As you may be aware, Microsoft Excel for Mac 2008 has dropped several important features that we available in previous versions. Solver is one of them. (VBA is the major one.)
In the case of Solver, is is now available for Excel 2008 on the Macintosh for free.
On this site, you can read the FAQ to learn how Solver for Excel 2008 was developed, special considerations in using this Solver versus the one in Excel 2004, and what to expect in the future.
To use Solver, you must have Excel 12.1.2 or later. To check your version, start Excel and select About Excel from the Excel menu. You can get 12.1.2 three ways: (i) use Microsoft AutoUpdate, which runs weekly by default if you’ve opted in; (ii) start Excel and select Check for Updates from the Help menu; (iii) to download 12.1.2 manually, visit www.officeformac.com and click Downloads at the top of the page. If you’re starting from 12.1.0, you must install 12.1.1, then install 12.1.2.
To download Solver for Excel 2008, just fill out the form on the site, and click the Download Now button. Solver.app.zip (about 1.5 MB) should download and appear in your Downloads folder.
I don’t remember using Solver much in the past, but it can be useful and it good to see Microsoft and Frontline Systems adding one of the items that were in previous versions. Microsoft has also stated that VBA will return with the next version of Excel.
Personally I am sticking to 2004 version, but the new office is nice.
Get Solver here: http://www.solver.com/mac/dwnmacsolver.htm
