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Using TreePlan
16
16.1 TREEPLAN OVERVIEW
TreePlan is a decision tree add-in for Microsoft Excel 2007 & 2010 & 2013 & 2016 (Windows)
and Microsoft Excel 2011 & 2016 (Macintosh).
TreePlan helps you build a decision tree diagram in an Excel worksheet using dialog boxes.
Decision trees are useful for analyzing sequential decision problems under uncertainty. Your
decision tree model may include various controllable alternatives (e.g., whether to introduce a new
product, whether to bid on a new project) and uncontrollable uncertainties (e.g., possible demand
for a product, whether you're awarded a contract), arranged in chronological order. TreePlan
automatically includes formulas for summing cash flows to obtain outcome values and for
calculating rollback values for determining the optimal strategy.
To use TreePlan, you
(1) open a new worksheet,
(2) press Ctrl+Shift+T (or Option+Command+t) to build a new decision tree diagram,
(3) select a node to change the structure of your decision tree,
(4) enter branch names, cash flows, and probabilities, and
(5) determine the optimal strategy from TreePlan's results.
All of TreePlans functionality, including its built-in help, is a part of the TreePlan XLAM file.
There is no separate setup file or help file. When you use TreePlan on a Windows computer,
TreePlan does not create any Windows Registry entries (although Excel may use such entries to
keep track of its add-ins).
Build up a tree by
b adding or modifying
m brancches or nodes iin the default trree. To changee the branch
laabels or probabbilities, click on
n the cell contaaining the labell or probabilityy and type the nnew label
orr probability. To
T modify the structure
s of thee tree (e.g., addd or delete brannches or nodes in the
tree), select the node
n or the celll containing th
he node in the ttree to modify,, and press Ctrrl+Shift+T
(oor Option+Cm md+t). TreePlan n will then pressent a dialog bbox showing thhe available com mmands.
Foor example, to add an event node
n to the top branch of the tree shown aboove, select celll H5 or
seelect the triangle shape, and press
p Ctrl+Shift+T (or Optioon+Cmd+t). T TreePlan then ppresents
th
his dialog box.
To add an eventt node to the brranch, we channge the selectedd terminal nodee to an event nnode by
seelecting Chang
ge to event nod de in the dialog
g box, selectinng the number oof branches (heere two),
annd pressing OK
K. TreePlan theen redraws the tree with a chaance node in pplace of the term minal node.
16.2
2 Building a Deci
cision Tree in Tre
eePlan 201
Seelect dialog boox that appears when you presss Ctrl+Shift+ +T (or Option+ +Cmd+t) withhout a node
seelected. You caan also bring up p this dialog bo ox by pressingg the Select buttton on the Nod de dialog
boox. From here, you can selectt all items of a particular typee in the tree. Foor example, if you choose
Probabilities an nd press OK, TreePlan
T selectts all cells conttaining probabiilities in the treee. You can
th
hen format all ofo the probabiliities simultaneously using Exxcel's formattinng commands. (Because
off limitations in
n Excel, the Sellect dialog boxx may not be avvailable when w working with vvery large
trees.)
16.3 ANAT
TOMY OF
F A TREE
EPLAN DE
ECISION TREE
An
A example of a TreePlan deccision tree is sh hown below. Inn the example, a firm must deecide (1)
whether
w to prepaare a proposal for a possible contract
c and (22) which methood to use to sattisfy the
co
ontract. The treee consists of decision
d nodes,, event nodes aand terminal noodes connectedd by
brranches. Each branch
b is surro
ounded by cellss containing foormulas, cell reeferences, or lab
abels
peertaining to thaat branch. You may edit the laabels, probabillities, and partiial cash flows aassociated
with
w each branch h. The partial cash
c flows are the amount thee firm "gets paaid" to go downn that
brranch. For the scenario with terminal
t value $30,000, the fi
firm pays $50,0000 if it decidees to
prrepare the propposal, receives $250,000 up front
fr if awardedd the contract, spends $50,0000 to try the
ellectronic metho od, and spends $120,000 on thet mechanicall method if the electronic metthod fails.
