QPR ProcessAnalyzer Use Cases

Here are some important use cases for QPR ProcessAnalyzer functionalities.

Working with Large Datasets

When you have a model with a large set of data in QPR ProcessAnalyzer, you can use it for doing comprehensive process analysis by drilling down to a relevant set of data. For example, you can find out root causes for deviations in your process by running Influence Analysis using filters. This will help you smooth out and reduce those deviations and thus improve your process. Below are some methods for dealing with a large data set when analyzing a process.

Method 1: Create Base Model with Filtering

When dealing with a large amount of data, it is important to find the relevant set of data for your analysis needs and focus the attention to that part of the process. For example, you can take a baseline process and create a sub-model from it by using e.g. a specific region as the selected attribute to filter the data.

To achieve this, do as follows:

1. Open your model in Project Workspace. Flowchart Analysis will open.
2. Select Profiling Analysis from the ribbon.
3. From the Profiled Attribute in Settings, select the attribute you want to base your analysis. In our example this attribute is region.
4. Select the attribute you are interested in from the list and then Include Only (Cases) from the ribbon.
5. Now the Flowchart Analysis shows you the sub-model with focus on the particular region you selected. You can also repeat the steps 2-5 using a different attribute to get information related to other attributes than region.
6. You can then rename the filter you created (in Manage Filters) so it is easier to find and also make it the Model Default filter.

Next Step: Adjusting the Sample Size

After you have found the focus of your analysis by limiting it to relevant data using the methods described above, you can increase the sample size to include more cases which match your chosen data focus.

To adjust the sample size, do as follows:

1. Open the Manage Filters dialog from the ribbon.
2. Select the filter you have created and open Properties.
3. In the Sample Size group box, select the All: radio button to include all cases (or enter an integer to the Limit To: field if you want to define the limit yourself).

Detecting Parallelism in Business Processes

QPR ProcessAnalyzer can be used for discovering and analyzing parallelism in business processes. The Event Type, Path, and Flows analyses are used as the starting points for parallelism analyses. After discovering the parallel branch, it can then be further analyzed with, for example, Flowchart Analysis by excluding other Event Types.

Event Type Analysis to Detect Parallelism

The Event Type Analysis in the Chart mode shows the relative time period for the occurrences of each Event Type. Then it's just a matter of checking which Event Types appear on the same time period, and you see the parallelism:

Path Analysis to Detect Parallelism

Path analysis graphically shows the Successors for each Event Type. This is a graphical way to discover the Event Types that act as starting points for parallel branches:

You can also have the Path Analysis show the ending points of the parallel branches by selecting the Predecessors direction:

Flows Analysis to Detect Parallelism

The Flows Analysis makes it possible to discover starting and ending Event Types for parallel branches for the whole model. In the example below, one of branching Event Types is the Sales Order Event Type:

Process Simulator

QPR ProcessAnalyzer Process Simulator is a script that produces simulation logs for QPR ProcessAnalyzer: File:QPR PA Simulation.xlsm.

Instructions

1. Copy the Flow Table from your QPR ProcessAnalyzer model to the Process Simulator as a new sheet.
2. Click the START SIMULATION IN Flow Table MODE button on the SIMULATION sheet.
3. Enter the amount of cases to be created by the simulation.
4. Import the data into QPR ProcessAnalyzer as a new model.

