Performing Financial What-If Analyses

You have a

• In its most simple form,

• G takes the opposite approach. – Here is the answer I want.

To perform Goal Seek:– In the group on the tab,

click the What-If Analysis button, and then click Goal Seek– In the Set cell box, select the result cell, and then, in the To value

box, specify its value (goal)– In the By changing cell box, specify the input cell– Click the OK button. The value of the input cell changes to set the

value of the result cell

• What happens if I change units sold?

• Here is the answer/goal that I want. What must happen to achieve that result?

Data Tables

• A data table organizes the results of several what-if analyses within a single table

• Insert that references the input cell in the upper-left cell of the table

• One variable data table: specify one input cell and one or more result cells

• Two variable data table: specify two input cells and one result cell.

• In the Data Tools group on the Data tab, click the What-If Analysis button, and then click Data Table

Scenarios and Scenario Manager

• At most, a data table can have only 2 input cells. If you have more input cells (or several results cells), you will need to create and use the scenario manager (located in the Data tab, What-If Analysis grouping

• Scenario Manager enables you to create as many scenarios as you want, easily switching between the different scenarios to display the results of several what-if analyses

• You can even create a scenario pivot table report to display the results from each scenario