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Sigma Magic Help Version 18

Worksheet Format

Overview

The Sigma Magic worksheet is formatted into four areas: header area, input area, output area (which consists of notes and graphs), and temp area. Note that in some tools, the input and output areas may be combined into one. Only an output area may be present for other tools if no input is required.

Work Areas
1
Header Area: The header contains information about the analysis being performed. Any comments or error messages from the analysis are also output to the header area. The header area is the first row of the worksheet. The first row contains an area for production/comments from the analysis. The second row includes the main header and a logo, which stores default worksheet information as described below.
2
Input Area: The input area is where raw data for the analysis can be input into the analysis. Note that some data may be entered into the analysis through dialog boxes. Not all worksheets may also have an input area, and you will need to use the Analysis Data or Paste functionality to specify the data for the analysis.
3
Graphs Area: The output area usually contains two sections: Notes and Graphs. Any graphical output is sent to the Graphs area. Note that multiple graphs may be generated for any analysis, depending on the analysis you are performing. You can use the standard Excel functionality to make changes to these graphs. These results are cleared and updated when you click on Compute Outputs.
4
Notes Area: The output area usually contains two sections: Notes and Graphs. Any text output is sent to the Notes area. The notes area contains a summary of the analysis being performed, any assumption checks completed, the results of the analysis, and conclusions, if any. These results are cleared and updated when you click on Compute Outputs.
5
Temp Area: The temp area contains data that is used to plot any graphs. The temp area is usually hidden on a worksheet. It is recommended that users don't use this area to store any results as they are cleared occasionally.

You should not insert or delete any rows or columns in this template, as Sigma Magic expects to find data in certain areas of the worksheet.

You may use the area to the right border to save any info on this worksheet. However, note that depending on your settings, your software may also use the location on the right if more space is required for your analysis. Hence, we recommend that you NOT use the Sigma Magic worksheet to store your data, as it may be lost when Sigma Magic analysis is run. Use a non-Sigma Magic worksheet to store your analysis and notes. The following section describes how Sigma Magic finds the information it seeks. If you modify the format, use it at your own risk.

Format

The worksheet format information is stored in the Sigma Magic logo in the header's top right area. Do not delete this logo. If you do, Sigma Magic software will not run on this worksheet. To look at the worksheet format, right-click on the Sigma Magic logo, select "Format Picture," and then select "Alt Text." A dialog box such as the one shown below will then be displayed. User Data Information in this text box is stored in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format. This format is similar to XML format but has fewer disadvantages than an XML format. For more information about JSON, refer to the website: http://www.json.org. Data is stored in objects and string-value pairs. An object is an unordered set of name/value pairs. An object begins with a { and ends with a }. A semi-colon separates each name-value pair. Commas separate multiple name/value pairs. Here is a description of the name-value pairs for the worksheet layout. All Sigma Magic worksheets should have a worksheet layout that contains information about where Sigma Magic can find the input cells, output cells, temp area, etc.

KeywordDescription
NameName of the analysis that is stored in the worksheet. This name tells the software what analysis to run on this worksheet. Each tool has a unique name associated with it.
VersionVersion number of the worksheet. This is used to manage multiple versions of the worksheet.
LogoThe location of the logo on the worksheet.
InputThe location of the input cells
OutputThe location of the output cells (specifically notes section)
GraphThe location of the output cells (specifically graph section)
CommentsThe location to display any comments from the analysis (default: B1)
HeadingThe header locations (used to set background colors)
PrintThe print area of the worksheet. Used to print or export to PPT format
ClearThe area that should be cleared when you click on the Clear button
TempThe area that stores temporary graph data.

In addition to the worksheet layout, information about any dialog box selections is stored. These options correspond to the dialog box picks numbered 1, 2, 3, etc. Any choices you make in the dialog box are used to update the corresponding locations in the Sigma Magic user data. Finally, any conclusions from the analysis are stored in this format.

FAQ

This section contains some frequently asked questions. If you have other questions about this module, please get in touch with technical support.
Can I modify the worksheet format?
If you modify the format, the software will use the new locations specified in this file to update the worksheet. However, unless you fully understand how to use this feature, we recommend not changing the format string. If you want the changes to apply to all future worksheets, you need to modify the appropriate tool in the tools folder in the Sigma Magic installation directory.
Can I store my notes on the Sigma Magic worksheet?
Even though you may be able to store your notes on the right side of the analysis page, this area may be used up if you change the analysis settings. Hence, we recommend not storing notes or data on the Sigma Magic worksheet.


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