The book is composed of the following three parts.

Part I - Excel Essentials: This part presents an overview of Excel’s 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 II - VBA 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 III - Case Studies: This part presents several case studies of decision support systems arising in different application settings. These case studies include inventory management, retirement planning, portfolio management, and other applications in operations management and engineering.

The book is self-complete and does not require any prior background in information systems, Excel or VBA for Excel. Each topic covered is illustrated through examples and hands-on tutorials. Each chapter contains several hands-on exercises for additional practice.

To view the Table of Contents of the book, click here.

The ability to extract data from external sources and embed analytical decision models within larger systems are two of the most valuable skills required for entering today’s information technology dominated workplace. Such decision support systems (DSSs) may be developed in various environments that support data storage, data analysis, solution method development, and graphical user interface. Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software provides all of the necessary components to build a DSS. It enables the data to be stored in a spreadsheet, optimization and simulations models to be built, and data to be manipulated using the programming language VBA for Excel, and it provides tools to build graphical user interfaces. Microsoft Excel is also the most popular software engineers and managers use in their workplace. Thus, Excel offers an excellent environment to build a DSS, and our students can very easily acquire these skills. This book describes all the necessary techniques to build such systems.

The book is designed to meet the needs of undergraduate as well graduate students for courses in business school or operations research or industrial engineering departments. The book can be used as a textbook for full courses, or it can be used as a reference book to supplement the current material in existing courses. The book is also written in a style so that managers, engineers, and practitioners can use it for self-study. The book is self-complete and does not require any previous background. The 25 case studies developed give the instructors a wonderful selection to cover in the class depending upon the audience. The case studies not only illustrate the applications of models to real-life applications but also illustrate methodologies not often covered in courses, such as neighborhood search and genetic algorithms.

The book has the following distinguishing characteristics:

• A unified approach that describes all technologies necessary to build a complete spreadsheet-based decision support system. The book covers the material found in several books in one book and makes it highly accessible for students with little previous background.        
  
• This is the first book that covers Excel functionalities, VBA for Excel, and a variety of case studies arising in industrial engineering, operations research, operations management, and business administration in a single book.
  
• All important topics are explained using easy-to-follow and interesting hands-on tutorials. The focus is on learning by doing. Numerous hands-on exercises further supplement the learning experience.      
  
• This book can be used as a textbook for teaching courses at the undergraduate as well as graduate levels in industrial engineering, operations research and business departments. The book can also be used as a self-study guide by practitioners wanting to learn more about operations research and/or information technology.              
  
• The book can also be used to supplement existing courses such as spreadsheet-based modeling courses. The book material is organized in a modular fashion so that instructors can pick and choose certain modules to supplement other courses they teach.