Source Code

Dim EventRow
Dim Transitions
Dim Stage
Dim program_start As Date
Dim simulation_start As Date
Dim case_start As Date
Dim SimulationResultWorksheet As Worksheet
Dim SimulationDataWorksheet As Worksheet
Dim SimulationActiveWorksheet As Worksheet
Dim FlowTableMode

Sub QPR_PA_FlowTable_Simulator()
  Call QPR_ProcessAnalyzer_Simulator(True)
End Sub

Sub QPR_PA_Simulator()
  Call QPR_ProcessAnalyzer_Simulator(False)
End Sub

Sub QPR_ProcessAnalyzer_Simulator(ByVal mode As Boolean)
  
  Dim case_id As Long
  Dim case_name As String
  Dim total_cases As Long
    
  On Error Resume Next

  Set SimulationActiveWorksheet = Application.ActiveSheet

  FlowTableMode = mode
  
  Set SimulationDataWorksheet = Nothing
  
  If (FlowTableMode) Then
    Set SimulationDataWorksheet = Application.Worksheets("Flow Table")
    If (SimulationDataWorksheet Is Nothing) Then
      MsgBox ("Parameter sheet named 'Flow Table' not found, please open the Flow Table with QPR ProcessAnalyzer before running the simulation")
      Exit Sub
    End If
  Else
    Set SimulationDataWorksheet = Application.Worksheets("SIMULATION_DATA")
    If (SimulationDataWorksheet Is Nothing) Then
      Call CreateSimulationDataWorksheet("SIMULATION_DATA")
    End If
  End If
  
  Set SimulationResultWorksheet = Nothing
  Set SimulationResultWorksheet = Application.Worksheets("SIMULATION_RESULT")
  If (SimulationResultWorksheet Is Nothing) Then
    Set SimulationResultWorksheet = Application.Sheets.Add
    SimulationResultWorksheet.Name = "SIMULATION_RESULT"
  End If
      
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells.Clear
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(1, 1).Value = "CaseId"
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(1, 2).Value = "Activity"
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(1, 3).Value = "Time"
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Columns("A:C").ColumnWidth = 30
  
  EventRow = 2
  Transitions = 0

  program_start = Date + Time
  case_start = program_start

  total_cases = InputBox("Enter the amount of cases", "QPR ProcessAnalyzer Simulator")

  For x = 1 To total_cases
    case_name = "Case_" + Str(x)
    SimulationActiveWorksheet.Cells(1, 1) = case_name  'show counter for user
    
    Stage = "START"
    simulation_start = case_start
    
    Dim i
    i = 0 'counter i is used to limit maximum amount of events per one case in order to break execution of infinite loops
    Do While (GetNextStage() And (i < 1000))
      If ((FlowTableMode) And (case_name = "END")) Then
        Exit Do
      End If
      
      Call WriteEvent(case_name, Stage, simulation_start)
      i = i + 1
    Loop
  Next
    
  SimulationActiveWorksheet.Cells(1, 1) = ""
    
  Dim comment_text As String
  comment_text = "QPR ProcessAnalyzer Simulator" + Chr(10)
  comment_text = comment_text + "Start: " + Format(program_start, "ddmmyyyy hhmmss") + Chr(10)
  comment_text = comment_text + "Total cases: " + CStr(total_cases) + Chr(10)
  comment_text = comment_text + "Total created events: " + CStr(EventRow - 1) + Chr(10)
  comment_text = comment_text + "Transitions in simulation data: " + CStr(Transitions) + Chr(10)
  comment_text = comment_text + "Duration: " + Format(Date + Time - program_start, "hhmmss") + " (hhmmss)" + Chr(10)

  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(1, 1).AddComment
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(1, 1).Comment.Visible = False
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(1, 1).Comment.text text:=comment_text
      
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(1, 1).Comment.Shape.Width = 200
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(1, 1).Comment.Shape.Height = 150
   
  comment_text = comment_text + "To upload simulation results to QPR ProcessAnalyzer:" + Chr(10)
  comment_text = comment_text + "1. Activate the SIMULATION_RESULT sheet containing the results" + Chr(10)
  comment_text = comment_text + "2. Log into QPR ProcessAnalyzer" + Chr(10)
  comment_text = comment_text + "3. Open Model Manager and press Import" + Chr(10)
  comment_text = comment_text + "4. Select 'Events', desired model and start import" + Chr(10)
     
  MsgBox (comment_text)
     
