditional Branching?
  • 11.16. Task Numbers in the Risk Categories Dialog
  • 11.17. Parameter Entry Table versus Risk Categories
  • 11.18. Scheduling Rework in a Project
  • 11.19. Adding a Project Column to Excel
  • 11.20. Filtering Tasks in Projects
  • 11.21. Critical Index of Summary Tasks
  • 11.22. Unlinking .MPP file from @RISK
  • 11.23. Sending Confidential Projects to Palisade (Scrambler)
  • 11.24. Importing from Primavera
• 12. @RISK for Project 4.x
  • 12.1. Displaying the @RISK Functions Column in @RISK for Project
  • 12.2. Designating Columns to use for Functions in @RISK for Project
  • 12.3. Distribution's Sampling Depends on the Occurrence of an Event
  • 12.4. Parameter Entry Table for Fields Other Than Duration
  • 12.5. Ranking Sensitivities by Correlation instead of Regression Coefficients
  • 12.6. How to Open an .RPJ File
  • 12.7. @RISK 4.x with Non-English Microsoft Project
• 13. BigPicture
  • 13.1. Saving a BigPicture Map as PDF
  • 13.2. User Guide for BigPicture
  • 13.3. Using Auto Arrange in BigPicture
  • 13.4. Undoing a Change in a BigPicture Map
  • 13.5. Updating a Data Map with New Data
  • 13.6. Number Formats in a Linked Map
• 14. Evolver and RISKOptimizer
  • 14.1. For Faster Optimizations
  • 14.2. Multiple Goals for Optimization
  • 14.3. Efficient Frontier Analysis
  • 14.4. Efficient Surface
  • 14.5. "Value" Choice for Optimization Target
  • 14.6. Limited Number of Adjustable Cells?
  • 14.7. Running RISKOptimizer Deterministically
  • 14.8. Choosing Evolver versus RISKOptimizer
  • 14.9. Random Number Seed in RISKOptimizer
  • 14.10. Percentile Constraints and Target Constraints
  • 14.11. Preventing Duplicates in Adjustable Cells
  • 14.12. Adjustable Cell Matrix of Ones and Zeroes
  • 14.13. Logging Non-Variable Cells
  • 14.14. Interrupting and Resuming an Optimization
  • 14.15. Iteration Data in RISKOptimizer
  • 14.16. Branch Bounding and Cut
  • 14.17. Starting Values of Adjustable Cells
  • 14.18. Large Models in Evolver and RISKOptimizer
  • 14.19. Linear Programming in Evolver
  • 14.20. Did My Optimization Use OptQuest or the Genetic Algorithm?
  • 14.21. Technical Details of Genetic Algorithm
  • 14.22. Technical Details of OptQuest
  • 14.23. Evolver and Solver Compared
  • 14.24. Clearing RISKOptimizer Settings without Clearing @RISK Settings
  • 14.25. Debugging RISKOptimizer and Evolver Models
• 15. NeuralTools
  • 15.1. Recommended Amount of Data
  • 15.2. Preparing Data for Neural Tools
  • 15.3. Order of Variables, Order of Cases
  • 15.4. Dependent Variable Is a Date
  • 15.5. Dependent Variable Is a Category
  • 15.6. Excluding Variables from Training
  • 15.7. Working in Excel during Training and Testing
  • 15.8. Multiple CPUs in NeuralTools?
  • 15.9. More Than One Dependent Variable in NeuralTools?
  • 15.10. Trained Network of Networks
  • 15.11. Automating NeuralTools
  • 15.12. Data Transformation before Training?
