Solve optimization models in Excel for the Web, Excel for Macintosh or Excel for Windows
With the Premium Solver App [no longer offered -- see the Solver App] created by Frontline Systems, developers of the Solver in Microsoft Excel, you can define and solve optimization problems in your Excel workbook, using Excel for the Web, Excel for Macintosh or Excel for Windows. You can create and solve models on tablets, phones, or anywhere a Web browser can be used. See More Analytics Apps.
The Premium Solver App is a powerful, upward compatible upgrade for the Solver in desktop Excel, and for the free Solver App, also created by Frontline Systems. You can solve linear models up to 2,000 decision variables -- 10 times the size of the standard Solver or Solver App -- and nonlinear models up to 500 variables, and get better solutions faster. If you have a license for our desktop Premium Solver Platform, you can do much more with the Premium Solver App -- see below.
Your model will be solved in the cloud. Note that this means your model must be stored in the cloud, specifically in an Office 365 or SharePoint 2013 document library. The Premium Solver App can be used in both Excel 2013 and Excel Online, but its backend Solver Server cannot access workbooks on your local hard disk.
Solver models that you may already have, created in old or new versions of Microsoft Excel, or in the free Solver App, are automatically recognized by the Premium Solver App. You can also define a completely new Solver model using this App (however, models created with this App won’t be automatically recognized by the desktop Excel Solver).
Basic Capabilities for All Subscribers
All solving methods and options available in desktop Premium Solver Pro and the Excel Solver can be used:
- Simplex LP Solver -- up to 2,000 decision variables
- GRG Nonlinear Solver -- up to 500 decision variables
- Evolutionary Solver -- up to 500 decision variables
- Integer and binary constraints
Advanced Capabilities for Premium Solver Platform Owners
If you have a license for our Premium Solver Platform product, and you first create your Solver model in Excel 2013 using Premium Solver Platform, you'll get more power from the Premium Solver App (for the same price): When you solve your model in the cloud, you'll be able to use our:
- Faster LP/Quadratic Solver -- up to 8,000 decision variables
- LSGRG Nonlinear Solver -- up to 1,000 decision variables
- Advanced Evolutionary Solver -- up to 1,000 decision variables
- Faster solution of linear models with integer and binary constraints
- Automatic transformation of models with IF and LOOKUP functions
VBA and Solver Reports on new worksheets still are not available -- but you can solve essentially any model that you could solve in dekstop Premium Solver Platform. And by special arrangement, certain plug-in, large-scale Solver Engines can be used to solve much larger problems, with tens or hundreds of thousands of variables -- contact us for more information and pricing.
Where to Learn More
For background on the Solver App, visit our Excel Solver Help. Since VBA is not available in the Excel Web App, Solver VBA macros cannot be used to control the App. The Answer, Sensitivity, and Limits reports are not available. Otherwise, all the features, Solver Result messages, cautions and advice described in Excel Solver Help also apply to the Solver App.
To learn more about Premium Solver features, register on this site (free with no obligation), then watch our video tutorials, download example Solver models, or download our Frontline Solvers User Guide in PDF form.
When you click the Solve button in the Premium Solver App, your model is queued for solution by Frontline’s backend Solver Server, running on Windows Azure. This has two implications:
- The Solver Server VMs have a finite capacity, as currently provisioned (and paid for) by Frontline Systems. In most situations this is not a limitation, but during periods of heavy use, there may be delays in solving.
- To solve your model, your Excel workbook must be temporarily copied to a Solver Server VM (this copy is deleted after solving). Read our Privacy Policy for details.
If you would like to use the Premium Solver App in your organization and run Solver Server on your own server(s), please contact us.