What'sBest! Models
Sample Optimisation Models

| Blending Models | Engineering Models |
| Financial Models | Forecasting | Marketing |
| Production | Staff Scheduling | Transport|

In manufacturing, finance, engineering, scheduling, and so forth, the elegant concepts of linear and non-linear programming come up against the demands of the real world.

A major strength and advantage of the spreadsheet environment compared to the more traditional methods of mathematical modeling is the ease with which relationships among data are visualised.

We've assembled a wide range of Sample spreadsheet models for you to investigate. Some of them are very nearly full-fledged applications. All of them demonstrate clearly the principles of modeling with What'sBest!. We've organised them in the following groups.

· Blending Models (Back to Top)

Blending - Blending elements with various qualities into the lowest-cost product to meet designated quality requirements.

Chance-constrained Blending - As above, but quality content in the constituent elements varies at random, making the model non-linear.

· Engineering Models (Back to Top)

Box Design - A simple non-linear model which finds dimensions for a cabinet to meet various design requirements.

Flow Network Modeling - Calculating flow and pressure across a complex network.

· Financial Models (Back to Top)

Bond Portfolio Optimisation - A multi-period model that recommends bond purchases to minimise costs while providing a specified cash flow.

Lockbox Location - Locating postal lockboxes to minimise "float" while still serving all customers.

Markowitz Portfolio Problem - Selecting assets to meet a desired return at minimum variance.

Portfolio with Transaction Costs - Adjusting a portfolio of assets in such a way that desired return after broker's fees and other transaction costs is met with minimum variance.

Portfolio - Minimising Downside Risk - Purchasing and maintaining a portfolio of assets so as to minimise the risk of losing value.

Portfolio Scenario Model - Demonstrating the differences among minimising three different measures of risk.

· Forecasting (Back to Top)

Seasonal Sales Factoring - Determining the effect of seasonal factors on historical sales to improve forecasting.

Exponential Smoothing - Two models illustrating one technique for using historical data to predict future sales.

· Marketing (Back to Top)

Stratified Sampling - Determining the least-costly polling sample likely to give reliable results.

Car Pricing - A non-linear pricing model - illustrating a case in which sales of products are interdependent.

Media Buying - Purchasing advertising media space to meet an exposure target at minimum cost.

· Production (Back to Top)

Multi-Period Inventory Management - Managing inventory across multiple periods to minimise holding costs while maintaining sufficient stock.

Product Mix - Using available resources to manufacture a mix of products which yield the highest profit.

The Building Block Method - Combining production and shipping models into one large model, a common approach to problem solving.

Waste Minimisation in Stock Cutting - Cutting sheet or coil materials to varying lengths while minimising waste is demonstrated in this model.

Plant Locating - Demonstrating how to locate plants or warehouse facilities to minimise shipping expenses while meeting demand.

· Staff Scheduling (Back to Top)

Staff Scheduling - Meeting personnel needs at minimum cost.

Staff Scheduling : Preferred Assignment - Covering staff needs while meeting employee preferences for job or shift assignments.

Staff Scheduling : Two Stage Fixed Shift - Meeting two objectives, in this case minimising cost and maximising employee satisfaction, in scheduling.

· Transportation (Back to Top)

Pipeline Optimisation - Moving resources along routes with limited capacities at minimum expense.

Shipping Cost Reduction - Minimising shipping costs on routes with fixed costs while meeting demand.

Traffic Cost Minimisation - Minimising shipping costs on a network whose routes have costs that vary with the amount of traffic.

Truck Loading - Packing a container with objects of varying sizes to maximise efficiency, a "knapsack" problem.

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