  • 15.13. Signal Strength in Trained Networks
  • 15.14. Hidden Layers of Neurons
  • 15.15. Validation Method
  • 15.16. Technical Questions about the Training Process
  • 15.17. GPU in NeuralTools
  • 15.18. Tradeoffs: Accuracy, Flexibility, Training Speed
  • 15.19. Training Time for PN/GRN Nets
  • 15.20. Overfitting during Training
  • 15.21. Dependent Variable is Binary 1/0 or Yes/No
  • 15.22. Correlated Variables and Interactions between Variables
  • 15.23. Quantity and Selection of Test Cases
  • 15.24. Interpreting Incorrect% in Testing Report
  • 15.25. Time Needed for Testing Sensitivity
  • 15.26. Testing Results in Training Set Versus Testing Set
  • 15.27. When NeuralTools Gives Unsatisfactory Test Results
  • 15.28. "None of the Above" Category
  • 15.29. Structure of the Trained Network
  • 15.30. "Linear Predictor" in Training Report
  • 15.31. Internals of the Trained Network
  • 15.32. Accessing the Trained Network from Outside Excel
  • 15.33. Combining Two Trained Networks
  • 15.34. Where Is the Detailed Report?
  • 15.35. Inputs Correlated with Target
  • 15.36. Calculation and Use of Variable Impacts
  • 15.37. Interpreting the Percentages in Variable Impact Analysis
  • 15.38. Eliminate Variables Based on Impact Analysis?
  • 15.39. Categorical Predictions with Probit or Logit?
  • 15.40. Live Prediction
  • 15.41. Extrapolation with a Trained Network
  • 15.42. Data treatment before training a Neural Network
• 16. PrecisionTree
  • 16.1. Size Limits in PrecisionTree
  • 16.2. Sharing a Tree with Colleagues Who Don't Have PrecisionTree
  • 16.3. Payoff Formula after Converting Influence Diagram to Decision Tree
  • 16.4. Converting Decision Tree to Influence Diagram ?
  • 16.5. Fault Trees in PrecisionTree?
  • 16.6. Utility Functions
  • 16.7. Calculation Algorithm for Decision Trees
  • 16.8. Copying a Decision Tree
  • 16.9. Insert a Node in a Decision Tree
  • 16.10. Merging Workbooks that Contain Decision Trees
  • 16.11. Decision Tree on a PowerPoint Slide
  • 16.12. PrecisionTree Creates an External Link
• 17. StatTools
  • 17.1. Data Limits and Number of Variables in StatTools
  • 17.2. Managing Reports in StatTools
  • 17.3. Sharing StatTools Results with Colleagues Who Don't Have StatTools
  • 17.4. Number of Independent Variables in Regression
  • 17.5. Forcing Regression through the Origin
  • 17.6. Methodology of Logistic Regression
  • 17.7. Multicollinearity
  • 17.8. Autocorrelation in StatTools Time Series
  • 17.9. Cross Correlation with Lag for Two Variables
  • 17.10. Cluster Analysis Methodology
  • 17.11. "Equal Variances" and "Unequal Variances" in Two-Sample Inferences
  • 17.12. "Learning Statistics with StatTools" Book
  • 17.13. StatTools Pareto Chart Limits
  • 17.14. Box and Whisker Outliers
• 18. TopRank
  • 18.1. INDIRECT and OFFSET with TopRank
• 19. Developer Kits—BDK, EDK, RDK, RODK
  • 19.1. Support Policy for RDK, BDK, EDK, and RODK
  • 19.2. Developer Kit License Types
  • 19.3. 64-bit Versions of Developer Kits?
  • 19.4. Developer Kits, Visual Studio, and .NET
  • 19.5. Developer's Kit Redistribution for .NET
  • 19.6. RDK Deployment on Citrix/Terminal Services
  • 19.7. Multiple CPUs with the RDK?
  • 19.8. RiskMakeInput Equivalent in the RDK
  • 19.9. RiskCompound Equivalent in the RDK
  • 19.10. Sensitivity Analysis in RDK
  • 19.11. Silently Adjusting Correlation Matrix in RDK
  • 19.12. Combining the RDK with @RISK
  • 19.13. Converting an @RISK Model to RDK
  • 19.14. C# with the RDK
  • 19.15. Java with the RDK
  • 19.16. Distributions fitted by BDK and RDK
  • 19.17. Capacity of the BDK
• 20. Windows Operations
  • 20.1. Finding Your Display Settings
  • 20.2. Opening an Administrative Command Prompt
  • 20.3. Opening Your Temp Folder
  • 20.4. Cleaning Your Temp Folder
  • 20.5. Making Filename Extensions Visible
  • 20.6. Screen Capture

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