SPC for MS Excel V2.

0
Demo Version

Note: This program was written by Dr. William H. McNeese and is distributed by Business
Process Improvement (Cypress, Texas). This program cannot be copied or used unless under
license with Business Process Improvement. Thank you.
This instruction manual is intended to demonstrate how the program is used. To learn more
about SPC, please refer to one of the many books on the subject. The best reference is probably
Understanding Statistical Process Control by D. Wheeler and D. Chambers, SPC Inc., 1986 or
any of the later books by Dr. Wheeler.
Requirements: This program is a Microsoft Excel add-in. You must Microsoft Excel for this
program to work. This program supports any version of Excel from 1997 on.
Business Process Improvement
20314 Lakeland Falls
Cypress, TX 743
281-304-9504
www.bpiconsulting.com
www.spcforexcel.com

2003 Business Process Improvement

SPC for MS Excel V2.0

The full program performs the basic SPC calculations using Microsoft Excel. The following SPC are tools are
included in the version (Pareto diagrams and c control charts are included in the demo):

Pareto Diagrams
Histograms
Attribute Control Charts
o p Chart
o np Chart
o c Chart
o u Chart
Variable Control Charts
o Xbar-R Chart
o Xbar-S Chart
o Individuals Chart
o Run Chart
Process Capability
o Cpk
o Ppk
Scatter Diagrams
Cause and Effect Diagrams
Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
Gage R&R
o R&R Report
o Range Chart
o Consistency Chart
o Bias Chart

Features in this version include:

Easy updating of charts

Easy to change control limits for a subset of the data
Easy to change targets, titles, etc.
Easy to add targets for averages on charts
Automatic tests for out of control points
No changes to worksheet containing the data
All calculations contained on hidden sheets
Automatic checking for trends
Easily change the number of classes on a histogram
Pareto diagrams with or with cumulative lines
Ability to calculate frequencies with Pareto diagrams
Leave out frequencies under a certain value on Pareto diagrams
Cpk or Ppk
Process capability includes histogram, normal curve, specifications and nominal
Option not to allow values below zero
New cause and effect diagram
One click transfers a chart to PowerPoint or Word no more copying, pasting and resizing!

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Installation
Two workbooks are required to run the program. One workbook is called SPC for Excel Toolbar.xls. This is the
toolbar program. The other workbook is the program workbook and is called SPC for MS Excel V2.0.
Copy both workbooks into the SAME folder. They must be in the same folder. The program runs from a toolbar
that uses its location to find the program.
Open the SPC for Excel Toolbar workbook. You should see the dialog box below. Select enable macros.

If you do not see this dialog box, the security on your Excel program is set to High or to Low. Excel 2002 comes
with the security setting at High to prevent any macros from running. To change your setting, open an Excel
workbook, on the Excel menu, go to Tools, Macro, Security, and Medium.
Once you select Enable Macros, you will see another dialog box containing general copyright information on the
program. Select OK and you will see two options for the toolbar. One is for a color icon toolbar; the other is a black
and white toolbar with letters. Select the one you prefer (the color toolbar is the default).

The toolbar will be built. The toolbar is named SPC for Excel and will remain as part of the Excel toolbars unless
you delete it. If you decide you want the other toolbar, simply reopen the SPC for Excel Toolbar.xls workbook.

On the toolbar with the letters (the same order follows with the color toolbar),
PD = Pareto diagram
H = Histogram
Att = Attribute Control Charts
Var = Variable Control Charts
Cpk = Process Capability
SD = Scatter Diagram
CE = Cause and Effect Diagram
Update = Update Charts
Options = Changes to Database (such as Targets, Dates of Data Collection)
Export chart to PowerPoint
Export chart to Excel
Each of these is discussed below.

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Pareto Diagrams
Data Entry
Option 1: Basic Pareto Diagram
For this option, the frequencies have already been totaled by category. For example, suppose you are tracking
returns by product name for four products: A, B, C, and D. You collect data for a two-month period. You then total
the number of returns and enter the data into an Excel spreadsheet as shown below. To start the Pareto program,
highlight the product names as shown below and select the Pareto Diagram option from the toolbar.

