Disaster Arrivals Daily

To create arrivals according to a pattern when given only daily summary information.

What you have, and what you need

This model object takes actual daily arrivals summaries from past events and creates patterns of arrivals by hour of day. It can be used to recreate events from the past, so you could check the effect of changes OR use a multiplying factor to modify past disasters and change the amplitude to prepare for larger or smaller events.

The object allows Arrivals to be processed for several divisions, center or departments in the same stream of arrivals separated by an attribute. Entity names and graphics could be changed by using an attribute.

The user can define what pattern is used to spread entities across the hours of the day. These are predefined patterns AND the patterns are changeable.

This model object can be used multiple times in the same model by saving the Excel file as a new name, and then linking a separate object to that new file. This means different disasters can have completely different patterns of arrivals.

Where to Find the Model Object

The Model Object is available at the following location within Model Objects:

• Arrivals \ Disaster Arrivals Daily

Difficulty Level

• Ease of Use: Moderate
• Ease of Modification: Moderate

How to Use the Model Object

1. Open Your Model
2. Insert the Model Object in Your Model: Locate the appropriate location where you would like to place the model object, move the view to the location and then insert the model object.
3. Use the Black Box as the Arrival: This means, when entities leave the black box, it is as if they are entering the model for the first time. Connect from the Black Box to the remainder of your model. The entity can be changed to any entity you choose. When changing the entity, don’t delete the arrival.
4. Right Click the Excel Icon and Click the Third Option from the Bottom to Open the Excel File

   Click Enable Content if prompted

   

5. Enter the Start Time: This will be the time each day when arrives start to enter your model.
6. Enter the Entity Name: Add the name of the entity connected target scheduled arrival. Make sure that the entity has a Scheduled arrival route and you have added a scheduled arrival.
7. Select the Hour of Day: The hour of day provides you with 4 options;
   1. More in The Morning: This option will make sure that most of the entities arrive in the morning time with some during the later parts of the day.
   2. More in The Afternoon: This option will make sure that most of the entities arrive during the afternoon time with some during the morning.
   3. Specific Mail Drops: If you would like to provide certain times with percentages of entities to drop at those times select this option. Selecting this option will enable the Time/Percent column, enter the times and percentages as as required. Make sure that the percentage equals to 100.
   4. Random: Choosing this option would randomize entity arrivals during the day.
      * If you would like to change the pattern used to spread  out entities over the day, contact support as we will help  you make that change.
8. Add the Scheduled Arrivals Along with Attributes: The Date and the Qty fields must be filled for each of the arrival. Optional attribute values can be added for each date. Attributes could be used to define “center” designation, type of action required, any other requirement. If an arrival does not require a specific value for the attribute you may leave the cell empty. For example, see the arrival scheduled for 03/11/19 in the picture below — it does not have a value for a_Action attribute. During the import, no attribute value will be added to the 3/11/19 arrival for “a_Action.”
   If you would like to increase or decrease the quantity of certain arrivals based on the first attribute values, you can enter the attribute descriptor in column I2 onwards and the % Change in column J2 onwards. The % change can positive or negative, a 5 for example will increase the quantity by 5% where as a -5 will decrease the quantity by 5%. You only need to enter the descriptors for which you need  to change the arrival quantity for, you can only enter up to 14 descriptors whose arrival quantities can be changed.
9. Import Data from the Spreadsheet to ProcessModel: Before clicking the Send to ProcessModel button  you may select one of the following 3 options in order instruct ProcessModel what it needs to do.
   1. Import Data: Selecting this option will import the data into ProcessModel after crunching the numbers and updating the exported Data file from ProcessModel. The Excel file will automatically export data from your model.
   2. Simulate Model: Selecting this option will simulate the model after completing all the actions mentioned in Import Data. Simulation animation will be off.
   3. Animation On: Selecting this option will simulate the model with animation on after completing all the actions mentioned in Import Data.

Verifying Import

After clicking the Send to ProcessModel button wait for a few seconds until you receive a relevant prompt via Excel or are moved to ProcessModel for model simulation. Once you are back in ProcessModel, you can look at the following location to make sure that the import was successful:

1. Click on the arrival route and from the Properties Dialog click Define Schedule, open the Action Logic and review the import values.

Advance Topics

Change the Graphic and Entity Name for Different “Centers.”

Entities from different “Centers, divisions, or departments” could enter using the same scheduled arrival. Change the entity name and graphic to reflect to the values set in one of the attributes.

If a_Center has values of Cntr1, Cntr2,  and Cntr3, AND entities are defined for the different centers (Center1, Center2, and Center3) THEN use the logic that follows to change the graphic and collect statistics under the specific entity name.

IF a_Center = Cntr1 THEN
{
NEWNAME(Center1)
}
ELSE IF a_Center = Cntr2 THEN
{
NEWNAME(Center2)
}
ELSE IF a_Center = Cntr3 THEN
{
NEWNAME(Center3)
}
ELSE
{
DISPLAY “Error defining entity name. Please check attribute names and entity names used in the to change the entity graphic and new_name.”
}

How to Use This for Two or More Arrivals?

The model can be used for two or more arrivals by simply creating a copy of the Excel file and changing the name of the entity to the name of the second arrival entity (step 6 above).

Once you have added the Disaster Arrivals Daily model object to your model and saved it, you can follow the steps below to have this model object work for two arrivals:

1. Open your model that has the Disaster Arrivals Daily saved with it.
2. Open the Excel file.
3. Click File \ Save As to save the file with a different name. Make sure you keep the test Disaster Arrivals Daily vx–x in the new name to make sure there is a way to know the version number of the file. This will be helpful if there is ever a need to debug an issue.
4. Close the Excel file and return to the model.
5. Right click on the Excel icon in your model and click Link Document.
6. On e the new window that appears, click Add File, brose to the new file created in step 3 and add it. Click OK.
7. Save you model to save the second Excel file as a package in the .SPG with the other Excel file. You should now be able to access and use the second Excel File using the same procedure as described under Model Object.