Analytic Solver Cloudwill work with Excel for Mac, but an Office 365 subscription is required.
Excel Solver Download For Mac If you need to develop complex statistical or engineering analyses, you can save steps and time by using the Analysis ToolPak. You provide the data and parameters for each analysis, and the tool uses the appropriate statistical or engineering macro functions to calculate and display the results in an output table. Option 2: Download StatPlus:mac LE for free from AnalystSoft, and then use StatPlus:mac LE with Excel 2011. You can use StatPlus:mac LE to perform many of the functions that were previously available in the Analysis ToolPak, such as regressions, histograms, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and t-tests. Open Excel for Mac 2019 Go to the Tools menu, select 'Add-ins' Check 'Solver Add-in' and 'Analysis ToolPak' then click OK Select the 'Data' tab, then select 'Solver' or 'Data Analysis'. In the Add-Ins available box, select the Solver Add-In check box, and then click OK. If Solver Add-in is not listed in the Add-Ins available box, click Browse to locate the add-in. If you get a prompt that the Solver add-in is not currently installed on your computer, click Yes in the dialog box to install it. After you load the Solver add-in, the Solver button is available on the Data tab.
Learn Why. If you are using a Mac, your best option is Analytic Solver Cloud. Students: Learn about free Office 365 subscriptions. If for some reason you can't get an Office 365 subscription, you still have options:
Using Windows on a Mac • Using Solver under Mac OSX • Using AnalyticSolver.com (Old)
Using Windows on a Mac
If you can't use Analytic Solver Cloud, the best option for using our software on a Mac is to install Microsoft Windows, either in a dual-boot setup on your hard disk, or running under VM (virtual machine) software such as VMWare Fusion or Parallels. This is recommended for students who for some reason cannot use an Office 365 subscription -- it is the only way to use Analytic Solver Desktop for Windows on a Mac desktop or laptop, since this software won't run directly under Mac OSX. (But an Office 365 subscription and Analytic Solver Cloud is better!)
Any of Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7 is sufficient. Once Windows is installed, you can install Microsoft Office (or just Excel) 2019, 2016, 2013, or 2010. You can then download and run any of our Setup.exe programs to install our software. Used this way, a Mac or MacBook makes an excellent computer for Frontline Solvers -- we often run our software on MacBooks in this way at our company.
Using Solver under Mac OSX
You can use the Solver included in Excel for Mac to define and solve basic optimization problems. But you won't be able to use Monte Carlo simulation and risk analysis, solve optimization problems involving uncertainty and risk, or use the forecasting, data mining or text mining features of Analytic Solver Cloud, Analytic Solver Desktop or AnalyticSolver.com. You can define a basic optimization model using Solver in Excel for Mac, save the workbook, open that workbook in AnalyticSolver.com (see below), and solve it there and extend it further.
The basic Excel Solver is included when you install Microsoft Excel 2011 or later for Mac. This has been true since Excel 2011 Service Pack 1 (Version 14.1.0). You do not have to (and should not try to) download Solver from this website. If you are still using Excel 2008 for Mac, we strongly recommend an upgrade to Excel 2011 or later. But if you absolutely cannot do this, you can download Solver for Excel 2008 here.
Why Doesn't Analytic Solver Desktop Work with Excel for Mac OSX?
Excel for Mac OSX may be called 'Excel' and load and save Excel workbooks, but internally it is a radically different piece of software from Excel for Windows, since it uses OSX standards and APIs, rather than Windows standards and APIs. None of the internal interfaces (connections) to Excel that Analytic Solver Desktop uses in Windows exist in Excel for Mac. Essentially, 'Analytic Solver Desktop for Mac' would be a new piece of software that would cost a lot to develop, and (based on our real-world experience) would have almost no commercial market. In any case, the software industry has moved on to embrace Web technologies (HTML, JavaScript and REST APIs).
We first developed AnalyticSolver.com, which all Mac users, iPad users, Android and even Windows users could use equally well. It has served the market for several years. Its main drawback is that its underlying spreadsheet is 'not true Excel', and is less familiar and less powerful than Microsoft's latest version of Excel Online. But now we've done better: Over several years culminating in 2019 -- once Microsoft released 'Office.js JavaScript APIs' that we could use -- we developed Analytic Solver Cloud using Web technologies. It works in Excel Online, and also works in Excel for Mac
Using AnalyticSolver.com
An Office 365 subscription is better -- but if for some reason you can't get or use one, and you can't use Office for Windows on a Mac or the basic Solver for Excel for Mac (as described above), your remaining option is to open a web browser to AnalyticSolver.com, our older cloud-based analytics platform. Please note that we are phasing out AnalyticSolver.com in 2020, in favor of Analytic Solver Cloud.
If you're a student, AnalyticSolver.com is designed to enable you to complete all of your class exercises, and even use a textbook that has screen shots and instructions using our software in Excel for Windows, on your Mac. It has essentially all the features, and the same user interface as Analytic Solver Cloud and Desktop, with a Ribbon that has the same tabs and icons, and a Task Pane on right with the same tabs and most of the same options. It offers a spreadsheet-like grid that works much like Excel, and you can open Excel workbooks (with extension .xlsx) and save models to Excel workbooks.
