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Excel Model Update
What, when & why?
Updating your Excel model means that you update the
model structure (formulas, macros, etc.) to the
latest version available. (In this case it does not
mean same as for example updating numbers in the model
or updating numbers to the database.) After update you
will have the same numbers as before but the latest properties.
The changes we do to the model may be for example:
 Change
in an output sheet or a new output sheet.
Change
in a formula (e.g. another way to calculate a key figure).
New
estimate variable.
Change
in macros or a new macro that offers a new property.
It is recommended to update the model regurlarly so that
possible errors in the model will get fixed and you will
get the latest properties. You can consider Valuatum Excel
model as a program that requires updating same way as
any other program.
One reason to update is that occasionally we make changes
to the model formulas, we may for example add new estimate
parameters. If you don't update your Excel model, these
changes won't be available for you.
If you notice differences in the numbers in your Excel
model and numbers in the web pages, the first thing you
should do is to update the model and then upload the numbers
to the database again.
How to update Excel model(s)?
You have two ways to update your Excel model(s):
1. Download your data to the latest model version
(quick and easy using DB2Excel)
When to use?
This option is possible to use if
you
don't have any own sheets in the model,
you
don't have any links to external workbooks,
you
haven't used User's own areas in the model.
So basically you can use this option if you have just
the data in your model and you haven't done much of customizing.
Pros and cons
+ Updating is quick and simple (just download the data
to the latest model).
+ Error risk is smaller (the second option may have problems
with old models).
- The new model will contain only the basic data; e.g.
external links will disappear.
Instructions:
- Download the latest model version (latest empty model):
- Open the empty model in your computer.
- Run DB2Excel and select
your company from the list.
- Save the file with another name.
As a result you will have the latest model version including
the same estimates as you have currently in the database.
2. Convert your old model to the latest model version
(more complete update with Conversion macro)
When to use?
This option is recommended if
you
have added own sheets to the model,
you
have links to external workbooks,
you
have used User's own areas in the model,
you
have added many user comments to the model.
Compared to the first update option this option is needed
when you have a lot of your own changes that you would
like to remain in the new version too.
One good reason to use this option is that it enables
updating multiple models at once. It also gives you a
possibility to easily check if numbers have changed during
the update.
Pros and cons
+ Your own properties (external links, own sheets, etc.)
will remain in the new model.
+ You can update multiple models at once..
+ You can easily compare the old and new values using
O-compare sheet.
- The process is a bit more complicated than in the first
option.
- If you have a very old model, the conversion macro may
not be able to update it properly.
Instructions:
- Download the latest model version (latest empty model)
and the latest conversion macro:
- Create a backup copy of your model(s).
- Open the conversion macro in your computer and close
all other Excel files.
- Run the macro by clicking the button.
- First choose the empty model.
- Then choose the model(s) you would like to update.
- Finally set 0's to the waiting questions (0 h 0 min,
i.e. start immediately).
The macro goes through each model one by one and copies
the input values to the empty model. After the process
has finished, you have models with the latest properties.
The process takes time about 20-40 seconds per file depending
on the computer efficiency. Thus updating 10 models takes
about 5 minutes.
After the update you are able to compare possible changes
in the values in O-compare sheet. This sheet will appear
during the update and you can remove it after you don't
need it anymore. If you notice some significant changes
in the values, you should compare the old and new version
more detailed and see if anything has lost during the
conversion. You can also always contact
Valuatum if you have any problems.
More information about conversion macro
More
detailed explanation about what the macro does
Picture
of the conversion process (in Product pages)
Where to find the conversion macro and empty model?
You can find the latest empty model and conversion macro
from the analyst
pages (click the Excel Files button in the Analyst
section).
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