[en] The purpose of this paper is to provide a guide to the use of optical model computer programs to analyse and calculate neutron data. After a brief discussion of the physical basis of the optical model a survey is given of the most widely used optical model and Hauser-Feshbach computer programs. The range of applicability and reliability of the major optical potentials proposed is assessed by comparison with available experimental data and some observations and suggestions are made for the optimum choice of optical potentials for given purposes of neutron data calculations. (author)