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October 18, 2004
Goal Seek
Goal Seek allows you to perform a special analysis on a formula wherein you specify the result in order to determine the value of an input parameter required to achieve the specified result.As with most features, an illustrated example of Goal Seek will hopefully explain clearly how it works.
In the example below, we see a simple formula - it is for illustrative purposes only.
The Goal Seek function is invoked as shown below - after selecting the cell with the formula we wish to analyze.
The Goal Seek dialog box is opened with the Formula Cell prefilled with the selected cell. It reaminas for us to fill in the Target value and Variable cell fields. The Target value is the desired value of our formula and the Variable cell is the cell whose value we wish to adjust wit ha view to obtaining the desired value.
When we press OK to close the Goal Seek dialog box, a confirmation dialog opens to indicate that a value was found for the Variable cell that satisfied the
Our updated spreadsheet.
Download example spreadsheet
Posted by Dave at October 18, 2004 04:39 AM
Comments
Goal Seek
I have a case from a spreadsheet witten in Excel, whose goal seek function works perfectly; try it in O/O 1.1 and the iteration dies irrevocably with a completely erroneous answer.
In Excel the entire spreadsheet is calculated under goalseek ( I think ) whereas I wonder whether O/O only tries to compute the 2 relevant cells.
In my case the target value is dependent not only on the source cell, but on the values of 150 other cells to achieve the correct answer.
If however I put the needed value in the Source cell in the first place, it will correctly calculate the target answer
Any thoughts ?
Stephen Brindle
Posted by: Stephen Brindle at November 28, 2004 07:57 PM