Line Chart

Overview

A Line Chart is a visualization used to display how a value changes over a continuous sequence, such as time. In this chart:

• The horizontal axis (X-axis) shows progression (for example, time, dates, or intervals).
• The vertical axis (Y-axis) shows the metric value.

The data points are connected using lines, making it easy to see trends, patterns, and changes over time. Similar visualizations are commonly seen in smartphone battery usage graphs or car mileage tracking displays, where users observe how values change over a period of time. In the same way, Line Charts help users understand operational and business trends more effectively. Line Charts are commonly used for time-series data or any data where the sequence matters. They are ideal for representing continuous data and comparing trends across multiple series.

Line charts are especially powerful for visualizing trends, patterns, and comparisons—turning raw data into actionable insights and helping your team make smarter decisions!

Why This Feature Is Useful

In banking and payment systems, teams constantly monitor metrics that change over time.

For example:

• Transaction latency
• Error rate
• CPU or system usage
• Transaction volume trends

A Line Chart helps users:

• Quickly identify increasing or decreasing trends
• Detect abnormal spikes or drops
• Compare multiple systems or services in one view

Example Scenario

A payment operations team wants to monitor transaction latency across systems.

They create a Line Chart panel:

• X-axis shows time (last 1 hour)
• Y-axis shows latency values

Multiple lines represent different systems.

By observing the chart:

• They identify a spike in latency for one system
• Use tooltip and legend values to pinpoint when the issue started
• Take action before it impacts more transactions

When to Use This Feature

Use a Line Chart when:

• You want to track changes over time.
• You need to monitor continuous data.
• You want to compare trends across multiple series.
• You want to visualize time-based metrics like:
  • Latency
  • Throughput
  • Error counts Avoid using Line Charts when:
• Data is not sequential.
• You only need distribution (use Pie Chart instead).

Comprehensive Understanding

You can configure a Line Chart within a dashboard panel. The configuration screen contains the following sections:

Visualization

On the right side of the screen, select Time series as the visualization type.

Once selected:

• The panel switches to a Line Chart view.
• Data is displayed as connected lines.
• The X-axis represents progression (typically time).
• The Y-axis represents metric values.

This step is mandatory. If another visualization is selected, the panel will not display as a Line Chart.

Panel Options

This section is used to define the basic details of the panel.

• Name – Used to identify the panel on the dashboard.
• Description – Provides context about what the chart represents. The description is available in the top-left corner of the panel and can be viewed by hovering over the information (i) icon.
• Panel Link – Allows you to attach a link to another dashboard or external URL.

You can configure:

• Title
• URL
• Open in new tab

Once configured, click Save to apply the link.

When the panel is clicked, the link opens based on the selected behavior. This is useful for navigating to detailed dashboards or external resources.

Tooltip

This section controls the information shown when users hover over the chart. Tooltip helps users inspect values at specific points without analyzing raw data. You can configure:

• Tooltip Mode
  • Single – Shows value for one data point.
  • All – Shows values for all series at that point.
  • Hidden – Disables tooltip.
• Hover Proximity
  • Defines how close the cursor must be to a data point to display the tooltip.
• Max Width
  • Controls the width of the tooltip box.

These settings improve data readability during analysis.

Legend

This section controls how series information is displayed in the chart. The legend helps users understand what each line represents. You can configure:

• Mode
  • List – Displays legend in list format.
  • Table – Displays legend in table format.
• Placement
  • Bottom
  • Right
• Width
  • Available when placement is set to Right.
  • Can be auto or manually defined.
• Legend Values
  • Last
  • First
  • Min
  • Max
  • Total

For example, selecting Last shows the latest value for each series.

Axis

The Axis section is used to configure all axis-related settings of the chart. The Line Chart uses:

• X-axis for progression (typically time).
• Y-axis for metric values.

You can configure:

• Time Zone - Controls how time is displayed on the X-axis.
• Placement - Controls Y-axis position (Auto, Left, Right, Hidden).
• Label - Adds a label to the Y-axis.
• Width - Sets axis width.
• Show Grid Lines - Auto / On / Off.
• Color
  • Text – Uses panel text color.
  • Series – Uses series color.
• Show Border - Enables or disables axis border.
• Scale
  • Linear
  • Logarithmic
  • Symlog
• Centered Zero - Centers Y-axis around zero.
• Soft Min / Soft Max - Adjust visible Y-axis range without hard limits.

These settings help improve readability and interpretation of values.

Standard Options

This section controls general display settings for the chart.

You can configure:

• Unit type – Defines how values are displayed (for example, ms, %, count).
• Min – Minimum value shown.
• Max – Maximum value shown.
• Decimal – Number of decimal places.
• Display name – Name shown for the series.
• Color scheme – Defines chart colors.
• No Value – What to display when no data is available.

These settings help make the chart more meaningful and readable.

Data Links

This section allows you to attach links to chart data. When configured:

• You can click on the data anywhere in the chart, and the link option will appear.
• Users can navigate directly to related dashboards or external pages.

This is useful when you want quick access to detailed views or related information directly from the chart data.

Value Mappings

This section allows mapping specific values to custom display text.

• When a defined value is detected, it is replaced with configured text.
• Matching values can also be highlighted using colors.

This improves readability when raw values are not user-friendly.

Threshold

The Threshold option is used to define value limits for the metric. You can configure thresholds to highlight specific ranges using colors. This helps users quickly identify when values cross expected limits and take immediate action.

Display modes:

• Not filled
• As lines
• As filled regions and lines

For example, for CPU usage:

• Yellow → Indicates moderate usage (for example, value = 20).
• Red → Indicates high usage (for example, value = 30).

This helps users quickly detect threshold breaches and take immediate action.

