# Model what-if scenarios with the Data Simulator

> Describe a system and let AI build a live Data Simulator on your MockFlow board, with charts that play over time and sliders to try what-if changes, pin scenarios and export reports.

Source: https://mockflow.com/docs/model-what-if-scenarios-with-the-data-simulator

The **Data Simulator** is a small live model on your MockFlow board. You describe a system, such as a course launch, a sales funnel, a queue at a help desk or the growth of a membership, and AI builds charts that play out over time with sliders for the numbers you want to test. Move a slider and the charts change at once, so a group can explore "what if we doubled the ad budget?" together.

![A Data Simulator for an online course launch with charts of students enrolled and revenue, a pinned scenario as a dashed line, and what-if sliders for price, ad budget and referral rate](https://assets.mockflow.com/docs/media/00dcf735fd7c46f7909503456eab04ac.webp)

## Create a simulation with AI

1. Click **Add anything** (the plus button) in the toolbar at the bottom of the board and choose **Data Simulator**.
2. Click **Create simulation**.
3. Describe the system to simulate, for example "Students and revenue for an online course over 12 months, with price, ad budget and referral rate as controls", and click **Generate**. **Examples** offers ideas such as forecasts, funnels, growth models and queues.

To ground the model in real numbers, attach a CSV or TSV file with **Attach a CSV/TSV data file to ground the AI**. The file needs a header row and must be under 2 MB.

**Modify with AI** changes the model with a prompt, for example to add a control or another chart.

## Try what-if changes

Click **Interact with Component** (the hand button) to use the simulator.

![The Data Simulator with numbered markers on a what-if slider, the Play button and Pin scenario](https://assets.mockflow.com/docs/media/5e5739bd18784079995a9043afdb1842.webp)

1. **What-if controls:** move a slider, or change a toggle, knob or number, and the charts update.
2. **Play** runs the model over time, and **Back to start** rewinds it. Drag along the timeline to jump to any step.
3. **Pin scenario** keeps the current result as a dashed line, so you can change the controls and compare the two.

The gear button shows or hides the controls panel.

## Export a simulation

Choose **Export simulation** in the toolbar to download a **Report** (PDF), an **Image** (PNG), the **Results** (CSV) or the **Model spec** (JSON).

> **Plan** The Data Simulator is available on every plan. Creating and changing a simulation with AI uses AI credits. It is not available in the desktop app's file mode or inside Jira and Confluence. See [MockFlow pricing](https://mockflow.com/pricing/).

## Next steps

- [Add a chart and edit its data](/docs/add-a-chart-and-edit-its-data)
- [Work with numbers in a spreadsheet](/docs/work-with-numbers-in-a-spreadsheet)