Developing

Spreadsheet-Based
Decision Support
Systems
Using Excel and VBA for Excel
Mi c he l l e M. H. S e r e f
Ra v i n d r a K. Ahuj a
Wa y n e L . Wi n s t on
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Developing Spreadsheet-Based
Decision Support Systems
Using Excel and VBA for Excel
Michelle M.H. S eref, Ravindra K. Ahuja, and Wayne L. Winston
Developing Spreadsheet-Based Decision Support Systems is a comprehensive book which describes how to
build decision support systems using the Excel spreadsheet framework, and illustrates it using several case
studies arising in Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, and Business. The book contains three parts:
PART IEXCEL ESSENTIALS: This part presents an overview of Excel basic and extended
functionalities. The basic functionality topics include referencing and names, functions and formulas,
charts, and pivot tables. The extended functionality topics include statistical analysis, the Solver and
modeling, simulation, and working with large datasets.
PART IIVBA FOR EXCEL: This part presents an overview of programming in VBA and manipulating
Excel objects. Covered topics include macros, programming structures, building user interfaces, and using
VBA for optimization and simulation.
PART IIICASE STUDIES: This part presents several case studies of decision support systems arising in
different application settings. These case studies include inventory management, retirement planning,
reliability analysis, warehouse layout, forecasting, and portfolio management.
Each topic covered is illustrated through examples and hands-on tutorials. Each chapter contains numerous
hands-on exercises for additional practice. This book is ideally suited as a textbook, can be used as a
supplementary reference book, and can also be used as a self-study manual. The book website:
www.dssbooks.com contains supplementary material for students and instructors.
AUTHORS:
Michelle M.H. Seref is a researcher at the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida,
Gainesville. Her research focus is in the area of Operations Management with special interests in
operations/marketing interface and new product development.
Ravindra K. Ahuja is a professor in the Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida,
Gainesville. He is also the President of Innovative Scheduling, Inc., which specializes in building decision
support systems for planning and scheduling problems arising in the field of transportation.
Wayne L. Winston is a professor in the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University, Bloomington. He
has written several widely-used textbooks on spreadsheet modeling, financial models, and operations
research.
ISBN 0-9759146-5-0
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00_COVER_R2_4769 4/11/07 1:57 PM Page 815