Decision variables are values that you can control, such as how much to charge for a product or how many wells to drill. But, in situations with uncertainty, it is not always obvious what effect changing a decision variable can have on the forecast results.
The Decision Table tool runs multiple simulations to test different values for one or two decision variables. The tool tests values across the range of the decision variables and puts the results in a table that you can analyze using Crystal Ball forecast, trend, or overlay charts.
The Decision Table tool is useful for investigating how changes in the values of a few decision variable affect the forecast results. For models that contain more than a handful of decision variables, or where you are trying to optimize the forecast results, use OptQuest for Crystal Ball, if available.
OptQuest is a wizard-based program that enhances Crystal Ball by automatically finding optimal solutions to simulation models. This program is an option included with Crystal Ball Decision Optimizer.
Table 9. Comparison of Decision Table Tool and OptQuest
Runs multiple Crystal Ball simulations for different values of decision variables | ||
The following sections describe and show how to use the Decision Table tool: