Time Series Plot Maker

How to make a time series plot

1. Copy the date/time column and the value columns together with their headers.
2. Click the column header (A) in the data table and paste - the first line becomes the column names. You can also open a CSV or Excel file.
3. Choose the time/date column and one or more value columns. Leave the time column at '(Row order)' to plot by row number.
4. Press Draw and check the trend interpretation. Right-click the chart to save or copy it as an image.

Time series plot vs line chart

A line chart re-sorts the points by X value before connecting them, while a time series plot connects them in the original row (time) order. It suits process data, sensor logs and daily or monthly results, where the measurement order itself matters.

Automatic date axis

If the time column holds common date/time formats such as 2024-01-15, 2024/01/15, 2024-01-15 08:30 or 20240115, it is recognized automatically and drawn on a real date axis, with year, month, day, hour or minute ticks chosen to fit the period. Other values are treated as numbers (sequence numbers, etc.).

How to read a time series plot

• A line that keeps rising or falling indicates a trend. The automatic interpretation reports a trend when the R² of a linear fit against row order is 0.5 or higher.
• Regular ups and downs may point to a periodic cause such as the day of the week or season.
• Sudden level shifts are worth recording - maintenance, material changes or new operating conditions.

Frequently asked questions

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