End Sub

Function GetNextStage()
  Dim rnd_probability
  Dim row_probability
  Dim counter
  Dim row_stage
  
  Dim start_event_col
  Dim end_event_col
  Dim probability_col
    
  If (FlowTableMode) Then
    start_stage_col = 2
    next_stage_col = 3
    probability_col = 10
  Else
    start_stage_col = 1
    next_stage_col = 2
    probability_col = 3
  End If
  
  rnd_probability = Rnd * 100

  counter = 2 'actual transitions start from row 2, first row is for column headers
  Do
    row_stage = SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(counter, start_stage_col)
    If row_stage = "" Then
      GetNextStage = False 'end of material, next stage not found
      Exit Function
    End If
    If row_stage = Stage Then
      row_probability = SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(counter, probability_col)
      If rnd_probability < row_probability Then
    
        If (Stage = "START") Then case_start = simulation_start
        Stage = SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(counter, next_stage_col)
        
        If (FlowTableMode) Then
          If (row_stage = "END") And (Stage = "END") Then
            
            GetNextStage = False 'Flow Table contains row END -> END, prevent loop
            Exit Function
          End If
          simulation_start = simulation_start + GetDuration(SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(counter, 13) / 5, SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(counter, 14) * 5)
        Else
          simulation_start = simulation_start + GetDuration(SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(counter, 4), SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(counter, 5))
        End If
    
        GetNextStage = True 'next stage found OK, exit function
        Exit Function
        
      Else
        rnd_probability = rnd_probability - row_probability
      End If
    End If
      
    If (Transitions < counter - 1) Then Transitions = counter - 1    'total amount of transitions in the simulation data, for reporting only
    
    counter = counter + 1
  Loop
  
End Function

Function GetDuration(ByVal d1 As Long, ByVal d2 As Long)
  Dim ZeroToOne
  
  Do
    ZeroToOne = Rnd
  Loop Until ZeroToOne > 0
  
  GetDuration = d1 + (d2 - d1) * Application.WorksheetFunction.BetaInv(ZeroToOne, 1.5, 3)
End Function

' WriteEvent writes one event row to
Sub WriteEvent(ByVal case_name As String, ByVal act As String, ByVal starttime As Date)
     
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(EventRow, 1).Value = case_name
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(EventRow, 2).Value = act
  SimulationResultWorksheet.Cells(EventRow, 3).Value = starttime
  
  EventRow = EventRow + 1
  
End Sub

Sub CreateSimulationDataWorksheet(ByVal sheet_name As String)

  MsgBox ("Workbook does not contain sheet '" + sheet_name + "', creating a sample")
  Set SimulationDataWorksheet = Application.Sheets.Add
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Name = sheet_name
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(1, 1).Value = "Start"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(1, 2).Value = "End"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(1, 3).Value = "Successor Probability"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(1, 4).Value = "Min Duration"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(1, 5).Value = "Max Duration"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Columns("A:E").ColumnWidth = 20

  
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(2, 1).Value = "START"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(2, 2).Value = "Lead"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(2, 3).Value = 100
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(2, 4).Value = 1
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(2, 5).Value = 2
  
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(3, 1).Value = "Lead"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(3, 2).Value = "Contact"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(3, 3).Value = 60
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(3, 4).Value = 1
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(3, 5).Value = 20
  
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(4, 1).Value = "Lead"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(4, 2).Value = "Offer"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(4, 3).Value = 40
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(4, 4).Value = 2
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(4, 5).Value = 40
  
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(5, 1).Value = "Contact"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(5, 2).Value = "END"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(5, 3).Value = 100
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(5, 4).Value = 0
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(5, 5).Value = 0
  
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(6, 1).Value = "Offer"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(6, 2).Value = "END"
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(6, 3).Value = 100
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(6, 4).Value = 0
  SimulationDataWorksheet.Cells(6, 5).Value = 0
  
End Sub