Why can't Solver solve my one-variable query, when Goal Seek can?

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Guest

I wrote a little routine to determine buy/sell amounts to achieve my asset allocation targets. I wanted to give it more functionality by back-calculating allocations based on which securities I hold.

So I started by using Solver to do the same solution that Goal Seek already does, figuring that after that I could add other constraints and variables. Problem is that Solver can't find the solution that Goal Seek does readily. Any idea why?
 
Not without seeing your layout and what you typed in the boxes in the Solver
dialog.


I wrote a little routine to determine buy/sell amounts to achieve my asset
Click to expand...
allocation targets. I wanted to give it more functionality by
back-calculating allocations based on which securities I hold.
So I started by using Solver to do the same solution that Goal Seek already
Click to expand...
does, figuring that after that I could add other constraints and variables.
Problem is that Solver can't find the solution that Goal Seek does readily.
Any idea why?
 
Sorry to be such a dunce, but how do I send you the file? There is no "insert file" option like there is in Outlook.
 
She didn't invite you to send her a file, she invited you to send to
this thread a detailed description of what you did.

Jerry
 
I wrote a one page routine that enables me to input actual current
allocations among bonds, stocks, real estate, precious metals and cash. Then
I input the ratios I want such as 60-40 stocks vs. bonds and 1-1-1 large
caps-small caps-int'l stocks. Then I choose which of several macros to run
that are simply goal seeks for 5%, 10% or 15% cash, and it gives me a perfect
solution every time.

So I tried to do the same calcs with Solver. For "Set Target Cell:" I put
in the cell where the calculated cash percentage is displayed. For "Equal
to: Value of:" I put in 0.05 to solve for 5% cash. For "By Changing Cells:"
I entered the cell from which the model calculates all of the target
allocations.

If use the cash % that is already calulated it says: "Solver found a
solution. All constraints and optimality conditions are satisfied." But if
I enter a cash % that is different, it says, "Solver could not find and
feasible solution."

If I immediately Goal Seek for the same parameters, it gets a solution easily.

Any idea why Solver won't work in this case?

Mike Wilcox
 
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