Decision Node
Rollback Value
Decision Node
Choice Indicator
DriveTek Problem
DriveTek Research Institute discovers that a computer company wants a new storage device for a
proposed new computer system. Since the computer company does not have research people
available to develop the new storage device, it will subcontract the development to an independent
research firm. The computer company has offered a fee of $250,000 for the best proposal for
developing the new storage device. The contract will go to the firm with the best technical plan
and the highest reputation for technical competence.
DriveTek Research Institute wants to enter the competition. Management estimates a cost of
$50,000 to prepare a proposal with a fifty-fifty chance of winning the contract.
However, DriveTek's engineers are not sure about how they will develop the storage device if they
are awarded the contract. Three alternative approaches can be tried. The first approach is a
mechanical method with a cost of $120,000, and the engineers are certain they can develop a
successful model with this approach. A second approach involves electronic components. The
engineers estimate that the electronic approach will cost only $50,000 to develop a model of the
storage device, but with only a 50 percent chance of satisfactory results. A third approach uses
magnetic components; this costs $80,000, with a 70 percent chance of success.
DriveTek Research can work on only one approach at a time and has time to try only two
approaches. If it tries either the magnetic or electronic method and the attempt fails, the second
choice must be the mechanical method to guarantee a successful model.
The management of DriveTek Research needs help in incorporating this information into a
decision to proceed or not.
[Source: The storage device example is adapted from Spurr and Bonini, Statistical Analysis for
Business Decisions, Irwin.]
In general, decision nodes and branches represent the controllable factors in a decision problem;
event nodes and branches represent uncontrollable factors.
Decision nodes and event nodes are arranged in order of subjective chronology. For example, the
position of an event node corresponds to the time when the decision maker learns the outcome of
the event (not necessarily when the event occurs).
The third kind of node is a terminal node, representing the final result of a combination of
decisions and events. Terminal nodes are the endpoints of a decision tree, shown as the end of a
branch on hand-drawn diagrams and as a triangle on computer-generated diagrams.
The following table shows the three kinds of nodes and two kinds of branches used to represent a
decision tree.
Terminal Values
Each terminal node has an associated terminal value, sometimes called a payoff value, outcome
value, or endpoint value. Each terminal value measures the result of a scenario: the sequence of
decisions and events on a unique path leading from the initial decision node to a specific terminal
node.
To determine the terminal value, one approach assigns a cash flow value to each decision branch
and event branch and then sum the cash flow values on the branches leading to a terminal node to
determine the terminal value. In the DriveTek problem, there are distinct cash flows associated
with many of the decision and event branches. Some problems require a more elaborate value
model to determine the terminal values.
The following diagram shows the arrangement of branch names, probabilities, and cash flow
values on an unsolved tree.
16.5 Step-by-S
Step TreePlan Tu
Tutorial 207
5
0.5
Ele
ectronic success
$150,000
0.5 Try electronic
c method
Awarded contract
0.5
5
Ele
ectronic failure
$30,000
0.7
7
Maagnetic success
Prepare propo
osal $120,000
Try magnetic
c method
0.3
3
Maagnetic failure
$0
0.5
Nott awarded contract
-$50,000
Building
B the
e Tree Diag
gram
1. Start with
w a new work ksheet. (If no workbook
w is oppen, choose Fille > New. If a w
workbook
is open
n, choose Insertt > Worksheet..)
2. Select cell
c A1. In Exccel 2007 & 201 10 & 2013 & 22016, choose AAdd-ins > TreeP Plan
on Tree; in Maac Excel 2011, choose Tools > TreePlan Deecision Tree. Or, in any
Decisio
Window +T. In Mac Exccel 2011 & 20116, press Optioon+Cmd+t.
ws version, preess Ctrl+Shift+
Subseqquent instructioons refer only to
t the Window s shortcut key.. In the TreePlaan New
Tree diialog box, click
k the New Treee button. A deccision node witth two branchees appears.