At AnalyticSolver.com, just click the Login button at the top right, and enter the same email address and password you used to register on Solver.com. If you cannot login this way, just register at www.solver.com/student or analyticsolver.com/student (registering again won't hurt). Registering on either site gives you an account on both sites. This assumes that your instructor has given you a Textbook Code and Course Code to register -- if he/she hasn't done this, ask him/her to call us at 775-831-0300 x141 and speak to our Academic Liason.
Two strong hints: (i) READ THE HELP on differences between Excel and the AnalyticSolver.com spreadsheet, and other minor differences in the analytics software, at AnalyticSolver.com/Home/About. (ii) If you already registered without a Textbook Code and Course Code, your license may expire on AnalyticSolver.com. To remedy this, get the Textbook Code and Course Code from your instructor, go to AnalyticSolver.com, click the Login button to login, then type https://analyticsolver.com/student in the browser address bar. This displays a short form where you can add your Graduation Date, Textbook Code and Course Code and click the Register button.
Mac users can now use Analytic Solver Cloud with Excel for Mac.
(for Excel 2008 Click Here)
Below are answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Solver for Excel 2011 for Mac.
How is Solver for Excel 2011 different from Solver for Excel 2008?
IMPORTANT: Starting with Excel 2011 Service Pack 1 (Version 14.1.0), Solver is once again bundled with Microsoft Excel for Mac. You do not have to download and install Solver from this site -- simply ensure that you have the latest update of Excel 2011 (use Help - Check for Updates on the Excel menu).
Solver is substantially improved in Excel 2011, compared to Solver for Excel 2008. Its new features include an Evolutionary Solver, based on genetic algorithms, new multistart methods for global optimization using the GRG Nonlinear Solver, a new type of constraint called 'alldifferent,' and new reports. Its performance is greatly improved, especially on linear problems with integer constraints.
Solver for Excel 2011 for Mac matches the functionality and user interface of Solver for Excel 2010 for Windows. Excel workbooks containing Solver models and VBA macros controlling Solver can be created in Windows and used on the Mac, and vice versa.
How does this new Solver work with Excel 2011?
Solver's user interface is now written in VBA. Solver uses Apple's new Scripting Bridge technology to 'talk to' Excel when you are solving a problem. The Solver computational engine runs as a separate application outside Excel, rather than as an add-in inside Excel.
Who do I contact if I need technical support for Solver?
You can contact Frontline Systems at support@solver.com, or by phone at 775-831-0300 during normal business hours, Pacific time (GMT-7). Since this Solver is a free download, please understand that we're here to help, but our commercial (paying) customers come first.
What about my Solver models created in Excel 2008 or earlier -- will they work?
Yes, they should work without any changes. If you open a workbook with a Solver model that you created in Excel 2008 or Excel 2004, your model should automatically appear in the Solver Parameters dialog -- you can just click Solve.
I need to use Solver in a course, or with a textbook that uses Solver -- will I be OK?
Yes -- you can open course or textbook example Excel workbooks containing Solver models and use them as-is, whether they were created in Excel 2003 or 2004, Excel 2007 or 2008, or Excel 2010 or 2011.
Only the newest editions of certain textbooks include screen shots of the Solver dialogs as seen in Excel 2010 and Excel 2011. But if your textbook has screen shots of the older Solver dialogs, you should be able to relate them to the new dialogs fairly easily.
What is Premium Solver for Education? Is it available for Excel 2011?
Premium Solver for Education is a compatible upgrade for the standard Excel Solver for Windows that has been bundled with more than 35 textbooks, often used in MBA programs. It is not available for the Mac, but you can use Solver for Excel 2011 for Mac to open and solve models in workbooks created with Premium Solver for Education.
Does Frontline Systems offer any other software products for the Macintosh?
We've been working throughout 2009-2010 to bring you new and more powerful products for optimization and simulation on the Mac. If you'd like to know more, contact us or watch Solver.com for some near-term exciting news!
Of course, you can use Frontline's software for Windows on your Mac if you have Parallels, VMWare Fusion, or a dual-boot setup and you have Windows installed (XP, Vista and Win7 are all fine).
Solver as a Separate Application
If Solver uses VBA, why does it run as a separate application?
VBA is back in Excel 2011, and Solver uses VBA for its user interface -- the Solver Parameters dialog, Solver Options dialog, Solver Results and other dialogs. But the C API not available in Excel 2011. So the Solver computational engine (which is written in C++) runs as a separate application.
How does the Solver engine talk to Excel, if it runs as a separate application?
How To Use Excel Solver
Solver uses Apple's new Scripting Bridge technology to 'talk to' Excel. Excel 2011 exposes an object model through Scripting Bridge, that Solver can access. Scripting Bridge is generally faster than AppleScript. But since it crosses process boundaries, it cannot be as fast as a computational add-in running inside the Excel process.
What are the consequences of Solver running as a separate application?
Download Solver Table
The most important consequence is that it's possible -- but certainly not advisable -- to make changes in Excel or your workbook while the Solver engine is solving your problem. Because Solver is trying to talk to Excel at the same time, the results will be unpredictable -- including crashes in Solver or Excel.
Excel Solver Download Free
The important message is: Don't make changes yourself in Excel or your workbook while Solver is solving.