Permissions: Any Data Central user may create, save, and edit a visualizations privately for personal use. Saving a visualization as public or editing an existing public visualization requires the Data Central Designer privilege.

A Timeline chart 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

1. From Visualizations in the left navigation, click the New Visualization (+) icon.

   

2. Click Timeline to open the chart designer window.

3. In the Fields section, click the arrows, Data Store names, or Domain names to expand the data. Utilize the Search feature or scroll down to view all available domains and fields.

   

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

Note: System Tables contain operational data that can be used in visualizations. While non-eCS users cannot create visualizations on these tables themselves, they can request that visualizations be built on their behalf through their eClinical Solutions Project Manager, Customer Success Manager, Implementation Consultant, or Tech Services representative. Once created, any user with access to the visualization can view and use it. Tables available for request include: Issue - Tracks issues raised during data review.
Protocol Deviation - Stores protocol deviation records with details.
Protocol Deviation Comments - Stores comments on protocol deviations.
Query - Stores queries to sites.
Review Cycle Status - Tracks review cycle progress.
Review Objectives - Defines goals for data review processes.
Review Objectives Domains and Fields - Links objectives to specific domains and fields.
Review Objectives Review Materials - Associates roles responsible for review tasks.
Review Objectives Reviewer Roles - Assigns roles responsible for review tasks and risks.
Review Objectives Risks - Identifies risks linked to review objectives.
Review Status Metrics by Domain and Role - Measures review progress by domain and role.
Review Status Metrics by Domain and Role and Subject - Tracks review completion per subject, domain, and role.
Subject - Contains subject identifiers and demographics.

Define Measures

In the Timeline chart, a measure uses an event field with corresponding start and optional end date fields within the same domain. The chart can also show a single point in time. A label appears along the Y-axis, consisting of the subject identifier and the value from the event field used for the measure.            

1. Drag an appropriate field into the Measures section, and a popout opens with configuration options for the measure. Users may also click the 3-dot icon to open the popout.

   

2. The Timeline radio button is selected by default and displays a time span, whereas the Single Timepoint displays a single date.

   

3. To create a Timeline, choose fields for the start date and end date of the event. For a Single Timepoint, select the field that matches the date of the event. The event and time fields must be from the same domain.
4. When Timeline is selected, there are options for Bar Width. These include: Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large, and Full Lane. 
5. Click the Color drop-down arrow for a popout to customize the color.
6. Click the Symbol drop-down to select from the available options. These include: Circle (default), Square, Triangle Down, Triangle Up, Polygon, and Cross. This is an optional setting. 
7. The Label is automatically generated by default but can be updated. This is displayed at the bottom of the chart, under the X-axis.

8. Click OK and the chart preview updates: 

   

9. The visualization shows a Timeline or a Single Timepoint, where the Y-axis displays Subject ID and the value of the selected event field. The X-axis represents time. In a timeline, each event is shown as a bar stretching from its start date to its end date, with a symbol at each end of the bar. A single timepoint is displayed as the symbol. 
10. Additional measures can be added by dragging an appropriate event field in the Measures section. Follow steps 2 - 8 above, to configure the measure.

11. 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 appears when a user attempts to use more than 4096 records and only the first 4096 records are displayed in the chart.

Apply Filters to Measures

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.

1. Click the Filter icon next to the Measure to open the popout.
2. Use the default setting, Include Selections, or change to Exclude Selections.
3. Click Filter Field to open the list and select the field to filter by.
4. Click Operator to open list and select =, <, >, Null or Empty, or Between.
5. Click Filter Value(s) to open list and select the values to filter by.
    
6. Click OK. The chart opens filtered by the selected values and the filter icon becomes shaded.

Tip: Click in the whitespace to close the popout if the OK button is not visible.

Note: To filter out NULL values for a measure or the entire chart, select the Exclude Selections radio button and then choose the field to filter. Select the Null or Empty operator and click OK.

Note that the Dynamic Filter option is not allowed for the Null or Empty operator.

Apply Dynamic Filters

Dynamic Filters let users select predefined values from a popout menu at the top of the published chart. When viewing the table, users can pick one or multiple values from the popout menu, which immediately updates the chart to display the selected filter values.

Measure and Chart filters can be configured as dynamic.

1. Turn on Dynamic Filters by clicking the toggle switch.
   

2. Click the Optional Default Filter Value(s) and select the default values for the published chart. The list displays values that are defined in the original filter before it is converted to a dynamic filter. When opened, the chart is filtered using the selected defaults.

   If Select All is checked, the chart opens unfiltered, allowing viewers to choose values in the dynamic filter; the chart updates as selections change.

   

   If no default value(s) are configured, the chart opens filtered by the first value in the list.  

3. Click OK.

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

Apply Chart Filters

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

1. From the Fields section, select a field to filter the entire chart by and drag it into the Filters section and a popout opens. 
2. Use the default setting, Include Selections, or change to Exclude Selections.
3. Click Operator to open list and choose =, <, >, Null or Empty, or Between.

