Output Function

Output cells are defined by adding the RiskOutput function to the formula in the cell. RiskOutput functions are automatically added by the Add Output command on the @RISK ribbon. It is also easy to simply type the function into a cell that should be designated as an Output. For example, a cell that contains the formula

=SUM(A1:A5)

can be marked as an @RISK output named “My Output”, by prepending the RiskOutput function as follows:

=RiskOutput(“My Output”)+SUM(A1:A5)

Arguments

The three RiskOutput argument are all optional. The simple form

=RiskOutput() + ...

is sufficient to designate a single-cell output, and @RISK will create the output name automatically based on the labels in nearby cells. Alternatively, RiskOutput can be used with a single argument, as in

=RiskOutput ("Profit") + ...

to designate a single-cell output with the name “Profit.”

The second and third arguments control if an how the output is associated with an “output range” which is a collection of outputs that are grouped together for analysis. For a multiple-cell output range, the form

=RiskOutput ("Year1", "Profit”, 1) + ...

Indicates an output with the name “Year1” and a range name of “Profit”. The final argument indicates the position of this output in the range. The first position is 1.

Property Functions for Outputs

There are a few property functions that can be used to modify how outputs work. The property functions appropriate for use with outputs can be broken down into a few categories:

• Formatting – functions that control how the distribution will be formatted and labeled in @RISK graphs, reports, and tables: RiskIsDate, RiskIsDiscrete, RiskUnits
• Six Sigma – function that controls how the output is configured for Six Sigma calculations: RiskSixSigma
• Simulation – function that affects how the distribution will be behave during a simulation: RiskConvergence

See Property Functions for more an overview of property functions and how they are used in @RISK functions.