Create and Manage Timeline Charts in Visualizations

Permissions: Any Data Central user can create, save, and edit a visualization, but the user must have the Data Central Designer privilege to save a visualization as public or edit public visualizations.

A Timeline chart is a visualization that displays events sequentially along a time axis, usually the x-axis, with the events represented on the y-axis. This format enables users to track events, durations, and patterns over a specific time period. Timeline charts are useful for visualizing patient visits, treatment phases, adverse events, and other data that depend on time. They are particularly helpful for recognizing overlaps, delays, and correlations within time-related information.

Create a Timeline Chart

Start from the left navigation, locate the Visualizations section, and click the '+' New Visualization icon.
Click Timeline to open the chart designer window.
In the Fields section, click the arrows, Data Store names, or Domain names to expand the data. Scroll down to view all available domains and fields.

In the example below, the Search feature was used to locate the AETERM (Term for the Adverse Event) field in the Clinical data store and the Adverse Events domain by typing part of the field name.

Tip: Search also supports dot notation, e.g. DataStore.Domain.Field.

Customize Measures

In the Timeline chart, a Measure acts as the label for each data point, determining how events are displayed along the y-axis.

Drag the AETERM field into the Measures area within the designer, and a pop-up will appear with configuration options for the measure. You may also click the 3-dots next to the measure to open the pop-up.
The Timeline radio button is selected by default and displays a time span, whereas the Single Timepoint displays a single date. In this example, Timeline is selected.
Click in the Start Field textbox and select a date field from the drop-down list that includes all the fields in the selected measure's domain. This field should indicate a date, timepoint, or numeric study day. The AESTDAT (Start Date) has been chosen.
Click in the End Field textbox and select a date field from the drop-down list that includes all the fields in the selected measure's domain. This field should indicate a date, timepoint, or numeric study day. The AEENDAT (End Date) has been chosen.
When creating a Timeline (instead of a Single Timepoint), select the Bar Width drop-down to adjust the width. Large is selected, and the available options include Extra Small, Small, Medium (default), Large, and Full Lane.
Select the Color drop-down arrow for a pop-up to customize the color and change the default if desired.
Click the Start/End Symbol textbox to view a selection list. Circle is selected, and the available options include Circle (default), Square, Triangle Down, Triangle Up, Polygon, and Cross. This is an optional setting.
The Label is automatically generated by default but can be updated. The label has been changed to Adverse Events.
Click OK and the chart preview updates:

The visualization presents a timeline where the y-axis shows Subject ID and Adverse Events, while the x-axis represents time. Each event is depicted as a bar that extends from its start date to its end date, with a circle at each end of the bar.
To add an additional Measure locate the CMTRT (Medication / Therapy Name) field in the Concomitant Medication domain, and drag into the Measures area. Configure the pop-up as seen below:
- Start Field: CMSTDAT
- End Field: CMENDAT
- Bar Width: Large
- Start/End Symbol: Polygon
- Label: Medication / Therapy
Click OK and the chart preview updates.
Notice how the two fields used as Measures are presented along the y-axis, with the timeline displayed along the x-axis.

Important: A warning message will appear when a user attempts to use more than 4096 records and only the first 4096 records will be displayed in the chart.

Add a Filter to a Measure

A filter can be applied to a measure using fields that belong to the same domain as the measure. Keep in mind that only one filter condition can be applied to the measure.

Click the Filter icon next to the measure to open the pop-up.
The default setting is Include Selections, which can be changed to Exclude Selections if preferred.
Click in the Filter Field textbox to open the drop-down menu and select the field to filter by. In this example, AESER (Serious Event) was selected.
Open the Operator drop-down menu and choose from the available options: =, <, >, Null or Empty, or Between. In this example, '=' has been selected.
Select the values to filter to in the Filter Value drop-down menu. This example includes No and Yes.

Note: After defining any filter for the chart, the filter icon will become shaded.

Tip: To collapse or expand each area (Measure, Filters), click the down / up arrows. Click the box icon to view only one area and collapse all other areas.

Dynamic Filters

Dynamic Filters allow users to select predefined values from a drop-down menu located at the top of the finalized chart. When viewing the chart, users can pick one or multiple values from the drop-down menu, which immediately updates the chart to display the selected filter values.

Turn on Dynamic Filters by clicking the toggle switch.
Click the Optional Default Filter Value(s) textbox to select the default values that the published chart filters to when opened. In this example, both values are set as defaults, which means the chart will open filtered by both values.

If no default value(s) are configured, the chart will filter by the first value in the list, opening with all records filtered by No.

Click OK.

Tip: Click in the whitespace to close the drop-down if the OK button is not visible.
When viewing the published chart, a drop-down menu with the filter values appears at the top for the AETERM measure. To apply the filter, click the drop-down arrow. Then, click the blue box labeled 2 selected to view both values available for filtering.
Select the values to filter, then click Apply, and the chart will immediately reflect the applied filter.

