If you are working with data that varies by date or timestamps, a timeline chart can be a useful visual element that you can create from your data.
Timeline charts are interactive charts that shows data in chronological order showing change over time.
In this tutorial, I will show you how to create a timeline chart in Google Sheets.
Table of Contents
What is a Timeline Chart?
A timeline chart is a type of graph or chart that shows data in chronological order.
They are useful when you want to look at data that changes over time.
Typically you use timeline charts when you want to analyze historical data.
Here is an example of a timeline chart:
Making a Timeline Chart
Timeline charts are very easy to make in Google Sheets because they are a built-in chart option.
To make a timeline chart we need to have a column with dates or timestamps, and columns of data associated with those dates.
Here is the data that I will use to create the chart with:
Once you have your data in your spreadsheet, you can begin to create your chart.
Here are the steps:
1. Highlight the range of data that you want to create your chart with
2. In the top menu select Insert>Chart
3. In the Chart Editor on the right side of your screen, select the drop-down arrow under the Chart type setting. Set your chart type to Timeline chart
4. You should now see that you have your chart created
Customizing a Timeline Chart
Timeline charts are interactive so you can zoom to view a certain time range by selecting the buttons at the top of the chart.
You have many other options for customizing your chart which you can find in the customize tab of the Chart editor.
If you want to remove the date range selector or zoom buttons from your chart, simply uncheck the boxes for those settings.
You also have other options for editing your chart like changing the date format, fill-opacity, line thickness, and min and max values.
Closing Thoughts
If you have data that changes over time, a timeline chart is perfect for displaying your data.
They are easy to make and allow for date range selection with their built-in interactive options.
There is not many customization options at this point in time compared to some other chart types, but you should still find chart useful.
More Google Sheets Tutorials:
How to Make a Funnel Chart
How to Make a Waterfall Chart
How to Make a Gantt Chart