Scenarios

Scenarios allow you to define a specific combination of Parts and Cases to be used as a basis for calculations, reports, and analysis.

One way to think about Scenarios is as a super-scenario. A single Case Dimension contains all you need to specify multiple cases such as Base Case, Best Case, and Worst Case, with the ability to compare them side-by-side. If that is all you need, you can stop there. However, what it you also want to compare Plan vs. Actual where plan could be Base, Best, or Worst Case? Or, what if you have multiple alternatives you want to evaluate in different combinations, say Debt vs. Equity financing, Expand or Not, Buy a new machine or not, launch a new product or not?

This is where Scenarios come into play. In the above situation you can have multiple Case Dimensions, each with its own alternatives and formulas for Debt vs Equity, Expand or Not, Buy Machine or Not, and New Product or Not. A Scenario can be defined as: Debt Financing, No Expansion, Buy Machine, and New Product. Another Scenario might be Equity Financing, No Expansion, don't buy the machine, and launch the new product. These two Scenarios (or any number of others) can then be compared side-by-side.

Creating a Scenario

Go to Model Dimensions and Scenarios/Scenarios
Right-click the Scenarios Group and select Add Scenario.
Title the Scenario to something descriptive, but concise.
For each dimension, select the Case An element of a Case Dimension. or Part An element of a Parts Dimension. you want to use. The default is Default Selection, which instructs the software to use the Default Case In a Case Dimension, the case furthest to the left. or Default Part In a Parts Dimension, the part at the top of the list. It is always the 'All' part. but allows the dimension selection to adjust to any Framework.

In a framework that includes multiple cases or parts, the software will perform the calculations for each case or part as though every other case or part returns a value of zero. However, if you include Model Dimensions in the framework, and one of the Model Dimensions is defined to use something other than the Default Selection, the selection will be used for all parts or cases in that Model Dimension.

Setting the Default Scenario

As a basis for reports, unless specific case or parts dimensions are included in the framework, the report will use the Default Scenario as defined in Model Parameters. If the Default Scenario is set to None, the software will use the Default Case In a Case Dimension, the case furthest to the left. and Default Part In a Parts Dimension, the part at the top of the list. It is always the 'All' part. for each dimension.