Note that now the blue box shows the value selected, which is No in this case.
To apply a filter to the second measure, click the Filter icon next to the CMTRT measure and configure the filter as seen below:
- Include Selections: Checked
- Filter Field: CMINDC (Indication)
- Operator: =
- Filter Value(s): Adverse Event, Medical History, Other, Prophylaxis
- Dynamic Filter: On
- Optional Default Filter Value(s): Adverse Event, Medical History (The chart will open filtered by the default values).
Click OK.

The published chart now has a drop-down menu with the filter values at the top for the AETERM measure. To apply the filter, click the drop-down arrow. Then, click the blue box labeled 2 selected to view the four values available for filtering.

Chart Filter Section

The filters applied in this area affect the entire visualization and are not limited to a single domain like the filters for measures. This flexibility makes filter creation more versatile.

From the Fields section, locate the field SUYN (Has tobacco ever been used?) in Clinical data store and Smoking History domain and drag it to the Filters section.

Keep the default Include Selections. Accept the '=' operator, then click on the Filter Value(s) and select the desired value(s) from the drop-down. Click OK, and the selected filter value will be reflected in the chart.
In this example, to use Dynamic Filters, turn the toggle switch on. Click on the Filter Values(s) and Select All. Click on the Optional Default Filter Value(s) and Select All. Click OK to proceed.
A drop-down menu will appear at the top of the published chart, allowing you to select the filter value(s) and chart will update depending upon selection. When hovering over any filter drop-down, a tooltip will appear displaying the selected value(s).

Up to 25 chart filters may be added to the visualization.

Reorder / Remove Fields

Click and hold the 6-dots next to a field and drag it above or below another field.
Click the 'X' at the right of a field to remove it.

Add A Chart Description

Enter a Chart Description in the text field above the preview in the chart designer. When the published visualization is viewed, this description will appear at the top of the chart.

Export / Import Chart Configuration

After creating or editing a chart, the chart configuration can be exported directly from the designer. This allows users to easily replicate their charts across different environments, eliminating the need to recreate them manually. To export, click the Export icon in the upper right corner of the chart's designer window and it will download the configuration file.

When importing a chart configuration, the created chart must match the exported chart type to ensure compatibility and consistency. To import a chart configuration, click the '+' New Visualization icon and select Timeline. After the designer window opens, click the Import icon in the upper right corner. This will open a pop-up to upload the configuration file.

Note: Users with the Data Central Designer privilege can also export and import charts created by other users.

Toolbar Actions

Each chart includes a toolbar in the top right corner (in both the chart designer and the published chart), with icons that vary based on the chart type. Below are the icons available for a Timeline chart.

ICON	ICON NAME	DESCRIPTION
	Edit	Click to open Chart Designer window.
	Add Filter	Click to open a pop-up window to enter filter parameters. Click OK. This filter applies to the panel only and does not appear in the Filter Panel in the left navigation.
	Tooltips	Click to activate / deactivate the tooltips that display when hovering over a chart.
	Rotate Chart	Click to rotate the chart (switch the x-axis and y-axis).
	Legend	Click to show / hide legend. Show legend is active by default, click to hide the legend.
	Range Selector	Becomes available when there are over 50 x-axis values. When activated, it displays at the bottom of the chart.
	Group by Subject	Only available in Chart Designer when configuring a timeline chart, it groups the chart by subjects. Click to show each subject in a row.
	Zoom Out	Click to zoom out and view the entire chart (without the scrollbars on top). By default, a chart opens, displaying a readable amount of data, and the user can use the scrollbar at the top to move right and left.
	Drag to Zoom	Click to activate. Once it is activated, click and drag over the section of the chart you wish to zoom in on.
	Chart Notes	Click to see Chart Notes (added during advanced chart configuration).
	Exporting	Click to access a drop-down menu to print or export to PDF, PNG, or JPG.
	Advanced	Only in the chart designer; click to open the Advanced Chart Settings, which opens on the left side of the window.
	Dock	Click to dock the visualization to your sheet.
	Maximize	Click to maximize visualization.
	Restore	Click to restore the visualization to previous size.
	Close	Click to close.

Note: When an icon is highlighted blue, it indicates that it is activated / on, whereas when icon is gray it is deactivated / off.

Advanced Chart Settings

The advanced settings enable a user to specify the settings for measures, axis, legend and more, tailoring the view for the chart's purpose.

