Line Charts

Learn how to build line charts using X-Axis values and Series

Line charts are perfect for displaying trends over time by connecting data points with a continuous line. They make it easy to visualize changes and patterns in your data across intervals.

When to use Line Charts

Line charts work best when you want to:

• Track changes over time (sales trends, growth metrics, etc.)

• Compare multiple trends on the same timeline

• Show continuous data progression

• Identify patterns and anomalies in time-series data

Configuring Your Line Chart

Setting the X-Axis

The X-Axis typically represents your time dimension or categorical sequence. Choose a field that shows progression:

Best practices for X-Axis:

• Date/Time fields: Created Date, Purchase Date, Completed On, etc. (then choose grouping: Year, Quarter, Month, Week, or Day)

• Sequential categories: Quarter, Period, Phase

• Ordered values: Day of Week (Monday-Sunday), Age Groups

Using date fields: Select an actual date field (like "Created Date" or "Purchase Date"), then choose how to group the dates: Year, Quarter, Month, Week, or Day. Noloco automatically sorts dates chronologically (oldest to newest, left to right). You don't need a separate "Month" or "Year" field in your data.

Example: For tracking monthly sales, set your X-Axis to "Purchase Date" and group by "Month".

Adding Series (Y-Axis Values)

Series represent the values you want to measure and compare. You can add multiple series to show different metrics on the same chart.

For each series, you'll configure:

1. Y-Axis Value: The numeric field to display (e.g., Revenue, Count, Total)

2. Aggregation Method: How to calculate the value

   • Sum: Total of all values

   • Count: Number of records

   • Average: Mean value

   • Min/Max: Lowest or highest value

3. Series Label: A clear name for what this line represents

Example Configuration

Scenario: Track monthly revenue vs. expenses

X-Axis Configuration:

• Field: Order Date (or any date field)

• Group by: Month

Series 1:

• Label: "Revenue"

• Y-Axis Value: Revenue field

• Aggregation: Sum

Series 2:

• Label: "Expenses"

• Y-Axis Value: Expenses field

• Aggregation: Sum

This creates a line chart with two lines showing how revenue and expenses trend over each month.

Multiple Series Best Practices

When adding multiple series to a line chart:

• Use clear, descriptive labels for each series

• Limit to 2-4 series to maintain readability

• Ensure all series use the same units or are comparable

Common Use Cases

Sales Tracking Over Time

• X-Axis: Order Date (grouped by Month or Week)

• Series: Total Sales (Sum), Number of Orders (Count)

User Growth Analysis

• X-Axis: Created Date (grouped by Week or Month)

• Series: New Users (Count), Active Users (Count), Churned Users (Count)

Performance Metrics

• X-Axis: Timestamp (grouped by Day)

• Series: Response Time (Average), Error Rate (Count)

Tips for Better Line Charts

1. Choose appropriate time intervals: Match your X-Axis grouping to your data density (daily for recent data, monthly for yearly trends)

2. Start Y-Axis at zero: Unless showing small variations, starting at zero provides better context

3. Use filters: Add view filters to focus on specific time ranges or categories

4. Add context: Always include a clear chart title and subtitle explaining what the data shows