Randomization in Excel

Advantages and Disadvantages of Randomizing using Excel

Advantages

Here are some of the advantages of randomizing using Excel :

• Balance/stratification can be achieved during a randomization using Excel.
• Randomization using Excel is simple to implement and produces a record.
• Since Excel is widely used, it is commonly understood and used by project staff.

Steps to Randomization in Excel

Here are the steps of doing a successful randomization using Excel:

• The first thing that needs to be done is to define a randomization rule. For example = the lowest 50% will be treatment, the rest will be assigned to control, etc.
• Assign random numbers to each observation. While doing this, use "paste values" to stop recalculating the randomization.
  =rand()
• Sort the random numbers from the lowest to the highest.
• Created an ordered serial number.
• Assign groups using either the mod or the if formulas.
• Save the record.