Simulation inputs

On each Simulation Inputs tab, view the input values to plan the what-if scenarios that you want to run.

Cases inputs

The inputs on the Cases tab include the Number of Cases, Start Timestamp, and End Timestamp.

You can change the range of data by adjusting the Start and End Timestamps. For example, you might be interested in how an automation would have affected the bottlenecks you observed from a particular month.

If the number of Cases is high, consider changing the Number of Cases value to a lower number to reduce processing time. In the following figure, the Number of Cases is over 20,000. Changing this value to 500 Cases reduces processing time while still providing a valid sample for the simulation:

The What-if Cases tab provides fields to change the volume of data to include in the simulation. — What-if Cases tab

Activities inputs

The Activities tab is active if the data source (event log) contains at least two timestamps per activity, denoting the start and end of its execution. In Process Mining terminology, this type of event log is also referred to as a non-atomic event log. If the Activities tab displays editable fields, then you can use duration and standard deviation times for a simulation.

Event Logs that contain only one timestamp per activity are referred to as atomic event logs. These timestamps can represent the start or the end of an activity execution. If the event log is atomic, then you cannot edit this tab, as shown in the following figure:

The What-if Activities tab provides fields to change the durations of activities for the simulation. — What-if Activities tab

Resources inputs

Similarly to the Activities tab, the Resources tab is only editable if the data in your event log supports this type of simulation. You can include Resources inputs if the Resources column is included in the data source and also selected during the View creation.

The following figure provides an example of the Resources tab:

The What-if Resources tab provides fields to adjust the number of Resources for activities in the simulation. — What-if Resources tab

NOTE: When you run a simulation for a View that includes non-atomic events (events that use a Start and End Timestamp column), the simulation uses a queue for each activity with an estimated ideal value for Total Resources. If the simulated Average Case Duration varies drastically from the Average Case Duration in the original process, then you might need to edit the estimated resource values. For example, low resource values, such as 1 to 2 total resources for an Assigned activity, can lead to inaccurate simulation results for Average Case Duration. If you observe an unexpected level of variation, then on the Resources tab, change the Total Resources fields to 0 (zero) to bypass resources as a factor in the simulation. A value of 0 simulates processes automatically moving through the activities without relying on queues.

Transitions

Transitions represent the time passed between the execution of two activities in atomic event logs. If this tab is editable, then you can use any of its subtabs to input different transition values. As an example, in the following figure, you could reduce 3 hours and 21 minutes that it currently takes on average to go from the Assigned activity to the Dispatched activity. Reducing this time to an automation time, such as 5 seconds, helps you determine the expected ROI of the automation before you invest in that solution.

This tab includes 3 sub-tabs so that you can specify percentage, duration, and standard deviation values:

The What-if Transitions tab provides fields to change the durations from and to activities. — What-if Transitions tab

Advanced

On the Advanced tab, you can change the number of iterations in the simulation from the default value of 200.

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