Spreadsheet simulation for queuing systems and real implementation

Abstract

Spreadsheets have become popular during recent years. Spreadsheet simulation involves the use of a spreadsheet to represent the model and conduct sampling. Spreadsheets such as Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft Excel and Quattro Pro are popular software products, and the skills to program and use them are widely distributed. The aim of this study is to use Excel spreadsheet as a tool for real world queuing simulation modeling. Instead of commercial add-in packages such as @RISK, CrystalBall and INSIGHT.xla, visual basic macros are used as needed in simulations. The process-interaction approach is implemented. Spreadsheet implementations of simple network M/G/c queue at serial servers model with balk and renege properties of customers and break hours of servers are constructed. Moreover, the distribution of the queue length is estimated. Spreadsheet simulation is applied to a real world queuing problem. And, it is concluded that the spreadsheet simulation model is a good representation of the real queuing problem. Despite of some limitations, spreadsheet simulation can be used for real world queuing problems. Moreover, it can also be a useful tool for teaching queuing simulation.