In July, we shared the most popular new features released in the first half of the year. Today, as 2020 draws to a close, we’re happy to bring you another collection of features - Volume 2 in our product greatest hits!
Integrations for AIMMS and Scripting languages like Python
You can now easily include the power of Python (and other scripting languages) into your AIMMS model, for example to pre-process input data using Machine Learning. We released a combination of libraries and documentation to give you ultimate flexibility in using the (scripting) service of the choice. Learn about these resources here.
Curious about the benefits of combining machine learning and AIMMS? Read this article.
AIMMS Developer
New features
AIMMS 4.75 and AIMMS 4.76 were action-packed releases with new features. Highlights include:
- The Grid Page Layout, which introduces the CSS Grid concept of visualization in page layouts - a widely-used standard in web design.
- Table filtering options, which allow you to narrow down the data in your table, helping you view only the information you need.
- Date-Time Picker, which makes it easy to differentiate between dates and maintain a reference when dates are used in tables.
- TimeZone support to configure multi-user time zone applications, ideal for teams using apps in several locations across the world.
Check out these best practices and a working example for multi-time zone applications
- Knitro 12, the latest version of this solver.
- Bar-line Chart, a new visualization feature that’s in high demand.
New Data Exchange Library
We also launched version 1.1. of the new Data Exchange Library (Version 1 shipped on July 2020). This version now also supports read/write capabilities to and from Excel and comes with improved (auto-)mapping features. To be precise, we added:
-
The ability to read/write tables to Excel, one table per sheet.
-
The ability to auto-generate mappings for JSON, XML, CSV and Excel based on model annotations, as well as new mapping attributes to support this.
AIMMS Network Design
Bill of Materials modeling and Custom Costs shipped in AIMMS Network Design
AIMMS Network Design now includes Bill of Materials modeling. This allows you to configure the Bill of Materials (BOM) and specify production conversions, extending your modeling capability to the end-to-end supply chain (including raw materials and intermediate products).
Custom costs can also be added at all points in the supply chain where physical costs are incurred. Example use cases are the addition of taxes and duties, carbon costs and inventory holding costs to the optimization.
Check out this tutorial and learn to model Bill of Materials and Custom Costs in AIMMS Network Design
Data Validation
We added validation checks to trap common data mistakes before they are imported.
Improved Control Panel and Spreadsheet template
We extended control over scenarios from the control panel in the browser so that the user can spend less time in the Excel template, and more time in the browser to configure scenarios. We also made changes to the input data template to make it more intuitive and easier to capture data required by the model.
Transport costing
We added further capability to model transport costs such as stepwise cost functions, and take or pay arrangements
Data separation
We added the ability to separate data between different business units and projects in the same environment.
UX 2.0: We are nearly complete with the UX (User Experience) upgrade for both Network Design and Center of Gravity, announced in last month’s update. In January 2021, you can expect workflows, side panels, status bars and other enhancements that will improve the user experience in the apps.