Locking Random Numbers so They Aren't Refreshed with Every New Calculations

[MrStewart]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I have a row of text that is used to generate random numbers within a defined range to generate a realistic variation in customers from month to month. However, every time I update the sheet's calculations, Excel generates a news set of random numbers.

Is there anyway to produce a set of one-time-use random numbers so there is consistency in the results if I want to evaluate the impact of increasing my profit margins 5%?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I have a row of text that is used to generate random numbers within a defined
range to generate a realistic variation in customers from month to month.
However, every time I update the sheet's calculations, Excel generates a news
set of random numbers.

Is there anyway to produce a set of one-time-use random numbers so there is
consistency in the results if I want to evaluate the impact of increasing my
profit margins 5%?

Sure. After using RAND to calculate your random number(s), copy the cells,
and paste-special-values back into the cells to remove the formulas. But,
then these numbers aren't random anymore, they will stay the same forever,
but it sounds like this is what you want.

 

[MrStewart]

It's close, But I don't want to lose the formulas incase I realize I've underestimated a value and with a new figure. For example, I predict 5% monthly growth, but 4% is more realistic. I want to be able to change the value, let the random number generation formula calculate new values and keep those values until I manually recalculate them.

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

It's close, But I don't want to lose the formulas incase I realize I've
underestimated a value and with a new figure. For example, I predict 5%
monthly growth, but 4% is more realistic. I want to be able to change the
value, let the random number generation formula calculate new values and keep
those values until I manually recalculate them.

Then change the calculation to manual, and unclick recalculate before save.
Now everything will stay the same until you recalculate it.

 

[MrStewart]

Thanks for your replies. Is it possible to make only certain cells, rows or columns manually calculate while the rest are done automatically?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Thanks for your replies. Is it possible to make only certain cells, rows or
columns manually calculate while the rest are done automatically?

No, unfortunately. It's the whole workbook or not. You can however calculate
sheets individually, and you may be able to put some stuff on another sheet
so when you calculate sheet 1, sheet 2 does not calculate.

 

[MrStewart]

Eureka! That would work perfectly! Thanks.