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Goal Seek is a powerful tool in Excel that allows you to find the input value needed to achieve a specific goal or outcome. This tool is particularly useful for financial modeling and decision-making, as it can help you determine the necessary inputs to reach a desired result. In this article, we’ll cover how to use Goal Seek in Excel, along with an example of its application.

Using Goal Seek in Excel

To use Goal Seek in Excel, you need to have a formula or set of formulas that depend on an input value. For example, let’s say you have a formula that calculates the monthly payment for a loan, based on the loan amount, interest rate, and number of payments. The formula might look like this:

=PMT(B2/12,B3,B1)

In this formula, cell B1 represents the loan amount, cell B2 represents the interest rate, and cell B3 represents the number of payments. The formula calculates the monthly payment based on these inputs.

To use Goal Seek to determine the loan amount needed to achieve a specific monthly payment, follow these steps:

  1. Enter the formula for the monthly payment in a cell in your worksheet.
  2. Enter the desired monthly payment in a nearby cell.
  3. Click on the “Data” tab in the Excel ribbon.
  4. Click on “What-If Analysis” in the “Data Tools” group.
  5. Click on “Goal Seek” in the drop-down menu.
  6. In the “Set Cell” box, enter the cell that contains the formula for the monthly payment.
  7. In the “To Value” box, enter the desired monthly payment.
  8. In the “By Changing Cell” box, enter the cell that represents the loan amount (cell B1 in our example).
  9. Click on “OK” to run Goal Seek.

Excel will then calculate the loan amount needed to achieve the desired monthly payment. The result will appear in cell B1.

Example of Using Goal Seek in Excel

Let’s take a look at a real-world example of using Goal Seek in Excel. Imagine that you are trying to plan for retirement and you want to determine how much money you need to save each month in order to have a certain amount of money saved up by the time you retire.

To do this, you’ll need to know a few key pieces of information:

  • Your current age
  • The age at which you plan to retire
  • The total amount of money you want to have saved up by the time you retire
  • The estimated rate of return on your retirement investments

Using this information, you can calculate how much money you need to save each month in order to reach your retirement savings goal.

Here’s how to set up the calculations in Excel:

  1. In cell A1, enter “Current Age”.
  2. In cell A2, enter “Retirement Age”.
  3. In cell A3, enter “Total Savings Goal”.
  4. In cell A4, enter “Estimated Rate of Return”.
  5. In cell A5, enter “Monthly Savings Needed”.
  6. In cell B1, enter your current age.
  7. In cell B2, enter the age at which you plan to retire.
  8. In cell B3, enter the total amount of money you want to have saved up by the time you retire.
  9. In cell B4, enter the estimated rate of return on your retirement investments (as a percentage).
  10. In cell B5, enter the following formula:
=PMT(B4/12,(B2-B1)*12,,-B3)
AB
Current Age30
Retirement Age65
Total Savings Goal$1,000,000
Estimated Rate of Return5%
Monthly Savings Needed

The formula in cell B5 is: =PMT(B4/12,(B2-B1)*12,,-B3)

This formula calculates the monthly savings needed to reach your retirement savings goal, based on your current age, retirement age, savings goal, and estimated rate of return.

Once you’ve entered the formula, you can use Goal Seek to determine the monthly savings needed to reach your retirement savings goal. Here’s how:

  1. Click on the “Data” tab in the Excel ribbon.
  2. Click on “What-If Analysis” in the “Data Tools” group.
  3. Click on “Goal Seek” in the drop-down menu.
  4. In the “Set Cell” box, enter the cell that contains the formula for the monthly savings needed (cell B5 in our example).
  5. In the “To Value” box, enter the amount of money you can realistically save each month.
  6. In the “By Changing Cell” box, enter your current age (cell B1 in our example).
  7. Click on “OK” to run Goal Seek.

Excel will then calculate the age at which you will be able to retire with your desired savings goal, based on the monthly savings amount you entered. The result will appear in cell B1.

This example illustrates how Goal Seek can be used to make financial planning decisions based on a desired outcome. By adjusting the input values (such as the monthly savings amount), you can determine the necessary changes to reach your goal.

Limitations of Goal Seek in Excel

While Goal Seek can be a useful tool in Excel, it does have its limitations. For example, it can only adjust one input cell at a time, and it may not be able to find a solution if the inputs are too complex or the formula is not set up properly.

In addition, Goal Seek does not always provide the most accurate or precise solution. It is a quick and easy way to estimate the input value needed to reach a specific outcome, but it may not take into account all of the variables or factors that could impact the result.

Conclusion

Goal Seek is a valuable tool in Excel that can help you make informed decisions based on a desired outcome. Whether you are planning for retirement, trying to meet a sales goal, or analyzing financial data, Goal Seek can help you determine the necessary input values to reach your goal.

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can use Goal Seek in Excel to quickly and easily find the input value needed to achieve a specific result. With its versatility and ease of use, Goal Seek is a powerful tool that can help you make informed decisions and achieve your goals.