You can also create a moving average, which smoothes out fluctuations in data and shows the pattern or trend more clearly. For example, the following chart uses a simple linear trendline that is forecasting two quarters ahead to clearly show a trend toward increasing revenue. By using regression analysis, you can extend a trendline in a chart beyond the actual data to predict future values. Such analysis is also named regression analysis. Trendlines are used to graphically display trends in data and to help analyze problems of prediction. Remove a trendline Learn about forecasting and showing trends in charts Specify the point where the trendline crosses the vertical (value) axisĭisplay the trendline equation on the chartĭisplay the R-squared value for a trendline Specify the number of periods to include in a forecast

Learn about forecasting and showing trends in charts

Note: You cannot add a trendline to data series in a stacked, 3-D, radar, pie, surface, or doughnut chart. Instead, a trendline is used to depict trends in your existing data or forecasts of future data. A trendline is always associated with a data series, but a trendline does not represent the data of that data series. You can add a trendline or moving average to any data series in an unstacked, 2-D, area, bar, column, line, stock, xy (scatter), or bubble chart.

Trend lines in excel 2016