Timeframes
When viewing dashboards or editing data tiles in SquaredUp, you have the ability to select a "timeframe" for that dashboard / tile. This timeframe simply refers to the period of time for which the returned data is from.
For example, instead of showing data from the default last 24 hours, you can select any of the available options (e.g. last 7 days, last month) or customise (e.g. last 4 hours, specific date/time range).
By default, tiles inherit whichever timeframe the dashboard uses, and dashboards display data using a timeframe of the last 24 hours.
If all the tiles on a dashboard use a fixed timeframe then the dashboard's timeframe dropdown is disabled. Likewise, if a specific timeframe is unsupported then it is disabled in the dropdown.
Dashboard timeframe
The dashboard timeframe setting, located on the toolbar at the top of a dashboard, lets you easily toggle the time span that a dashboard displays data for.
Selecting a new timeframe immediately updates the data for every tile on the dashboard that is configured to inherit that dashboard's timeframe.
Setting a default timeframe
To set the default timeframe for a dashboard, click the pin
next to an option in the timeframe dropdown. This sets the initial timeframe that is used, whenever the page is loaded, for all viewers of the dashboard - including shared dashboard viewers.Tile timeframe
Normally, tiles on a dashboard will inherit that dashboard's timeframe, meaning that the tile data shown changes whenever you change the dashboard timeframe. However, you can choose to override this and set a fixed timeframe for a tile by configuring the Timeframe tab in the tile editor.
Fixed-timeframe tiles display their set timeframe value in a bubble next to their title, and the tile data does not change if the dashboard timeframe is changed.
You should indicate if a tile's timeframe can be changed in the name of a tile. For example, naming a tile Performance during the last week
indicated that the tile always displays data for the last week.
Custom timeframes
When using the timeframe picker to select the timeframe for a dashboard or tile, you have the ability to choose the Custom... option. Selecting this expands the Custom panel where you can define your own custom timeframe.
Once you've configured the settings for your custom timeframe, click the Apply button to update the dashboard/tile. Alternatively, you can click the Pin
button to apply the timeframe and also set it as the default.Timeframe settings
Use the following settings to flexibly define specific or relative timeframes, depending on your needs. You must define a range in both the From and To sections to capture your desired timeframe.
Calendar settings
You can optionally choose to configure the following settings in order to adjust the constraints of your calendar.
Relative timeframes
A variable timeframe (often called relative time) is defined in relation to the current time (i.e. now). For example:
- From:
Now minus 1 hours
- To:
Now exactly
These timeframes are dynamic, with the time window shifting as time moves forward.
Examples
Specific timeframes
A specific timeframe is one where the start and end times are explicitly defined and do not change unless manually updated. For example:
- From:
Specific 25/06/2025 00:00
- To:
Specific 25/10/2025 00:00
These timeframes are static and running the query at a later date will always give the same results. They are especially useful when returning data for historical analysis or reporting.
Examples
Automatic time range adjustments
Depending on the timeframe you choose, several processes are determined behind the scenes:
- Cache duration: Controls the cache refresh frequency of that data. In other words, the timeframe you pick also affects how "fresh" that data is. How long data is cached for
- Sampling interval: Determines the number of data rows returned for the given duration.
- Time rounding: The amount that the start and end of a timeframe is rounded by for optimal performance.
These automatic adjustments ensure optimal performance and appropriate data resolution for your chosen time range. Longer time periods use lower resolution to keep response times fast and data manageable.
Adjustment rules
Examples
Requesting 6 hours of data:
- Original:
13/06/2025 06:38 - 13/06/2025 12:38
- Adjusted:
13/06/2025 06:40 - 13/06/2025 12:40
(rounded to nearest 5 minutes) - Data points every 5 minutes, cached for 5 minutes
Requesting 14 days of data:
- Original:
30/05/2025 12:38 - 13/06/2025 12:38
- Adjusted:
01/06/2025 00:00 - 14/06/2025 00:00
(rounded to nearest 12 hours) - Data points every 12 hours, cached for 12 hours