What is ChartFacts?
ChartFacts collects diverse sets of data from around the web and makes them available to users in a standard chartable format. Using
proprietary methodologies, ChartFacts allows users to easily discover, compare, and share charts of almost anything. ChartFacts
currently maintains over a million chartable sets of data organized into hundreds of thousands of data tables. Most of our data is
updated on a period basis. If there is data you would like to see here at ChartFacts that we don't already have let us know by using
the Feedback link above. ChartFacts leverages Microsoft's Silverlight technology to enable powerful interactive charts that can be
customized to a user's specific preferences. This also allows us to do live updates on charts you create or embed in different places
around the web as new data becomes available. Chances are that your computer already has the Silverlight software that you need, but
if it doesn't you will need to download Silverlight from Microsoft.
How is ChartFacts organized?
Data at ChartFacts is stored in data tables. Each table may contain one or more columns of data. Each column can be included as a line
on a chart. For example, a data table on Microsoft (NYSE: MSFT) might contain columns including: daily closing stock prices, stock
price moving averages, daily market cap, quarterly revenues, and much more. When creating charts, users can compare columns of data
from within the same data table (Microsoft's stock price compared to its quarterly revenues) or from many different tables (gold prices,
consumer price inflation, and the civilian unemployment rate).
How do I build a chart?
First, the data table containing the column of data to be placed on the chart must be located. This can be done by: (1) using the
Search Bar in the page header, or (2) by navigating the list of categories on the left-hand column of the homepage. To find
Microsoft's stock price history, type "microsoft" or "msft" into the Search Bar. ChartFacts returns two "most popular" charts that
it thinks you might be looking for. In this case, one is a chart that contains Microsoft's: (1) stock price, (2) quarterly revenue,
and (3) quarterly net income. Beneath the "most popular" charts, ChartFacts returns the full list of tables you might be looking for.
You will be able to see just below each table a list of the columns available for charting that are contained in that table. In this
case, select the very first table, "Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT)", by clicking on the name of the table.
Once a table has been selected from the list of search results, ChartFacts will open a default chart view of that table. Here, the
default chart view includes: (1) stock price, (2) quarterly revenue, and (3) quarterly net income. To view the full list of data columns
that are available in this table, move the mouse over the "Data" button in the top left corner of the chart frame on the Menu Bar. A drop
down menu will appear that designates the Microsoft data table that was added to the chart as Table 1. Checking or un-checking any of the
items below will cause those elements to be added or removed from the chart.
How do I compare data from multiple data tables?
Once you have built a chart from a single data table, adding data to the chart from another data table is straight-forward. Using the
Search Bar in the top right of the Menu Bar just above the chart title, search for the data table containing the data you would like to add.
Click on the desired data table from the search results and ChartFacts will pull that table into the existing chart. Two things happen. First,
ChartFacts adds a default line from the new table to the chart. Second, ChartFacts adds the data table as Table 2 under the Data button on the
menu bar. Mouse over the word Data to drop down the list of tables and then mouse over Table 2: Table Name to see the elements that can be
added from that table.
In this example, let's search on "gold price" from the home page. Click on the first data table in the search results "Gold Price (Nymex Futures)".
The default chart view of the table pops up. By mousing over the Data button on the menu bar, you will see that you can also add "Gold Price Adjusted
for Inflation" to the chart from the same table if we like. Instead, however, let's add the S&P 500 Index. Go to the Search Bar in the Menu Bar
just above and to the right of the chart title. There, search on "spx", the ticker for the S&P 500 index. Select the data table "S&P 500 Index
(INDEX:SPX)" from the results. ChartFacts adds the index to the chart and adds the data table, with all its elements underneath the Data button
on the menu bar.
How do I Share or Publish a chart?
Whether it is email, Facebook, Twitter, or even your own blog, sharing and publishing charts made at ChartFacts couldn't be easier. Once you have made
a chart that you like, simply mouse over the Share button on the Menu Bar just above the title of the chart. A drop down list of options will show
you the different options.