Option 2: Basic Pareto Diagram but Program Calculates the Totals

For this option, the frequencies have been totaled over some time period but not overall. For example, suppose you
are tracking the returns and total the returns for each product by week. In this case, you would enter the following
data into an Excel spreadsheet. You would select the products (the shaded area) and then select the Pareto diagram
option from the toolbar. The program will automatically calculate the overall totals.

Option 3: Pareto Diagram Based on Data in One Column Only

For this option, none of the frequencies have been totaled. For example, you might be tracking each individual
returned product to discover the reason for returns. In this case, you would enter data similar to the data shown
below into an Excel spreadsheet. To make a Pareto diagram based on data in one column only, select the first cell in
the column to include in the Pareto (for example, the first product name in the example below). Then select the
Pareto diagram option on the toolbar.

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Date

Product
Returned

2/1/03
2/4/03
2/6/03
2/9/03
2/11/03
2/14/03
2/14/03
1/2/00
2/23/03
2/24/03
3/1/03
3/2/03

A
A
B
C
A
A
D
B
A
D
A
A

Reason
Customer Did Not Need
Broken
Wrong Quantity
Wrong Quantity
Salesman Ordered Wrong
Wrong Quantity
Wrong Quantity
Broken
Customer Did Not Need
Salesman Ordered Wrong
Wrong Quantity
Wrong Quantity

Pareto Dialog Box

When you select the Pareto Diagram option on the toolbar, you will get the toolbox below. Each entry is discussed
below.

Enter Pareto Diagram Title: The default title is Pareto Diagram. Enter the title you want.
Enter Y-Axis (Frequency) Label: If there is a title in the cell above the frequency range, this is the default
entry. Otherwise, the label is left blank. Enter the label you want for the y-axis.
Enter X-Axis (Category) Label: If there is a title in the cell about the first frequency selected, this is the
default entry. Otherwise, the label is left blank. Enter the label you want for the y-axis.
Name of Chart: This is very important. Decide what you want to call the chart. This will be the name of
the sheet that contains the chart in your workbook.
Enter Category Range: This is the range containing the categories (used for Options 1 and 2 above). The
default value is what is selected prior to selecting the Pareto Diagram option on the toolbar.
Enter Frequency Range: This is the range containing the frequencies for Options 1 and 2 above. The
default value is the range next to the categories (but the categories and frequencies do not have to be
adjacent.
Include Cumulative Line Select Yes to include a cumulative line. The default value is No. You can
add a cumulative line with any of the options above.

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Categories On: Selecting X axis puts the categories on the x (horizontal) axis. Select Y axis places the
categories on the Y axis. This is helpful if the categories have long names. You can not use a cumulative
line the categories are on the Y axis.
Calculation Options: This is the second option. Select Yes if you want the program to total the frequency
results for the various categories. No is the default value. Once you select Yes, you must select the
option you want. Most of the time it will be Sum, but there are other options including count, average,
standard deviation, etc.
Dates of Data Collection: Add the starting date and ending dates of data collection. These dates are
optional. If entered, they will appear in a dialog box in the lower left-hand corner of the chart.
Pareto on One Column? This is Option 3. Select Yes if the data are in one column. The Initial Cell
contains the first cell of the data. The default value is the cell that is selected prior to the Pareto diagram
option being selected on the toolbar. Include Frequencies >= to is used to determine what frequencies
you want to include in the chart. For example, if you enter 3, only those items that occur three or more
times will be included in the chart.
OK: Select OK to make the Pareto Diagram.

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Attribute Control Charts

This program handles p, np; c and u attribute control charts. The data entry depends on the type of chart you are
using. You access this feature by selecting the attribute control chart option on the toolbar. You will see the dialog
box below. You then select the type of chart you have. The various items on this dialog box are explained below.