Figure 16.12 In
nitial Decision Tree
T Diagram
A B C D E F G
1
2 Alternative 1
3 0
4 0 0
5 1
6 0
7 Alternative 2
8 0
9 0 0
3. Select cell
c D2, and en nter Prepare proposal.
p Selecct cell D4, and enter 50000. Select cell
D7, andd enter Don't prepare
p propo
osal.
4. Select cell
c F3. Press Ctrl+Shift+T.
C In
I the TreePlann Terminal Node dialog box, select
Changee To Event Node, select Two
o Branches, andd click OK. Thhe tree is redraw
wn.
5. Select cell H2, and enter Awarded contract. Select cell H4, and enter 250000. Select cell
H7, and enter Not awarded contract.
6. Select cell J3. Press Ctrl+Shift+T. In the TreePlan Terminal Node dialog box, select
Change To Decision Node, select Three Branches, and click OK. The tree is redrawn.
210 Chapter 16 Decision Trees Using TreePlan
7. Select cell L2, and enter Use mechanical method. Select cell L4, and enter 120000.
Select cell L7, and enter Try electronic method. Select cell L9, and enter 50000. Select
cell L12, and enter Try magnetic method. Select cell L14, and enter 80000.
Figure 16.18 Subsequent Decision Branches With Names and Cash Flows
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O
1
2 Use mechanical method
3 80000
4 -120000 80000
5
6 0.5
7 Awarded contract Try electronic method
8 2 150000
9 250000 150000 -50000 150000
10
11
12 Prepare proposal Try magnetic method
13 120000
14 -50000 50000 -80000 120000
15
16 0.5
17 Not awarded contract
18 1 -50000
19 50000 0 -50000
20
21
22 Don't prepare proposal
23 0
24 0 0
8. Select cell N8. Press Ctrl+Shift+T. In the TreePlan Terminal Node dialog box, select
Change To Event Node, select Two Branches, and click OK. The tree is redrawn.
16.5 Step-by-Step TreePlan Tutorial 211
9. Select cell P7, and enter Electronic success. Select cell P12, and enter Electronic
failure. Select cell P14, and enter 120000.
Figure 16.20 Branch Names and Cash Flows for Electronic Method Uncertainty
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S
1
2 Use mechanical method
3 80000
4 -120000 80000
5
6 0.5
7 Electronic success
8 0.5 150000
9 Awarded contract Try electronic method 0 150000
10 3
11 250000 120000 -50000 90000 0.5
12 Electronic failure
13 30000
14 -120000 30000
15 Prepare proposal
16
17 -50000 35000 Try magnetic method
18 120000
19 -80000 120000
20
21 0.5
22 1 Not awarded contract
23 35000 -50000
24 0 -50000
25
26
27 Don't prepare proposal
28 0
29 0 0
10. Select cell N18. Press Ctrl+Shift+T. In the TreePlan Terminal Node dialog box, select
Change To Event Node, select Two Branches, and click OK. The tree is redrawn.
212 Chapter 16 Decision Trees Using TreePlan
11. Select cell P16, and enter .7. Select cell P17, and enter Magnetic success. Select cell
P21, and enter .3. Select cell P22, and enter Magnetic failure. Select cell P24, and enter
120000.
16.5 Step-by-Step TreePlan Tutorial 213
12. Double-click the sheet tab (or right-click the sheet tab and choose Rename from the
shortcut menu), and enter Original. Save the workbook.
TreePlan put the formula =SUM(P14,L11,H12,D20) into cell S13 for determining the terminal
value.
Other formulas, called rollback formulas, are in cells below and to the left of each node. These
formulas are used to determine the optimal choice at each decision node.
In cell B26, a formula displays 1, indicating that the first branch is the optimal choice. Thus, the
initial choice is to prepare the proposal. In cell J11, a formula displays 2, indicating that the
21
14 Chapter 16
6 Decision Trees Using TreePlan
Formatting
F the Tree Diagram
D
Th
he following stteps show how
w to use TreePlan and Excel ffeatures to form
mat the tree diaagram. You
may
m choose to use
u other formaats for your ow
wn tree diagram
ms.
