BoldDesk chart widgets support comparing data across different time periods using grouping. When the Show comparison over time option is enabled, the chart groups data by the selected time period, allowing you to compare trends and values over time and displays the results as separate series based on the selected group-by field. This article explains how the comparison works for standard fields and date fields, how to configure it, and what limitations apply.

Prerequisites

• Access to Dashboards with permission to create or edit widgets.
• A dashboard where you can add or edit a Chart widget
• The widget must use a time-based date range filter (for example, Today, This month).

How Time Period Comparison Logic Depends on Grouping Fields

When you configure a Chart widget with a metric value (for example, ticket count), a date range (current duration), and a Group By field, BoldDesk displays a comparison chart with Current and Previous period series. The logic used to determine the previous duration depends on the selected Group By field:

• Standard fields (Status, Priority, Agent, etc.): compare the current period with the previous equivalent period (for example, Today vs Yesterday).
• Date fields (Created On or Closed On) grouped by Month or Quarter: compare each period with the same period in the previous year (for example, May 2026 vs May 2025).

This ensures that time period comparisons are aligned with the grouping context and provide meaningful trend analysis.

How to Apply Show Comparison Over Time

1. Go to Dashboards and open the dashboard you want to update.

2. From the preferred custom dashboard, select Add Widget (or select an existing widget and choose Edit).
   
   

   
   
   

3. Create new widgets using template options or from Create New option

4. Select Chart as the widget type and set Chart Type to either Bar or Column.

5. Select the following required fields as per your preference;

   Field	Definition
   Aggregation	Method used to summarize ticket data (for instance, Count, Sum).
   Values	The metric or data field being measured (Ticket Count).
   Sort By	Determines how the report data is ordered (by value or Name, ascending/descending).
   X Axis	The category used to group data in the chart (for instance, Priority, Status, Agent).
   Data Format	Controls how values are displayed (for example, value, percentage or percentage with value).
   Date Filter	Defines the time period for tickets included in the report (for instance, created on, closed on or last modified on).

6. Check the box Show comparison over time.

7. Select the Date Filter. At least one date condition must be specified.

8. Click on add or update to save the widget. The widget will be displayed with current and previous values. Refer to GIF below for more insights.
   
   

   
   
   
   You can check show data labels to visualize and interpret data without hovering over individual data points. Explore How to Show Data Labels for Chart Widgets in BoldDesk Dashboards.

Use Cases

• Compare daily performance by status
  • Filter: Tickets created Today
  • Group By: Status Category
  • Output: Compare Today vs Yesterday across each status category.
• Compare month-over-month category distribution (current vs previous duration)
  • Filter: Tickets created This week
  • Group By: Category
  • Output: Compare This week vs last week across categories.
• Year-over-year trend validation
  • Filter: Tickets created This month
  • Group By: Created On (Month)
  • Output: Compare current month vs same month last year.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

• I don’t see comparison series after selecting Group By
  • Confirm the widget Chart Type is set to Bar or Column.
  • Confirm a valid date range is applied (the widget needs a current duration to compute the previous duration).
• The “previous” period is not what I expected
  • For standard fields, the previous period is the immediately preceding equal-length range (for example, Today → Yesterday).
  • For date-field grouping using Month/Quarter formats, the previous period is the same range from the previous year.
• The chart shows unexpected group values
  • Confirm the selected Group By field matches the data being measured (for example, Status Category vs Status).
  • Check whether filters (brand, agent, group, etc.) exclude expected results.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does BoldDesk compare when I apply Group By in a Chart widget?
   It compares the selected date range (current duration) against an automatically selected previous duration and shows both as separate series grouped by the selected field.

2. How is the previous duration calculated for standard fields like Status Category?
   The previous duration is the immediately preceding equal-length date range (for example, Today vs Yesterday).

3. How is the previous duration calculated when grouping by Created On/Closed On using Month or Quarter?
   The previous duration is the equivalent date range from the previous year (for example, May 2026 vs May 2025).

4. Which chart types support grouped by comparison over time?
   Only Bar and Column chart types.

Related Articles

1. Widget Types in BoldDesk Custom Dashboards
2. Custom Widgets: Create, Edit & Manage Dashboards Easily in BoldDesk
3. An Overview of Reports and Dashboards Available in BoldDesk
4. How to Create and Manage Dashboard Categories in BoldDesk