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Applies to: Evolver 6.x/7.x
How does Evolver compare to Excel's Solver? Can Evolver do anything that Excel Solver cannot?
Evolver offers functionality similar to that of the Solver add-in included with Excel 2010 and higher, but Evolver has a few important advantages. Both products offer local optimization (single "hill" in the function graph) and global optimization (multiple "hills"), with smooth and non-smooth functions. For the special case of linear optimization problems (constraints and target/objective function linear), they both offer Linear Programming methods. (Excel 2007 and lower also include the Solver add-in, but the Solver that comes with those versions does not handle global optimization or non-smooth functions.)
Even though Solver is available to every Excel user, Evolver is more convenient to use and will find solutions to many problems that Solver will not be able to solve:
With Solver, you need to select the right optimization method or algorithm for the type of optimization problem. This can be "Simplex LP", "GRG Nonlinear" or "Evolutionary", depending on whether the problem is linear or non-linear, smooth or non-smooth, and local or global. Evolver will automatically select the algorithm that matches the type of problem, as long as the "Engine" selection in the Optimization Settings dialog is left as the default "Automatic".
Solver is limited to 200 variables and 100 constraints. Evolver Industrial has no limit on the number of variables ("adjustable cells") or constraints. (The example spreadsheets "Transportation - Large" and "Product Mix - Large" have 250 variables each. You can access them through Evolver's Help » Example Spreadsheets menu.)
Evolver supports discrete variables along with integer and continuous. For example, you may want to say that the permissible values of a variable are 10, 20, 30, 40, ..., as in the "Product Mix - Large" example. Discrete variables are not supported in Solver.
Even when Solver can find a solution, Evolver may be able to find a better one. One such example is shown in the attached workbook: Evolver vs. Solver.xlsx. The example is intended to be used with Excel 2010 or higher and Evolver 6.0 or higher.
Last edited: 2015-07-23