Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is a highly popular multivariate data analysis method. The SmartPLS 3 software program helped many marketing researchers analyze the complex relationships between latent variables (i.e., mediation, moderation, etc.), which they measured by means of sets of observed variables. This program’s intuitive graphical user interface and various features, such as new metrics (e.g., HTMT, model fit indexes), advanced techniques (multigroup analysis, PLS_predict), and complementary techniques (e.g., confirmatory tetrad analysis, importance-performance map analysis), which impacted many business disciplines. SmartPLS 4 represents a significant leap forward in development with its completely revamped graphical user interface, faster processing speed for data estimation, and new model assessment features (i.e., cross-validated predictive ability test, endogeneity assessment, and a necessary condition analysis). This paper reviews SmartPLS 4 and discusses its various features, thereby providing researchers with concrete guidance that fits their analytical research goals.

偏最小二乘结构方程模型（PLS-SEM）是一种非常流行的多元数据分析方法。SmartPLS 3 软件程序帮助许多营销研究人员分析潜在变量（即中介、调节等）之间的复杂关系，他们通过观察变量集来测量这些关系。该程序直观的图形用户界面和各种功能，例如新指标（例如，HTMT、模型拟合指数）、先进技术（多组分析、PLS_预测）和补充技术（例如，验证性四分体分析、重要性绩效图分析） ，这影响了许多商业学科。SmartPLS 4 凭借其完全改进的图形用户界面、更快的数据估计处理速度以及新的模型评估功能（即交叉验证的预测能力测试、内生性评估和必要条件分析），代表了开发方面的重大飞跃。本文回顾了 SmartPLS 4 并讨论了其各种功能，从而为研究人员提供了适合其分析研究目标的具体指导。