13. From th o Copy Sheet (or right-clickk the sheet tab aand choose
he Edit menu, choose Move or
Move Or
O Copy from the shortcut menu).
m In the lowwer left cornerr of the Move O
Or Copy
dialog box,
b check thee Create A Coppy box, and clicck OK.
14. On sheeet Original (2), if the probabiilities are not leeft-aligned, sellect cell H9. Prress
Ctrl+Shhift+T. In the TreePlan
T Selecct dialog box, vverify that the ooption button ffor Cells
with Prrobabilities is selected,
s and cllick OK. With all probabilityy cells selected,, click the
Align Left
L button.
15. c H12. Presss Ctrl+Shift+T. In the TreePllan Select dialoog box, verify tthat the
Select cell
option button for Cellls with Partial Cash Flows is selected, and cclick OK. Withh all partial
ow cells selected, if the cash flows are not lleft-aligned, cliick the Align L
cash flo Left button.
With thhose cells still selected, choosse Home > Forrmat > Format Cells. In the F Format
Cells dialog
d box, click the Number tab. In the Cattegory list box,, choose Currenncy; type 0
(zero) for
f Decimal Pllaces; select $ in i the Symbol llist box; selectt -$1,234 for NNegative
Numbeers. Click OK.
16.5 Step-by-S
Step TreePlan Tu
Tutorial 215
Figure 16.25 Ex
xcel Format Ceells Dialog Box
x
16. c I12. Press Ctrl+Shift+T. In the TreePlaan Select dialogg box, verify thhat the
Select cell
option button for Cellls with Rollbacck EVs/CEs is selected, and cclick OK. Withh all
rollback cells selected
d, choose Form
mat > Cells. Reepeat the Curreency formattingg of step 16
above.
17. Select cell
c S3. Press Ctrl+Shift+T.
C In
I the TreePlann Select dialogg box, verify thhat the
option button for Cellls with Termin
nal Values is seelected, and cliick OK. With aall terminal
value cells
c selected, choose
c Format > Cells. Repeaat the Currencyy formatting off step 16
above.
216 Chapter 16 Decision Trees Using TreePlan
18. Double-click the Original (2) sheet tab (or right-click the sheet tab and choose Rename
from the shortcut menu), and enter Formatted. Save the workbook.
Figure 16.27 Ex
xcel Format Ceells Dialog Box
x
Explanation: A custom numbeer format has fo our sections off format codes. The sections aare
seeparated by sem micolons, and they
t define thee formats for poositive numberrs, negative num mbers, zero
vaalues, and text,, in that order. When you speecify three sem micolons withouut format codess, Excel
dooes not displayy positive numb bers, negative numbers,
n zero values, or textt. The formula remains in
th
he cell, but its result
r is not dissplayed. Later, if you want too display the reesult, you can cchange the
fo
ormat without having
h to enterr the formula again. Editing aan existing form mat does not deelete it. All
fo
ormats are saveed with the worrkbook unless you explicitly delete a formaat.
21. c A27. Presss Ctrl+Shift+T. In the TreePllan Select dialoog box, verify tthat the
Select cell
option button for Cellls with Rollbacck EVs/CEs is selected, and cclick OK. Withh all
rollback values selectted, choose Forrmat > Cells > Number or Hoome > Format > Format
Cells > Number. In th Custom. Scroll to the bottom oof the Type
he Category lisst box, select C
list box
x, and select the three-semicoolon entry. Clicck OK.
22. Doublee-click the Form
matted (2) sheeet tab (or right--click the sheett tab and choosse Rename
from th
he shortcut mennu), and enter Model
M Inputs . Save the worrkbook.
Printing
P the
e Tree Diag
gram
23. In the Name
N Box list box, select TreeeDiagram (or select cells A11:S34).
