New version of popular software package for automated curve fitting and statistical analysis within the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet environment
IDBS, a provider of integrated data management, analysis and decision-making software, has announced XLfit 4, a new version of the popular software package for automated curve fitting and statistical analysis within the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet environment.
The United Kingdom's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has worked with IDBS to test the numerical correctness of the curve-fitting component of XLfit 4.
In addition to newly validated models, XLfit 4 offers new and interactive chart types including 3D fitting and global fitting, and enhanced mathematical methods and techniques.
The National Physical Laboratory's Centre for Mathematics and Scientific Computing develops and validates mathematical models and software, and offers independent services to aid the development of secure, reliable and robust IT systems.
NPL considered sixteen specific curve-fitting models from XLfit 4.
The organisation generated ten reference data sets for each model and compared test results provided by IDBS for these data sets with reference results held by NPL.
Independent validation by the NPL means that company statisticians can now validate XLfit quicker than other curve-fitting packages.
An evaluation report describing the work and giving the results of the tests is available from IDBS. "By extending the functionality of Excel and simplifying curve fitting, XLfit 4 provides a straightforward and efficient way for researchers to carry out their statistical analysis within the familiar spreadsheet environment," commented Neil Kipling, chairman and CEO of IDBS.
"We are pleased to offer users the added confidence of the National Physical Laboratory's validation of the curve-fitting component, as well as new fit categories, models and features".
XLfit 4 comes with an extended range of models such as 3D fitting and charting, PA2, global fitting and automatic outlier rejection. These models allow researchers to entirely automate the fitting processes without leaving Excel and to generate the required results quickly.
A new global fit wizard in XLfit 4 enables users to apply combinations of models to fit data.
This is useful when data is sparse or when results generated only form part of the data to be fitted.
Users can chose whether to deploy any of XLfit 4's extensive pre-defined models and statistics, to tailor these functions or to create their own and share them across the organisation.
Advanced security features allow administrators complete control over the level of flexibility available to users.
The seamless integration of XLfit 4 with the Microsoft Office suite ensures that when an XLfit chart is copied and pasted into other applications such as Word or PowerPoint, there is full access to the chart and display details, which may then be edited and saved within the new application - users simply double click a chart to activate it and amend any aspect they choose with the help of context-sensitive menus.
A new preview pane allows users to visualise edits before applying them.
The improved XLfit 4 Chart Designer allows every aspect of a chart's appearance to be customised such as curve style and colour, axis style, scale and origin and data point symbols. Users can also create graphical templates that allow standard formatting to be applied automatically to different charts.
A 30 day free trial of XLfit 4 is available via IDBS's website.
