You can use a timeline in Excel primarily to filter data based on time periods, particularly with PivotTables. To add one to your worksheet, click Analyze > Insert Timeline.
What is an Excel Timeline?
An Excel Timeline is an interactive filtering tool that lets you quickly filter data in a PivotTable or PivotChart by date and time. Think of it as a specialized filter specifically designed for dates.
How to Add and Use a Timeline
Adding a timeline to your worksheet is a straightforward process:
- Ensure you have a PivotTable: Timelines work directly with PivotTables that contain date fields.
- Navigate to the PivotTable Analyze tab: Select any cell within your PivotTable. This will activate the "PivotTable Analyze" tab (or simply "Analyze" in newer versions) on the Excel ribbon.
- Insert the Timeline: Click Analyze > Insert Timeline.
- Select the Date Field: A dialog box will appear showing the date fields available in your PivotTable's source data. Check the box next to the date field you want to use for filtering.
- Add to Worksheet: Click OK. The timeline will appear on your worksheet.
Once added, the timeline functions much like a slicer for filtering data. You can interact with it directly on the worksheet to change the range of time displayed in your connected PivotTable.
Filtering with the Timeline
Using the timeline to filter your data is intuitive:
- Select Time Periods: The timeline displays various time levels (Years, Quarters, Months, Days). Use the buttons at the top-right to switch between these levels.
- Drag to Select Range: Click and drag along the timeline bar to select a specific date range (e.g., a few months, a quarter, several years).
- Click to Select Specific Period: Click on a specific year, quarter, month, or day to filter for just that period.
- Clear Filter: Use the "Clear Filter" button on the timeline to show all data again.
You can insert a Timeline one time, and then keep it with your PivotTable to change the range of time whenever you like. This makes it a dynamic and convenient way to analyze trends and data over different durations.
Benefits of Using a Timeline
- Interactive Filtering: Provides a visual, drag-and-drop way to filter by date.
- Easy to Use: Simplifies complex date filtering compared to manual methods.
- Dynamic Analysis: Quickly switch between different time granularities (years, months, days).
- Saved with PivotTable: The timeline stays with your PivotTable, ready for use whenever you open the workbook.
By following these steps, you can effectively use a timeline in Excel to enhance your data analysis, especially when working with time-sensitive data in PivotTables.
