SmartPLS

2.0 M3
Release:
Whats New
and
Noteworthy
!

 Algorithm Parameter Settings Wizard

 Moderating Effects
 New: Blindfolding
 PLS-Report: Cross loadings, Communality, Redundancy, Cronbach's Alpha
 Workspace Selector
 New: Outline Window
 Indicators Window
 Improved Report Editor
 Bootstrapping
 Improved Data Editor
 Model Editor
 New: Report Menu
 Bugfixes

Algorithm Parameter Settings Wizard

We enhanced usability of parameter settings. The settings button in the task bar is removed. Instead, a parameter
settings dialog pops up for every SmartPLS computation.
Moderating Effects

We implemented a tool to support the product indicator approach for moderating effects proposed by Chin, Marcolin an
Newsted . We recommend to read their paper before you start modeling interaction effects with SmartPLS.

Modeling the interaction term for this kind of analysis is fairly easy. Please follow the instructs below or take a look at th
video.

Just hit the context menu on the dependent construct and choose "Create Moderating Effect".
Having reflective measurement model in both, predictor and moderator variable, the indicator variables of the predictor
and moderator constructs are used to generate new product indicators. These product terms measure the additionally
created interaction term in a reflective measurement model (see figure below). According to the paper by Chin, Marcoli
and Newsted it is recommended to mean-center or standardize the product indicators. Graphically moderating effects a
presented as follows:

If you change the measurement model of the predictor and/or the moderator variable AFTER you created a moderating
effect, it is critical to alter the product terms and the measurement model of the interaction term. This can be a nasty
time consuming job. Unlike other software applications, SmartPLS automatically updates the product indicators accordin
to changes in the measurement model of the predictor and/or moderator variable. JUST TRY IT!

Important note: The paper by Chin, Marcolin and Newsted states, that the product indicator approach should only be
applied in case of reflective modeled constructs. Remember this, when you model your constructs. SmartPLS does not
restrict the modeling in this case to provide the ability to explore the behavior of this technique.

New: Blindfolding

We implemented the blindfolding procedure that can be started from the calculate menu.

The procedure must be parameterized via the following property page. Apparently there is only a single paramet
which allows for changing the omission distance.

Note: The number of cases in your data must not be a multiple integer number of the omission distance (otherwi
the blindfolding procedure cannot be carried out).

The report for the blindfolding results contains the cross validated communality and the cross validated
redundancy for constructs as well as indicators.
PLS-Report: Cross loadings, Communality, Redundancy, Cronbach's Alpha

We added requested quality criteria to the PLS results report:

 Cross loading
 Communality
 Redundancy
 Cronbach's Alpha

Cronbach's Alpha can also directly be displayed as a result in the graphical model (this is a display option in the
preferences).

Workspace Selector

SmartPLS no longer depends on a fixed workspace directory for all your SmartPLS projects. Instead SmartPLS asks you
select a workspace directory during the startup routine. This enables you to manage different workspace on your
computer.

Note: It is possible, to zip and transfer workspace directories with all your projects from one computer to another!

The following dialog appears at the first SmartPLS startup. It allows you to specify the workspace directory that you like
use for the current SmartPLS session. The dropdown menu contains your recent workspaces.

If you do not want to manage different workspaces, you can remember the current location as your personal default by
checking the "use this as the default and do not ask again" option. (To re-enable the startup prompt: use the preferenc
settings, which are accessible via the Window -> Preferences menu - see the following screenshot).
New: Outline Window

We implemented an additional window with an outline perspective that can be used to navigate large models. The view
shows a tree structure of the current path model. Selecting variables in this view also selects the variables in the path
model, deleting variables in this view also deletes variables in the path model. Calculation results are also displayed in t
outline view. Please also check the context menu of this view for further options.

Indicators Window

We changed the presentation of the manifest variables in the indicators window. Manifest variables that are already use
in the current path model will be highlighted in yellow/black color. Unused manifest variables will be appear in black/wh
color.

