Minitab Simul8® in Dashboards

If you have a subscription to Minitab Simul8® Twin edition and Minitab Solution Center® Copilot edition, you can import a simulation to Minitab Dashboards to access the data the simulation uses. After you import a simulation, you can add Simul8 assets to the dashboard. You can share a dashboard with anybody who has a Minitab Solution Center license, even if the dashboard contains Simul8 assets.

Import a simulation

Complete the following steps to import a simulation.

From the Minitab Dashboards menu, select Minitab Simul8 pane and then select Import Simulation.
Browse to and select the simulation you want to import. A dashboard can contain only one simulation at a time.
After you import a simulation, select one or more output sheets from Output Sheets. Output Sheets are based on Internal Spreadsheets in Simul8. The data from these sheets is available to use in dashboard assets.

If the simulation includes pie chart data, histogram data, global variables, or time series chart data, those outputs are also imported and available as data sources for dashboard assets. For more information about other dashboard assets, go to Data Visualizations.

Button

Add a Simul8 button to run or reset a simulation, run a trial, execute Visual Logic, change pages, or reload the dashboard. After you add a button, use the options pane on the right side of the window to configure the button action and appearance.

Note

Only one Simul8 run or trial action can be active at a time. While a Simul8 action is in progress, other Simul8 action buttons are disabled.

Run Simulation

Runs the simulation for the specified run time. In Simul8, the simulation runs until the results collection period is complete or until the run is stopped. Set the simulation name, run time, and Time scale. If you select a Visual Logic section in Visual Logic Before Run, the dashboard resets the simulation, executes the section, and then starts the run.

Reset Simulation

Resets Simul8 global variables to their reset values and clears the data in the Output Sheets from the Minitab Simul8 pane. This mimics the behavior of the Simul8 reset button.

Run Trial

Runs the simulation multiple times with the same settings while Simul8 uses different random numbers to sample values from distributions. Use trials to get more reliable results and improve accuracy for performance measures. Specify the number of Runs, the Time scale, and the Results Collection Period. The results collection period is how long each run in the trial collects results.

If you select a Visual Logic section in Visual Logic Before Trial, the dashboard resets the simulation, executes the section, and then starts the trial.

For more information on running trials in Simul8, to go Run.

Change Page

Opens the dashboard page that you select in Target Page.

Execute Visual Logic

Executes the visual logic that you select in Visual Logic Section. Visual Logic is Simul8's simulation language and lets a model include detailed logic that controls how the simulation behaves. Enter a Success Message to show after the section runs successfully.

Reload Dashboard

Reloads the current dashboard page in the browser.

Use the Appearance options to change the button text, layout, label, and description. The layout can show the icon only, text only, the icon above the text, or the icon to the left of the text.

Progress

Shows the status of a managed simulation run. The progress asset uses the current simulation time and the configured run end time to show how much of the run is complete. The simulation clock represents the equivalent time in the real system.

Toggle

Add a Simul8 toggle to switch a numeric Simul8 global variable between two configured values. Global variables are Global Data Items from the Simul8 Information Store. They can be used anywhere in the simulation to measure or control what is happening.

Note

You can only use a toggle on global variables that do not have an "on reset" value.

Use Bound Variable to select the Simul8 global variable that the toggle changes. Then specify the values to write When ON and When OFF. When a user switches the toggle, the dashboard writes the corresponding value to the Bound Variable. The toggle's checked state reflects the current value from the Simul8 runtime. The toggle is disabled while a run or trial is active.

Use the Appearance options to show a label and description. You can also set the Vertical Alignment of the toggle to top, middle, or bottom.

Input

Add a Simul8 input to enter or select a value for a numeric or text Simul8 global variable. Global Data Items can store different types of data, including numbers, text, time, spreadsheets, arrays, and references to simulation objects. The input shows the current value from the Simul8 runtime. The input is disabled while a run or trial is active.

Note

You cannot edit a global variable with an "on reset" value.

Select the Type for the input. The options for Bound Variable depend on the type that you select.

Text: Displays a text entry field. The dashboard writes the value to the Bound Variable when the user leaves the field or presses Enter.
Number: Displays a numeric entry field. You can specify the minimum, maximum, default value, and whether to only allow integers. The dashboard validates the value and then writes it to the Bound Variable.
Selection: Displays a list of options. Enter a Label and Value for each option in the list. When you select an option, the dashboard writes the option Value to the Bound Variable.

Use the Appearance options to show a label and optional description. If you do not enter a label, the input uses the source variable name.

Sheet

Display and edit values from a selected Simul8 spreadsheet. A Simul8 spreadsheet is a Global Data Item that can contain text values, numeric values, or formulas. You can change values in a spreadsheet directly or with Visual Logic.

Use the Sheet option to select the Simul8 sheet to show in the asset. If you do not select a sheet, the asset shows an empty state.

Use the header options when the selected sheet includes row or column labels. Select Use Column Headers to use a row as column headers, then specify the Column Header Row. Select Use Row Headers to use a column as row headers, then specify the Row Header Column.

Note

If you enter a value greater than 1, the dashboard formats all rows or columns up to and including that value as headers. For example, if Column Header Row is 2, the dashboard formats both rows 1 and 2 as column headers.

Double-click a cell to edit it. Edits only affect the spreadsheet on the dashboard; they do not affect the original Simul8 file that you imported. You cannot edit a sheet while a run or trial is active.

Share the dashboard

You can share a dashboard with anybody who has a Minitab Solution Center license, even if the dashboard contains Simul8 assets. To share the dashboard, select the arrow beside the save icon and then select Share File.

Send an email: Under Add people enter the emails of anyone you want to share the dashboard with, then under Permission select whether you want them to view or edit the dashboard. Select Send to send an email with access to the dashboard.
Copy a link: Select Copy Link. Anybody with access to the dashboard can use the link to view the dashboard.