Setting Options

When you click Next in the Constraints panel or click Options in the navigation list, the Options panel opens, similar to Figure 16, Options panel, Futura with OptQuest example.

You can use the Options panel to set OptQuest options including optimization length (time or number of simulations), Crystal Ball simulation preferences, optimization type (with or without simulation, window display, automatic decision variable value settings, and more.

Note:

If you saved settings in a version of OptQuest earlier than 11.1.1, you will need to set new options in this version of OptQuest.

  To change the settings:

  1. Choose the settings you want, typing any new numeric values.

    Settings are as follows:

    Table 2. OptQuest Options panel settings

    OptionDescription

    Optimization Control

    Settings that control how long the optimization runs.

    Choose "Run for __ simulations" or "Run for __ minutes" and enter the desired value. The defaults are 1000 simulations and 5 minutes.

    You can also click the Run Preferences button to change settings in the Crystal Ball Run Preferences dialog.

    Type Of Optimization

    Choose "With simulation (stochastic)" to run a simulation on the assumption variables or choose "Without simulation (deterministic)" to use the base case (cell value) for the assumption cells.

    While Running

    Settings that control chart window display. You can choose "Show chart windows as defined" for maximum information or "Show only target forecast window" for fastest performance.

    "Update only for new best solutions" is checked by default to enhance performance and will only show results related to the best solution. Uncheck this setting to see the forecast results for each solution.

    Decision Variable Cells

    Choose "Leave set to original values" to keep the original base case values in decision variable cells, the default. At the end of an optimization, you can copy any solution OptQuest tried (including the best solution) to these cells if you want.

    Choose "Automatically set to best solution" to update decision variable cells in the workbook to the best solution found at the end of the optimization.

    Advanced Options

    Click this button to display the Advanced Options dialog, where you can choose to stop a simulation early if the desired confidence level or number of non-improving solutions is met. For details, see Advanced Options.

  2. When options settings and all other required OptQuest settings are complete, click Run.