General replication instructions

Specific instructions

1. Download model and all supplementary files (see below)
2. Install IFs
3. Add supplementary files to their specified locations (see below)
4. Add new country groupings to IFs (see below)
5. Add new display lists to IFs (see below)
6. Add new data to IFs (see below)
7. Run the scenarios (see below)

Necessary files

IFs Model: Link to download IFs (version specific to publication)

Scenario files: Link to download SCE files

Country grouping: Link to download country transmission file

Variable display lists: Link to download display list transmission file

Data tables: Link to download additional data or project data

General Instruction

How to add scenario files

Scenario files can be simply added to IFs once they have been downloaded. Within Window’s File Explorer, access the Local Disk. From here locate the Users file, then choose Public. Within the Public folder will exist the folder which houses all data and files for IFs. Within this folder choose the Scenario folder. Create a new folder and copy over all scenario files that are necessary for the reproduction of desired results. For more information on scenario analysis in IFs please see here.

How to add variable lists from a transmission file

To add a new variable list requires the proper transmission file which should be found with all necessary replication files. Select the Display tab and the Flexible Display sub-option. From this flex display screen select the List Features tab, the Exchange List sub-option, and the Import Lists command. From here select the replications proper transmission file and the proper variable list and click import. The proper lists may now be found in the Flexible Display. For more information on the use of display lists,  please see here. 

How to add country groupings from a transmission File

To add a new country group, access the Manage Groups/Countries/Regions through Extended Features. Choose to Change Groupings/Regionalization and select the option to Exchange Groups. Then select the Import Groups option, then select the transmission file that will have been included in necessary materials for replication. From this screen the right groupings may be selected and then imported.

How to add or update data

To add new data tables into IFs, select Manage Country Data through the Extended Features tab. Then access Import Data (Single Series) through the Historical Data File Processing tab. This will prompt a new form to pop-up. Open the Excel File which contains the data through the Open Excel File tab and select the proper sheet, the proper excel sheet data format option, country-name starting location, and year starting location. If this series is updating a previously existent series in IFs, then select this series under Existing Variables and choose the proper Country Translation table. Once all is finished, select Import.

How to add Project Data

In order to create a new Project Data option, access the ProjectData folder the following location: This PC > Local Disk > Users > Public > IFs > DATA > ProjectData. Copy and paste the new .mdb file to this folder. Project data may then be added through accessing Manage Country Data, Historical Data File Processing, and then Project Data all through the Extended Features Tab. Load Project Data, then select the .mdb file. IFs will then be prompted to rebuild the base, follow this process to successfully update the project data.

How to rebuild the Base Case

Within the Extended Features tab, choose Rebuild Model Base and then select the Rebuild Base sub-option. Select all boxes that apply to the changes that have been made within the IFs system. Leave the year at 2100 and click Rebuild Base. Follow further prompts to begin the rebuild of the model base. From this point, the model must then be run. Select the Scenario Analysis tab, from here select the Run option and the Single Run sub-option. Set the year to 2100 and allow the model to run.

How to run individual scenarios

Once scenario files have been added to IFs a scenario may then run. Access the Scenario Analysis tab and select Quick Scenario Analysis with Tree. The imported scenario files should appear upon this list. Select the proper scenario, scenario parameters, and dimensions. Should country groupings be desired hit the Using Countries tab. The scenarios effect can then be adjusted to high, low, or a custom level. Once all has been properly selected select the Run Scenario option. The scenario will then load and a screen to select the run year may be selected, generally choose to run scenarios to 2100. When all is selected, Start Run.

How to batch run scenarios

The batch run feature in IFs runs multiple scenarios in succession and saves each resulting run files. To do this, select the ‘Run’ sub-option from ‘Scenario Analysis’ in the main menu bar and then select the option to perform a ‘Batch Run’. From this point all folders contained within the ‘IFs/Scenario’ folder should be visible. Navigate to the desired folder, choose a run horizon, and then press ‘Select.’ IFs will then run each scenario contained within the selected folder save them as a sperate run file.

Visualizing results

There are many ways to visualize Base Case and scenario results in IFs. The Flexible Displays allows a user to select displays that contain a wide variety of forecasted variables (sometimes in combination with historical data series), create graphs and view tables of these displays both singly or in combination with others, and even do analysis using comparison and relationship options in the menus. Not all of the variables available in IFs can be found in Flexible Displays, as its purpose is to provide users with an access to commonly-used variables for forecasting. If you wish to access the full range of variables and parameters, you can do so in Self-Managed Displays.