24. To prin
nt the tree diagrram from Exceel, with the treee diagram rangge selected, in E
Excel 2007
& 20100 & 2013 & 20 016, choose Pag ge Layout > Prrint Area > Sett Print Area. Thhen choose
Office Button or File > Print Preview > Page Setuup. In the Page Setup dialog bbox, click
the Pag
ge tab; for Orieentation click th
he option buttoon for Landscaape, and for Scaaling click
the option button for Fit To 1 Page Wide
W By 1 Pagge Tall. Click tthe Header/Foooter tab; in
the Heaader list box seelect None, and
d in the Footer list box select None (or selecct other
appropriate headers and
a footers). Cllick the Sheet ttab; clear the ccheck box for G
Gridlines,
218 Chapter 16 Decision Trees Using TreePlan
and clear the check box for Row And Column Headings. Click OK. Choose File > Print
and click OK.
25. To print the tree diagram from Word, clear the check boxes for Gridlines and for Row
And Column Headings on Excels Page Setup dialog box Sheet tab. Select the tree
diagram range. In Excel 2007 & 2010 & 2013 & 2016, choose Home > Paste > As
Picture > Copy as Picture. In the Copy Picture dialog box, click the option button As
Shown When Printed, and click OK. In Word select the location where you want to paste
the tree diagram and choose Edit > Paste.
0.5
Electronic success
$150,000
0.5 Try electronic method $0
Awarded contract
-$50,000 0.5
$250,000 Electronic failure
$30,000
-$120,000
0.7
Magnetic success
Prepare proposal $120,000
Try magnetic method $0
-$50,000
-$80,000 0.3
Magnetic failure
$0
-$120,000
0.5
Not awarded contract
-$50,000
$0
Alternative Model
If you want to emphasize that the time constraint forces DriveTek to use the mechanical approach
if they try either of the uncertain approaches and experience a failure, you can change the terminal
nodes in cells R13 and R23 to decision nodes, each with a single branch.
16.6 Exponentiial Utility and Tre
eePlan 219
0.5
Electronic success
$150,000
0.5 Try electronic method $0
Awaarded contract
-$50,000 0.5
$250
0,000 Electronic failure Use mechanical method
1 $30,000
$0 -$120,000
0.7
Magnetic success
Prepare proposal $120,000
Try magnetic method $0
0
-$50,000
-$80,000 0.3
Magnetic failure Use mechanical method
1 $0
$0 -$120,000
0.5
Not awarded contract
-$50,000
$0
Don't pre
epare proposal
$0
$0
16.6 EXPO
ONENTIA
AL UTILITY
Y AND TR
REEPLAN
N
TrreePlan's defau ult is to rollbacck the tree using expected vallue (probabilityy-weighted aveerage) at an
ev
vent node and maximum
m of successor valuees at a decisionn node. If you cchoose to use eexponential
uttilities in TreeP
Plan's Options dialog box, TrreePlan will reddraw the decisiion tree diagram m with
fo
ormulas for com mputing the utiility and certain n equivalent att each node.
or the Maximizze option with exponential uttility, the rollbaack formulas aare U = AB*E
Fo EXP(X/RT)
nd CE = -LN((A-EU)/B)*RT
an T, where X and EU are cell reeferences. For tthe Minimize ooption with
ex
xponential utiliity, the formulaas are U = A-B
B*EXP(X/RT) and CE = LN(((A-EU)/B)*RT T.
TrreePlan uses th r tolerance pparameter of thhe exponential utility
he name RT to represent the risk
fu
unction. The naames A and B determine
d scaling. If the nam
mes A, B, and R
RT don't exist oon the
220 Chapter 16 Decision Trees Using TreePlan
worksheet when you choose to use exponential utility, they are initially defined as A=1, B=1, and
RT=999999999999. You can change the values of the names using the Insert > Name > Define
command.
16.7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
TreePlan was developed by Professor Michael R. Middleton at the University of San Francisco
(using the Excel 4 XLM macro programming language) and modified for use at Fuqua (Duke
University) by Professor James E. Smith. Mike Middleton rewrote portions using VBA during
20082016.