Add Field Override

This section allows you to override settings for specific fields. Overrides are used when different fields require different configurations. You can apply overrides based on:

• Name – Specific field name.
• Matching Regex – Fields matching a pattern.
• Type – Field type (number, string, boolean).
• Query – Fields from a specific query.

Steps:

1. Select the field type.
2. Select the field.
3. Select the override property.
4. Configure the property.

You can add multiple overrides. Selected fields will use overridden settings, while others continue using default configuration.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to create and configure a Line Chart panel:

1. Navigate to the Dashboard section and create a new panel.
2. Configure the query:
   • Select the appropriate data source
   • Define the query to fetch the required data
     (Refer to Dashboard Basics > Query)
3. On the right side of the screen, select Visualization → Time series.
4. In Panel Options, enter the panel name and description. Add a panel link if required.
5. Configure Tooltip settings:
   • Select Tooltip mode (Single, All, or Hidden)
   • Set Hover Proximity
   • Set Max Width if required
6. Configure Legend:
   • Choose mode and placement
   • Select legend values
7. Configure Axis settings:
   • Set time zone
   • Configure axis placement and label
   • Adjust scale and limits
8. Configure Standard Options:
   • Set unit type, min/max values, decimals, and color scheme
9. Configure Data Links (if required):
   • Add URL for navigation
   • This link appears when clicking on chart data
10. Configure Value Mappings (if required):
    • Map specific values to custom text
    • Apply color highlighting for matching values
11. Configure Thresholds:
    • Define threshold values
    • Select display mode (lines or filled regions)
    • Assign colors to different ranges
12. Configure Field Overrides (if required):
    • Click Add Field Override
    • Select field type (Name, Regex, Type, or Query)
    • Select the field
    • Select override property
    • Configure the property
    • Repeat if multiple overrides are needed
13. Save the panel. You can edit the panel later if required.

What Happens After the Steps

Once the panel is saved:

• The Line Chart appears on the dashboard.
• Data is displayed as connected lines.
• Tooltip shows values on hover.
• Legend shows series details.
• Thresholds highlight important values.
• Links and overrides work as configured.
• The panel can be edited anytime.

Tips / Best Practices

• Use Line Charts for time-based monitoring.
• Keep panel names clear and meaningful.
• Use thresholds to detect issues quickly.
• Use legend values like Last for real-time monitoring.
• Avoid too many lines in one chart.
• Use field overrides to differentiate important metrics.

Troubleshooting

1. Issue: Line Chart not displaying correctly.

   • Possible cause: Issue with query or data source.
   • Solution:
     • Verify that the query is correctly configured.
     • Ensure the correct data source is selected.
     • Check if the query is returning data.

2. Issue: No data visible in the Line Chart.

   • Possible cause: No data available for the selected time range.
   • Solution:
     • Check the global time selector.
     • Ensure data exists for the selected duration.
     • Try expanding the time range.

3. Issue: Line Chart appears empty or flat.

   • Possible cause: Incorrect Min/Max configuration or very small value variation.
   • Solution:
     • Verify Min and Max settings in Standard Options.
     • Adjust Soft Min and Soft Max in Axis settings.
     • Ensure correct metric is selected.

4. Issue: Tooltip not appearing on hover.

   • Possible cause: Tooltip mode set to Hidden.
   • Solution: Change Tooltip mode to Single or All.

5. Issue: Legend not visible or incorrect.

   • Possible cause: Incorrect legend configuration.
   • Solution:
     • Check legend mode (List or Table).
     • Verify legend placement (Bottom or Right).
     • Ensure legend values are selected.

6. Issue: Threshold colors not applied correctly.

   • Possible cause: Incorrect threshold configuration.
   • Solution:
     • Verify threshold values.
     • Check threshold display mode.
     • Ensure correct color mapping is applied.

7. Issue: Data link not working .

   • Possible cause: Incorrect URL configuration.
   • Solution:
     • Verify URL entered in Data Links.
     • Check if “Open in new tab” option is configured correctly.

8. Issue: Field override not applied correctly.

   • Possible cause: Incorrect field selection or condition.
   • Solution:
     • Verify selected field (Name, Regex, Type, Query).
     • Ensure override property is correctly configured.

FAQs

What is a Line Chart, and when should I use it?

A Line Chart is a visualization used to display how values change over time by connecting data points with lines.

• Best used for time-based or sequential data
• Useful for tracking trends such as latency, CPU usage, or transaction volume
• Recommended when you want to compare multiple series over time

How do I create a Line Chart in the dashboard?

• Create a new dashboard panel
• Configure the query with the appropriate data source
• Select Time series as the visualization type
• Follow the configuration steps in the Line Chart setup

How can I add a description to my Line Chart panel?

• Go to Panel Options
• Enter a name and description
• The description is visible from the information (i) icon on the panel

What does the tooltip show in a Line Chart?

• Tooltip displays data values when hovering over the chart
• It can show a single value or values for all series at a point
• Can be configured as Single, All, or Hidden

How do I customize the legend in a Line Chart?

• Go to the Legend section
• Choose mode (List or Table)
• Set placement (Bottom or Right)
• Select values such as Last, Min, Max, etc.

How can I highlight critical values in a Line Chart?

• Use Threshold settings
• Define value ranges and assign colors
• Helps identify warning or critical conditions quickly

What are field overrides, and when should I use them?

• Field overrides allow applying different settings to specific fields
• Useful when multiple series require different configurations
• Can be applied based on name, type, regex, or query

How can I add a link to another dashboard from my Line Chart?

• Use Panel Link to attach a link to the panel
• Use Data Links to attach links to chart data
• Configure title, URL, and open behavior

What should I do if values are not displayed correctly?

• Check Standard Options (Min, Max, Decimal)
• Verify selected fields
• Ensure correct unit type is applied