Home → Troubleshooting → @RISK for Excel: Simulation → "No inputs found that affect this output" instead of Tornado Graph
4.44. "No inputs found that affect this output" instead of Tornado Graph
Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x
I run a simulation and everything seems fine. But when I look at Quick Reports, or when I do Browse Results and ask for a tornado, I see only this message:
No inputs found that affect this output.
Is your output actually varying, or does it have the same value in every iteration?
If your output is varying, but @RISK finds no inputs that influence it:
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Did you tell @RISK not to save input data? In Simulation Settings » Sampling, look at Collect Distribution Samples. If it's set to None or Inputs Marked with Collect, change it to All and rerun your simulation.
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Does your output have precedents that include Excel volatile functions like RAND( ) and NOW( )? It will vary but @RISK won't find any inputs. @RISK considers only @RISK distributions to be inputs. Replace RAND( ) with RiskUniform(0,1), replace IF(RAND( )<0.6,...) with IF(RiskBernoulli(0.6),...), and replace IF(RAND( )>0.6,...) with IF(RiskBernoulli(1–0.6),...).
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Does your simulation involve Microsoft Project and an MPP file? Information about dependents has to travel between Project and Excel, and certain dependencies may not be recognized. In Simulation Settings » Sampling, change Smart Sensitivity Analysis to Disabled. If that's not sufficient, click @RISK's Project icon, then Project Settings, and change Simulation Engine to Standard.
On the other hand, if your output isn't actually varying, then you need to take a look at the logic of your model. Maybe you started from a deterministic model, and you haven't yet changed the constants to @RISK inputs (probability distributions). Use Excel precedent tracing, on the Formulas tab, to find the precedents of your output.
Here's a good technique for testing your model when you're not getting the kind of variation you expect. Activate the Random/Static icon (the "rolling dice" icon), then press F9 repeatedly to have @RISK draw new random numbers for all distribution. If a cell isn't varying the way you think it should, look at that cell and its precedents to check the logic of your model.
See also:
Additional keywords: Can't get tornado graph
Last edited: 2018-03-29