Optimization - Excel Solver Users Start Here

solver.com
Products Solutions Support

Frontline Systems, Inc.

Developers of Your Spreadsheet's Solver Pricing Download Order Login

Excel Users Start Here If Microsoft Excel is a familiar or productive tool for you, then you've come to the right place for optimization software! Frontline Systems developed the Solver in Excel for Microsoft. Our Premium Solver products are upward compatible from the standard Excel Solver -- your Solver models, and even your VBA code controlling the Solver, will work as-is. You can solve much larger problems, much faster than with the standard Solver, and you can solve entirely new types of problems. Premium Solver Platform -- Our Best Seller Premium Solver for Modest-Size Problems Solver Engines for Large-Scale Problems Solver Licensing for Distribution or Server Use

Our Premium Solver Platform works with existing Excel Solver models, solves much larger problems up to hundreds of times faster, and solves new kinds of problems with Evolutionary Solver. New Solver engines plug into the Premium Solver Platform.

Premium Solver Platform

We offer Excel Products for several types and sizes of optimization problems. But our best-selling product is the Premium Solver Platform, in part because it can handle every type of problem up to certain size limits: Linear, quadratic, and mixed-integer programming problems up to 2,000 variables Smooth nonlinear, global, and nonsmooth optimization problems up to 500 variables And you'll want the Premium Solver Platform even if your problem is larger than these limits, because it is the base or "platform" that all of our larger-scale Solver Engines for Excel "plug into." If your problem grows in size, you can

Solver DLL Platform makes it easy for your application in Visual Basic, C/C++ or other languages to solve nearly any kind of optimization problem: - Linear programming - Quadratic models - Integer programming - Nonlinear models - Global optimization - Non-smooth models.

http://www.solver.com/exceluse.htm (1 of 3) [10/18/2002 1:46:39 PM]

Optimization - Excel Solver Users Start Here

easily add one or more Solver Engines to the Premium Solver Platform at any time. Click here for more specific Premium Solver Platform Product Information. For a quick summary, click here for our Excel Solver Product Comparison.

Premium Solver
The Premium Solver Platform is priced at $995. If that's a lot for your budget, and if you just need to solve a modest-size linear, mixed-integer, or smooth nonlinear model, you can use our Premium Solver for $495. However, the Premium Solver is not "expandable" to handle larger-scale problems: All of our "plug-in" Solver Engines require the Premium Solver Platform. Click here for more specific Premium Solver Product Information. For a quick summary with problem size limits, click here for our Excel Solver Product Comparison.

Solver Engines
If your problem is likely to exceed the size limits of the Premium Solver Platform for the type of optimization problem you want to solve, then you'll want to choose a Solver Engine that handles larger-scale problems of that specific type. For more information, click on Field-Installable Solver Engines. Even if your problem fits within the size limits of the Premium Solver Platform, you may find that you can obtain much faster solutions with Field-Installable Solver Engines. It makes sense to choose a Solver Engine that uses algorithms or methods most efficient for your type of problem, especially if the problem is larger size. For more information on Solver Engines for specific types of optimization problems, click on one of the links below: Linear Programming Problems Quadratic Programming Problems Integer and Constraint Programming Problems Smooth Nonlinear Optimization Problems Global Optimization Problems

http://www.solver.com/exceluse.htm (2 of 3) [10/18/2002 1:46:39 PM]

Optimization - Excel Solver Users Start Here

Nonsmooth Optimization Problems Note: Every Frontline Systems Solver Product will handle problems with integer variables, including variables subject to the "alldifferent" constraint. If your problem involves many such variables, however, you may find much faster solutions using the Solver Engine DLLs found through the link "Integer and Constraint Programming Problems" above.

Learn About DLL Products Back to Select the Best Excel Product

http://www.solver.com/exceluse.htm (3 of 3) [10/18/2002 1:46:39 PM]