For a better overlook during modeling you can show/hide indicators that are already used in the current model using th
button.

Improved Report Editor

We improved the presentation of calculation results in the integrated report editor. Captions of variables are no longer
truncated. Additionally variables are sorted in alphabetical order in all result matrices.

Note: All results can be easily transferred via copy and paste to other software applications (e.g. MS Excel).
Bootstrapping

It is now possible to display the t-values as a bootstrapping result directly in the path model.

In addition, we corrected some implementation problems. In detail, the following bugs have been fixed:

 problems with the random number generator induced double selection of the same cases on very fast compute
 the chosen sign change options were not applied during calculation,
 t-values were not correctly calculated .

Note: These changes do not seriously alter the bootstrapping results compared to the previous SmartPLS version. The
only exception are mixed sign measurement models path models that were bootstrapped with the construct level sign
option.

Improved Data Editor

We improved the user interface for the data editor that can be used to configure the correct data format for imported d
files.
Note: Additionally, missing values should be configured via this editor, too !

Model Editor

Preferences

We implemented a preference page, which can be used to customize functionalities of path modeling editor window.
Currently, there are the following settings:
Shortcuts

Furthermore, new shortcuts for the three editor modes allow for faster modeling:

 selection mode = STRG-1,

 insert mode = STRG-2,
 connection mode = STRG-3.

Alignment behavior

We corrected the behavior of aligned indicators. When adding an indicator to a latent variable that already has aligned
indicators using one of the four alignment options (top, bottom, left, right), the additional indicator is aligned in the sam
direction.

Furthermore the indicators will now be aligned in alphabetic order by default (see also the according preference setting)

Renaming variables

We replaced the in place editing component by a dialog due to some problems with larger path models.

Hidden indicators behavior

Some indicators displaying problems (indicators being blinded out) are corrected. In addition, hidden indicators are now
signalized by a bold caption of the construct's name.

Improved model presentation

As you can see in the following screenshot, we improved the model presentation. The caption of latent variables is now
placed outside the circle and will change its position according to the chosen indicator alignment.
Presentation of weights and loadings after applying the PLS algorithm

According to the construct type (formative, reflective) either weights or loadings will be displayed.

New: Report Menu

We provide a new report menu, which allows you to select the output format for the reports. The menu is also available
from the toolbar. There is a new Microsoft Excel report type available, which is still experimental.

Bugfixes
 Titles of all editors show the correct file names.
 Because of heavy-handed shortcuts, some letters could not be written in upper case in the model editor (fixed
now).
 Some headers in the bootstrapping result matrices were permuted (fixed now).
 Moving selected constructs and indicators caused errors in some cases (fixed now).
 Folding indicators caused errors under certain circumstances (fixed now).
 The project creation wizard caused errors, when a empty project name was entered (fixed now).
 Removed dead entries in the help menu (fixed now).
 Undo function crashed under certain circumstances (fixed now).
 Starting a new calculation did not clear result values displayed in the graphical model under
certain circumstances (fixed now).
 Missing value processing is activated by default now .
 Missing value processing was unnecessary applied to files that had no missing value configured (fixed now).
 Copying an active data into the source project of the file caused errors (fixed now).
 Customized report label settings were not applied (fixed now).
 Old result reports were cached, which lead to outdated results in the report view under certain circumstances
(fixed now).
 Corrected calculation of bootstrapping t-values.
 Bootstrapping sign changes settings were not applied (fixed now).
 Problems with the random number generator induced double selection of the same cases
on very fast computers (fixed now).
 Problems with missing GDI library on Windows (fixed now).
 Experimental t-values from PLS report are removed.
 Hitting the [Cancel] button during the calculation of bootstrapping and FIMIX-PLS caused errors (fixed now).
 The calculation of large models caused out of memory errors (fixed now).