Name of Chart: This is very important. Decide what you want to call the chart. This will be the name of
the sheet that contains the chart in your workbook.
Control Chart Title: This is the title that goes on the control chart. The default value is dependent on the
type of chart you select.
Y-Axis Label: This is the vertical axis label. The default value depends on the type of chart you select.
X-Axis Label): This is the horizontal axis label. The default value depends on the type of chart you select.
Automatic Update of Limits?: This determines if the control limits are automatically updated when you add
additional data to the chart. Select Yes if you want the control limits to automatically update; no if you
dont wan the limits to automatically update. This option can be changed by selecting the Option button
on the toolbar. The default is yes.
Target for Average: This is the target value for the variable. It is not required.
Rounding to Use in Titles: This the rounding to use for the average and control limits printed in the title.
The default value depends on the type of chart you select.
Dates of Data Collection: Add the starting date and ending dates of data collection. These dates are
optional. If entered, they will appear in a dialog box in the lower left-hand corner of the chart.
Tests for Control: There are two options for interpreting the charts for control: points beyond the limits and
the rules of seven (seven in a row above or below the average or trending up or down). If an out of control
situation is detected, you will receive a message, plus the points on the chart will be in red.
Range containing the subgroup identifiers: This is the range containing the subgroup numbers (dates in the
above example). The default value is the range selected on the worksheet prior to selecting the attribute
control option on the toolbar.
Range containing the np values: This is the range containing the number of non-conforming items (np).
The default value is the range next to the subgroup numbers.
Subgroup size for np chart: Enter the constant subgroup size. It is required.
OK: Select OK to make the np control chart.

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c Control Charts
Data Entry
The c control chart is used to monitor the variation in the number of defects in a constant subgroup size. Require
data include the subgroup number and the number of defects. An example of c chart data is shown below. To make
a c chart, select the subgroup numbers in the worksheet, select the attribute control chart option in the toolbar, and
then select the c chart option.

c Chart Dialog Box

After selecting the c Chart option in the dialog box, you will get a dialog box that looks like the one below. The
additional items are discussed below.

Range containing the subgroup identifiers: This is the range containing the subgroup numbers (dates in the
above example). The default value is the range selected on the worksheet prior to selecting the attribute
control option on the toolbar.
Range containing the c values: This is the range containing the number of defects (c). The default value is
the range next to the subgroup numbers.
OK: Select OK to make the c control chart.

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Updating Charts
All charts can be updated. To do this, simply add additional data to the worksheet where you have entered previous
data. For example, suppose you have entered the data given above the c control chart. You use this data to make a c
control chart that you named My Chart (this is the name of the sheet tab). The c chart is given below.

Now you want to update that chart. To do this, add the new data to the worksheet as shown below (the new data
starts on 2/16).

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You do not have to select anything to update the chart. To update the chart, select the update option from the
toolbar. You will get a dialog box listing the charts in the workbook that can be updated. Select the name of the
chart to update and select OK. The chart automatically updates.

The chart will automatically be updated as shown below.

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Changing Control Limits

You can easily change the control limits for any variable or attribute control chart. On the c chart above, suppose
you want to set new limits starting from 2/16/2003 on. To do this, simply go to the worksheet and change the font
containing 2/16/2003 to italics.

Then select the update option from the toolbar and select the name of the chart. The chart now looks like the chart
below.

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Changes to Chart Options

For each chart, there are certain stored values. These include the chart title, axis labels, start and end of data
collection, rounding to use, etc. To change these values, you use the Option option on the toolbar. For example, if
you want to change the chart title or axis label on the chart used in the example above, you would select Option
from the toolbar and then select the name of the chart. You will then get the dialog box shown below:

You can change any the items listed in the dialog box and the chart will be updated automatically. This allows you
to do things like add, change or delete targets from the chart, change the tests used for control, see the impact of
changing specifications for a capability analysis, change the option to update limits, etc.

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