4. Click Filter Value(s) to open list and select the values to filter by.

   

5. Click OK. The chart opens filtered by the selected values. Up to 25 filters may be added.  
6. To apply Dynamic Filters to the chart, refer to the Apply Dynamic Filters section.

Note: Each Dynamic Filter, whether defined for a Measure, a Dimension, or at the Chart level, appears as a popout menu at the top of the published chart, allowing users to select one or more values. When users hover over any filter control, a tooltip shows the current selections.

Reorder / Remove Fields

Fields can be reordered or removed from any section in the designer window.

• Reorder Fields: Click and hold the 6-dot icon next to a field and drag it above or below another field.
• Remove Fields: Click the 'X' at the right of a field.

Add 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 appears at the top of the chart. 

Export / Import Timeline 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. 

Export a Timeline Chart Configuration

Click the Export icon in the upper right corner of the designer window. The configuration file downloads automatically.

Import a Timeline Chart Configuration

When importing a chart configuration, the created chart must match the exported chart type to ensure compatibility and consistency. 

1. Click the New Visualization (+) icon and select Timeline. 
2. After the designer window opens, click the Import icon in the upper right corner. 
3. In the popout, upload the configuration file.

Note: Users with the Data Central privilege can export or import thier own chart configurations. Users with the Data Central Designer privilege can also export and import chart configurations created by other users.

Toolbar Icons & 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*	Opens a popover menu to input filter parameters specific to the panel. This filter is not shown in the main Filter Panel in the left navigation. When the icon is shaded blue, the filter is active, and the icon turns into an Edit Filter option.
	3-dot*	Opens a popover menu with additional visualization options. This icon provides access to less frequently used tools that are hidden to keep the toolbar streamlined.
	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.
	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 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 the worksheet.
	Maximize*	Click to maximize visualization.
	Restore*	Click to restore the visualization to previous size.
	Close*	Click to close.

* Available in published chart only 
** Available in designer only

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

1. To open the Advanced Chart Settings window:
   • Click the Advanced button at the bottom right of the chart designer window.
   • Click the Advanced icon to the right in the chart designer toolbar.
   • The Advanced Chart Settings window opens at the left displaying the current settings.
2. Show Records For: This setting allows users 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 is shown on the chart. Data for subsequent measures only displays 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 are 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 are shown on the chart.
3. Group By: This setting lets users to specify how records are consolidated and displayed on the Timeline chart.
   • None:
     • Displays one row per record. A subject may have multiple rows if there are multiple records.
   • Measure:
     • Groups records for each subject and the Measure field. Records with the same measure value are combined into one row per subject.
   • Subject:
     • Groups records for each subject into a single row on the Timeline chart.
4. Measure Axis Label Visibility:
   • Show
   • Hide
5. Zoom Type:
   • Box
   • X-Axis
   • Y-Axis
     • This setting affects how the user interacts when using Drag to Zoom.
6. Legend Position:
   • Outside
   • Inside
7. Legend Horizontal Alignment:
   • Center
   • Right
8. Legend Vertical Alignment:
   • Bottom
   • Top
9. 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-dot icon 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.
10. 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-dot icon at the right of the values to select the line color, change the font color, and enter a label. Click OK.
11. Chart Notes:
    • Add text to describe the chart. Once a note has been added, the icon in the toolbar displays.
12. 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.
13. Click Save to save the 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 a specific date in the timeline.

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 display. 

When a saved visualization opens in the Chart Designer, the header displays the title, followed by the word Preview. A blue badge displays to the right of the title and shows the number of segments currently shown in the visualization.

The Save Chart window opens when users click Save for the first time or by clicking Save As. 

Tip: Clicking Save As on an existing visualization allows users to duplicate the chart with a different 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, enter or edit Save options.

1. Enter the Name of the Chart (maximum 100 characters allowed).

2. Select the folder where the chart is to be saved.

   Note: If users have the Data Central Designer privilege, they 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.

3. Select the Public or Private radio button. Only users with the Data Central Designer privilege are able to select Public.
4. Select the Roles (visible when saving public only, grayed out if the visualization is private). Users with the selected role(s) see and have access to the visualization.
5. Update the Scope: By default, the study the user is currently in, is selected. Click the drop-down next to Therapeutic Areas, Compounds, Programs, or Studies, and update as needed
6. 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

1. Hover over the visualization to edit.

2. Click the Edit icon. The Timeline Designer window opens.
   

   Note: Users may also click the Edit icon in the published chart's toolbar to open the designer window.

3. Edit any field in the Measures or Filters sections as needed.
4. Edit the Description.
5. Access Advanced Settings and make any changes.
6. Click Save to update existing chart OR click Save As to save as a new chart. 

Edit Settings

1. Hover over the visualization to edit the settings.
2. Click the Configure icon to open the Save Chart window.
   
3. Make updates in the Save window.
4. Click Save to confirm changes or Cancel to discard changes.

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.

1. Click the Manage icon located on the right in the master header. The Manage window opens.
   

2. Hover over the name of the item 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.

3. Click the Delete icon.
   
4. In the Delete Item confirmation window, click Delete (or click Cancel to cancel the action).