Frontline v What's Best v ??

[Joe2111]

I have worked with some high end optimisation tools that allowed me to build some very complex models that were solved to optimise the business processes of my clients. These tools were very powerful but they were also very expensive. The models I built were large scale Mixed Integer LPs.

I am now looking at smaller clients who have similar problems but have much smaller budgets and are unable to really contemplate the sort of costs this software represents.

I want to use Excel with an add in such as What's Best or the Frontline extensions to Solver - or anything else that's out there that might suit my needs and my client's purse and I'm hoping that someone here might be able to offer some advice.

Thanks

 

[Norie]

What are 'Mixed Integer LPs'?

What is 'Frontline'?

I assume by LP you mean Linear programming, but I think the last time I heard of that was when I was at Uni.

But 'Frontline', never heard of it.

 

[Joe2111]

Mixed Integer LPs are linear programs with the addition of integer variables. These make the models far richer but add significantly to the challenge of solving them. As I understand it, Frontline developed the Solver add-in that has shipped with Excel since Adam was a boy. They also offer a range of higher capacity versions that allow far bigger models to be created and solved from within Excel.

 

[Norie]

Since Adam was a boy?

So that would mean he was born around 1990?

I'm not trying to be flippant but you've not really explained what you want to do, or what help you actually want.

 

[Joe2111]

Sorry if it wasn't clear.

I'm hoping that someone who is familiar with the packages I mentioned (Frontline or What's best) will read the post and be able to give me an idea of the pros and cons.