Simpler Spreadsheet Simulation of Multi-Server Queues

Thin-Yin Leong - tyleong@smu.edu.sg
School of Information Systems, Singapore Management University, 80 Stamford Road, Singapore S178902

Abstract

Process-driven spreadsheet queuing simulation provides a clear and intuitive approach for students in business modeling courses to learn about queue behavior. With basic spreadsheet skill, some guidance on the generation of random variates and simple assumptions like "service in arrival order,'' it is not difficult to construct a single server spreadsheet simulation model. However, to extend the model to multiple servers, add-ins, macros, or multiple templates (each for a given fixed number of servers) are needed. Hora (2003) showed that array formulas can be used instead, to create the G/G/c spreadsheet model with parametrically adjustable number of servers. This is a great improvement, but array formulations are still inherently complex and therefore not easy for students to comprehend and apply. In this paper, I show that non-array formulations can achieve the same effect, effectively simplifying the model.

Download the PDF
10.1287/ited.7.2.172

Citation Information
Leung, T. 2007. Simpler Spreadsheet Simulation of Multi-Server Queues. INFORMS Trans. Ed. 7(2) 172-177. Available online at http://ite.pubs.informs.org/.

DOI: 10.1287/ited.7.2.172