Excel 2016 - Solver not working on Mac

Question

I am having an issue with Solver since I upgraded from Excel 2011 to Excel 2016 for Macbooks.

I set up a problem that I want to use solver on, and I was able to successfully add Solver through the Tools menu.

I open solver (screenshot below):

Usually I am able to select cells after I open Solver but not since I installed Excel 2016. The reason you see the cells selected in the solver window in the above screenshot is because that was set up in Excel 2011. Then I thought maybe there is a compatibility issue with old Excel workbooks. So I set up a new problem in Excel 2016 and tried to use Solver, again same issue can't select cells, so I typed them up in the solver window and clicked on "Solve", and in both cases I get the following error message:

Is anybody facing a similar issue?

I really need Solver to work, and at the moment it seems the only viable option is to downgrade to Office 2011...

Answer 1

sam here - I keep getting an error

Answer 2

Does anyone know where we can report this problem to Microsoft so that we can get this to work properly?

Solver is not a Microsoft product. It is an add-in made by FrontlineSolver, and it has its own support site.

http://www.solver.com/support-overview

Answer 3

Solver is not a Microsoft product. It is an add-in made by FrontlineSolver, and it has its own support site.

Response from Solver:

"Marc Kellison, Aug 3, 9:16 AM:

Microsoft is currently managing this addon. You'll need to report this to Microsoft directly.

Marc Kellison  ******@solver.com"

Answer 4

Hi Ognen,

Well, if that's the case then to report problems with Solver in Excel 2016 use the Smile button and then Send A Frown describing the issue to Microsoft.

Then sit back and wait to see if Microsoft fixes the problem in Excel in a future update. 

Meanwhile, you will have to put up with the current behavior or use Excel 2011.

Answer 5

Hi Ognen,

Well, if that's the case then to report problems with Solver in Excel 2016 use the Smile button and then Send A Frown describing the issue to Microsoft.

Then sit back and wait to see if Microsoft fixes the problem in Excel in a future update. 

Meanwhile, you will have to put up with the current behavior or use Excel 2011.

Hi All,

I have reported the problem to Microsoft using the "What can we do better" button.  However, I think hell might freeze over until Microsoft gets around to fixing this.  Until then, I will maintain my Excel 2013 for Windows until this issue is fixed because solver works properly.

Incidentally, I came across another issue that goes back to Excel 2013 for Windows.  When performing a regression in analysis tool pack the data must be arranged in columns. If the data is arranged in rows, the regression output adds independent variable and incorrectly solves the regression.

Cheers,

Donald Barar