Infographics are a great way to capture user attention and communicate key concepts. Why? Because they combine relevant information with graphic impact to increase retention and engagement.
Data backs up this common-sense assertion: Research found that people retain 65% of the information they see โ but only 10% of the information they hear โ and spend 39% less time searching for the content they need when itโs displayed in infographic format.
One of the most compelling uses for this functional format? Timeline graphics. These date and data delivery vehicles offer a way to quickly communicate important information โ from key dates in your companyโs history to upcoming project milestones or predicted market trends.
Of course, itโs one thing to see the value in timeline graphics and another to actually create attractive and effective visuals. In this piece, weโll tackle timeline tactics for familiar applications including Google Docs, Word, Excel, Google Sheets, and Powerpoint.
3…2…1…letโs go!
What is a timeline graphic?
While thereโs no single format for timeline graphics, the most common composition uses four parts:
- Data
- Visual
- Header
- Description
Each timeline element contains all four parts, and elements are then arranged in left-to-right order of oldest-to-newest events. This format offers simplicity of form and function โ elements are easy to read and identify, and the โflowโ of time is simple to spot.
Letโs say youโre creating a timeline of key events in your corporate history using this framework. It might look something like this:
This (very basic) example was made in Google Docs and uses an arrow to denote the passage of time. Dates above the line are paired with brief details below. Some timelines will include both a header โ such as merger โ with a longer description below. How much information is worth including depends on the complexity of the topic at hand, whoโs going to be using the chart, and its overall purpose. In this case, our graphic element is the line itself but you can also insert relevant images of people or places associated with the event to increase user engagement.
Another common graphic timeline format runs top-to-bottom with earlier dates at the top of the page and later dates further down. To maximize space many of these top-to-bottom templates alternate information left-and-right down the line.
How to Make a Timeline on Google Docs
So how do you make a timeline graphic?
1. Create a picture.
Head to โInsertโ, then select โDrawingโ and โ+ Newโ. This will bring up a new window that looks like a checkerboard.
2. Start drawing.
Select the โLineโ button from the top menu and choose โArrowโ. Then, draw a line across the screen. To make sure itโs straight, look at the left-hand side โ if you only see one line, itโs level. If you see more than one, itโs at an angle.
3. Enter your text.
Click on the Text Box tool โ represented as a T surrounded by a box โ and create a box above or below your line to start adding details. You can either copy and paste multiple boxes to ensure consistent sizing and spacing or use a single, giant text box. While the latter option is quicker to create (we used it) the natural left-to-right format of the box means youโre limited in how information appears.
4. Save and close.
When youโve entered all of your timeline data, click โSave and Closeโ and the image will be automatically added to your Google Doc.
How to Make a Timeline in Word
Maybe you donโt like Google Docs, maybe your company uses Microsoft Office exclusively, or maybe you donโt like the idea of potentially shared timelines. Whatever the case, itโs also possible to create a timeline graphic in Word.
1. Insert SmartArt
Open a new Word document and head to the โInsertโ tab, then select โSmartArtโ.
2. Find your timeline.
From the new menu that appears, select โProcessโ. This will bring up a host of potential timeline graphic options, everything from single, large arrows to connected text boxes to linked circles. The simplest option is the โBasic Timelineโ which contains dots embedded in a large, transparent arrow.
3. Enter your data.
Use the text pane located on the left-hand side to enter your timeline data. Pressing โEnterโ creates a new timeline entry โ if you need to add more information to a specific timeline item, press Shift+Enter to create a line break.
4. Customize your timeline.
Customize your timeline dots and arrow with shapes or colors to achieve your desired look.
Word does not automatically calculate time between events; as a result, all items on your timeline will be equidistant from one another. If you need to communicate a larger span of time, you can drag events further apart manually, but this will eventually distort the graphic.
How to Make a Timeline in Excel
If you enjoy using Microsoft Office for creating timelines but want to make things more difficult for yourself, try building an Excel timeline. While the finished product offers easily-accessible data in a familiar format, the effort required is significantly more substantial.
1. Create a data table.
Create a three-column table in Excel that contains your timeline data. Use the first column for dates and the second for event titles. In the last column, enter a series of numbers โ these numbers will determine the height of your timeline plots. You can set them all to the same height with the same number or different heights in a repeating pattern depending on your preference.
2. Insert a scatter chart.
Select โInsertโ from the top Excel menu, then โChartsโ, then select a Scatter chart.
3. Import your data.
Right-click the chart that appears and choose โSelect Data Source.โ Select the โAddโ button in the โLegend Entries (Series)โ menu that appears. Click on the small spreadsheet image that appears next to the โSeries X valuesโ box, then choose the column of dates you created.
Then, select the small spreadsheet next to the โSeries Y valuesโ box and choose the data in your timeline height column. Click โOKโ and youโll create a scatter chart with dates at the bottom and dots at varying heights.
4. Eliminate gridlines, add error bars.
Select your chart and find the โ+โ in the upper-right to bring up the Chart Elements menu. Uncheck โChart Titleโ and โGridlinesโ, then check โData Labelsโ and โError Barsโ
5. Connect the dots.
Head to the โError Barsโ menu option and select โNo Lineโ for your Series X Error Bars โ this will remove the horizontal lines on each side of your data points. For your Series Y Error Bars, set the direction to โMinusโ and the Error Amount to โ100%โ. This will create vertical lines between your dates and your data points.
6. Insert event titles.
In the โFormat Axisโ menu, select โSeries 1 Data Labelsโ, uncheck โY Valueโ, and select โValue from Cells.โ Then, click the small spreadsheet icon. Select your event titles column and then click โOKโ.
This should create a basic timeline with dates along the bottom and data points at varying height, each with a small description above. If desired, you can add extra formatting and color options from the Format Data Series menu.
How to Make a Timeline in Google Sheets
The polar opposite of Excel, Google Sheets makes it easy to create project timeline.
1. Create a new timeline.
Open Google Sheets and select the โProject Timelineโ option.
2. Customize.
Edit your timeline. Change any text box, add colors, and modify dates as required. While customization is bounded by the basic format of this Gantt chart, Google Sheets offers one of the easiest ways to create and share a timeline.
How to Make a Timeline in PowerPoint
Making a timeline in PowerPoint is almost identical to the process used in Word.
1. Select your design.
Head to the โDesignโ tab and select your theme.
2. Insert SmartArt.
Click on โInsertโ, then โSmartArtโ.
3. Choose and fill your timeline graphic.
Select the timeline you prefer and it will be created with three elements. Add text to the elements directly, and use โAdd Bulletsโ to add bullet points below. Select โAdd Shapeโ to additional timeline sections.
Timing is Everything
Timeline graphics add convenient context to otherwise dry data points. From details about your company from inception to current interaction to in-depth project milestone markers, visual timelines in Google Docs or Sheets, or Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint offer a way to capture critical data while simultaneously boosting viewer interest and bolstering information retention.