1. The MODEL statement specifies Var1, but the RANDOM statement specifies Var2. Do you mean to have Var2 rather than Var1 in the RANDOM statement?
-- Yes, I want Var2 to be random.
2. Do you mean to have the NOINT option in the MODEL statement? Generally, I think you would want a fixed-effect intercept which would be the estimated mean of the random intercepts for Store_Numbers. Using NOINT is not wrong, it's just a different parameterization (which affects the "hand-calculation" you are attempting).
-- I am using an intercept in the Random statement, as I want an intercept for each Store. The model fit gets worse if I use fixed-effect intercept.
3. Store_Number is not in a CLASS statement, which is acceptable as long as the dataset is sorted appropriately.
-- Data is sorted, so no issues here.
If the model you use for "hand-calculation" with the parameter estimates matches the model you specify with the MIXED procedure, then you should get the
same result (with perhaps a touch of rounding error).
-- I am using the same variables and the same betas from the model - but the forecasted sales using the equation and the model are still different. Hard to say if it's a rounding error - difference is in the range of 0.1 to 0.6 for sales per sqft.
How do I take care of the rounding error (if this is the cause)?
Thanks!
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