The To open the Advanced Chart Settings window:
- Click the Advanced button at the bottom right of the chart designer window.
- Click on the Advanced icon to the right in the chart designer toolbar.
- The Advanced Chart Settings window opens at the left displaying the current settings.
Show Records For: This option allows the user to select which subjects are displayed on the chart.
- First Measure:
  - When the 'First Measure' option (default) is selected, only subjects that meet the first measure’s criteria and have data available for the first measure will be shown on the chart. Data for subsequent measures will only be displayed if the data’s associated subject also has matching data for the first measure.
- All Measures:
  - When the 'All Measures' option is selected, a subject that meets the criteria and has data available for any of the measures will be shown on the chart.
- Matching Measures:
  - When the 'Matching Measures' option is selected, only subjects that meet the criteria for and have existing data in all of the measures will be shown on the chart.
Measure Axis Label Visibility:
- Show
- Hide
Zoom Type:
- Box
- X-Axis
- Y-Axis
  - This setting affects how the user interacts when using Drag to Zoom.
  - Charts created prior to 24.1.0 will retain their X-Axis zoom configuration until modified.
  - Starting from the 24.1.0 release, charts will have the default setting of Box zoom.
Legend Position:
- Outside
- Inside
Legend Horizontal Alignment:
- Center
- Right
Legend Vertical Alignment:
- Bottom
- Top
Vertical Reference Line:
- Upper Limit
- Lower Limit
  - Add an additional reference line by clicking on the '+' sign.
  - Click the 'X' at the right of an entered limit to remove it.
  - Click the back arrow to reset / clear entered limits.
  - Optional: Click the 3-dots at the right of each limit to add a label, select the line color, add the width of the line, select the dash style of the line, and click Highlight Outlying Data if appropriate. Click OK.
Vertical Highlight Strip:
- Start Value
- End Value
  - Add an additional strip by clicking on the '+' sign.
  - Click the 'X' at the right of an entered strip to remove it.
  - Click the back arrow to reset / clear entered strip values.
  - Optional: Click the 3-dots at the right of the values to select the line color, change the font color, and enter a label. Click OK.
Chart Notes:
- Add text to describe the chart. Once a note has been added, the icon in the toolbar will be displayed.
To close the Advanced Chart Settings window:
- Click the 'X' in the top right corner.
- Click the Advanced button on the bottom right of the page.
- Click the Advanced icon in the toolbar.
Click Save to save your changes, or click Cancel and any changes are canceled.

Tip: In the example shown below, we added a green Vertical Reference Line and a lavender Vertical Highlight Strip to emphasize data before September 1, 2020.

Tip: If Chart Notes were added, the icon appears in the published chart's toolbar. If a user clicks on the Chart Notes icon, the entered text displays.

Save / Save As

When first creating a visualization, only the Save button displays in the bottom right corner. Once a visualization is saved, both the Save and Save As buttons will display.

Upon opening a previously saved visualization in the chart designer, the title is displayed on the toolbar, followed by the word Preview.

The Save Chart window will open when you click Save for the first time or by clicking Save As.

Tip: Clicking Save As on an existing visualization allows you to duplicate the chart with another name or save the visualization as a new one with different settings from the original visualization, whereas clicking Save updates the existing visualization.

When the Save Chart window opens, you can enter or edit Save options.

Enter the Name of the Chart (maximum 100 characters allowed).
Select the folder where the chart will be saved.
Note: If you have the Data Central Designer privilege, you may also add a new folder by hovering over a current folder and clicking the add folder icon. Remember, managing folders after they are created (editing and deleting) is done through the Manage icon in the top right on the master header of the Data Central Landing page.
Select the Public or Private radio button. Only selectable with Data Central Designer privileges.
Select the Roles (visible when saving public only, grayed out if the visualization is private). Users with the selected role(s) will see and have access to the visualization.
Update the Scope: By default, the study you are currently in is selected. Click the drop-down next to Therapeutic Areas, Compounds, Programs, or Studies, and update as needed.
Click Save to confirm save settings or Cancel to cancel changes.

Edit a Timeline Chart

Visualizations can be edited for their content, which includes the data they represent, the description, and advanced settings. Visualization settings (found in the Save window) can also be updated and saved under a new name, to a different folder location, changed from private to public (Data Central Designer privileges required), assigned different roles (if public), and adjusted with a new scope.

Edit Content

Hover over the visualization name you wish to edit.
Click on the Edit icon (the pencil).

Note: You many also click the pencil (edit) icon in the published chart's toolbar to open the designer.
The Timeline Designer window opens.
Edits can be performed on all fields in the Measures or Filters sections in the same way as when creating the chart.
Edit the Description.
Access Advanced Settings and make any changes.
Click Save to save edits to the chart you are viewing OR click Save As to save as a new chart.

Edit Visualization Settings

Hover over the visualization name you wish to update.
Click the Configure (gear) icon to open the Save Chart window.
Make updates in the Save window.
Click Save to confirm changes or Cancel to cancel.

Delete a Visualization

Saved Visualizations, Workspaces, Filter Sets, and Advanced Filters are deleted from the Manage icon in the master header. Users must have the Data Central Designer privilege to delete items saved as public; however, all Data Central users can delete items they have saved as private.

Click the Manage icon located on the right in the master header. The Manage window opens.
Hover over the name of the item you want to delete.
Tip: Hover over the icon at the left of the item name to see a tooltip that identifies the type of item, for example, Saved Workspace, Advanced Filter, or type of Visualization.
Click the Delete icon.
In the Delete Item confirmation window, click Delete (or click Cancel to cancel your action).