QI Macros Knowledge Base

An on-line user guide for all of the charts, tools and features in QI Macros

QI Macros SPC Software for Excel has more than 40 charts, 140 fill-in-the-blank-templates, 30 statistical tests and powerful data mining tools. The best way to find a specific item is to use the search box in the top right corner of any webpage.

From left to right, QI Macros menu is organized into these categories. Click on an item to go to that section of the knowledge base.

Here are some key essentials about QI Macros.

The Basics

• Excel Add-in
• Macros
• Templates

QI Macros is an Excel add-in. It installs a new tab on Excel's menu. From the QI Macros tab, you can access all of the charts and tools in QI Macros. No need to learn or import data into a separate application. Better yet, all of the charts and tools you create are Excel files and can be formatted, copied and shared just like any other file.

Macros are "mini-programs" we have written to tell Excel how to perform calculations and create charts. All of the macros work the same. Just select your data, click on QI Macros tab and select the chart or statistical test you want. If you are not sure which chart or test is right for your data, use one of our Wizards.

QI Macros has templates for any tool you will need. To open up any QI Macros template, just click on the QI Macros tab and then the template you want. All input areas are shaded in yellow for easy identification. Gray shaded areas are calculations that you generally want to stay away from. Many templates are made up of several worksheets, so take a look at the worksheet tabs to see all of your options.

Some templates use Excel's drawing tools, some are pre-formatted forms to help you create documents, some are input forms that automatically create charts and some are powerful calculators that perform analysis like Gage R&R and DOE studies.

QI Macros Unique Features

Wizards: Analyze your data and select the right chart, control chart, or statistical test for you.

Charts menu that automates common tasks like adding data, recalculating control limits, remembering and applying custom formats.

Built in rules that mistake proof your data selection and can interpret the results for you. Here are just a few examples:

• Our control charts turn unstable points and trends red
• Our histograms will tell you if your process looks unstable and recommends you run a control chart first
• Our statistical tests will tell you if you "can reject null hypothesis" or "cannot reject a null hypothesis (accept null hypothesis)"
• Our Gage R&R template calculates NDC to tell you if you have enough part variation for a valid Gage R&R Study

QI Macros Charts and Tools

To access descriptions and step by step instructions for each tool, click on one of the tabs representing QI Macros menu and click on the tool. From left to right, QI Macros menu is organized into these categories: