Performance Charts & Trend Visualization

Performance Charts & Trend Visualization

Performance charts in MerchantFlow are interactive visualizations that display your e-commerce revenue, profit, ad spend, and product performance over time. Charts update automatically as new data syncs in, helping Shopify and WooCommerce merchants spot trends, identify seasonal patterns, and make data-driven decisions.

What Charts Are Available?

The dashboard overview is built from widgets, several of which are charts:

• Income Tracker & Profit Breakdown - the revenue and profit trend chart plus the cost allocation waterfall
• Margin by Region - net profit by country, linking through to the full markets breakdown
• Revenue Flow & Unit Economics - traffic attribution flow and per-order metrics
• Ad Spend Breakdown - platform spend summary with top campaigns
• Top Selling Products - best performers by revenue

Charts support interactive tooltips and responsive sizing across desktop and mobile. Which of them appear, and in what order, is controlled from the layout editor.

Conditional Columns Based on Connected Integrations

Some table columns only appear when the underlying integration is connected. On the Products table, the Traffic and Conv. Rate columns are hidden unless a Google analytics source is connected -- GA4, Search Console, or Merchant Center -- and the Search Console or Merchant Center feature flag is on for your workspace. Rendering those columns without a source would either show zeros or invent numbers. If you do not see them, check Settings > Integrations and connect Google Analytics first.

How to Select Time Ranges for Charts

You can adjust the time range for all charts using the time range selector at the top of the dashboard.

Preset pills: Today, Yesterday, 7D, 30D, 90D, 1Y, and Custom. You can also define your own presets - trailing windows of any length, or calendar periods like This month and Year to date. See Time Ranges for the full picture, including the per-plan history limits.

How to change the time range:

1. Navigate to your Dashboard
2. Locate the time range selector at the top of the page
3. Click a preset pill, or open the calendar for a custom window
4. Every chart, table, and KPI on the page updates to reflect the selected period

Revenue Trends Chart

The revenue trends chart shows your total revenue over the selected time period.

What it shows:

• Daily, weekly, or monthly revenue totals (depending on time range)
• Trend line indicating overall direction
• Tooltips with exact values on hover

How to read it:

• An upward slope indicates growing revenue
• Flat lines suggest stable but stagnant sales
• Dips may correspond to seasonal patterns or operational issues

Pro Tip: Use the 365d view to identify seasonal patterns and plan inventory or marketing campaigns accordingly.

Profit Trends Chart

The profit trends chart overlays revenue with costs to show your actual profit over time.

What it shows:

• Revenue line
• Cost line (COGS plus expenses)
• Profit area (the gap between revenue and costs)

Why it matters:

Revenue growth without profit growth means rising costs are eating into your margins. This chart helps you spot margin compression early, before it becomes a critical problem.

Ad Spend Over Time Chart

Track your advertising expenditure alongside revenue to understand your return on ad spend (ROAS).

What it shows:

• Ad spend by day, week, or month
• Revenue generated in the same period
• Visual correlation between spend and revenue

Key insights:

• Identify periods where increased ad spend led to proportional revenue gains
• Spot diminishing returns on advertising
• Compare ad efficiency across different time periods

Top Selling Products

The Top Selling Products widget lists your best performers by revenue over the selected time range.

Use cases:

• Identify your best-selling products
• Spot products with declining sales
• Discover emerging products gaining traction

For full per-product analytics, open the Products table.

How to Use Period Comparison

Every KPI card compares the current period with the equivalent previous period of the same length. The previous period ends where the current one starts, so the two windows never overlap.

Example:

If you select 30D, the comparison is:

• Current: Last 30 days
• Previous: The 30 days before that

On the dashboard, each card shows an up or down arrow and the change as a percentage, coloured green when the metric moved the good way. On the P&L and Margin by Region pages the comparison is a pill instead: it reads flat when the change is under 0.5%, and n/a when there is no prior-period data to compare against. Hover the pill for the exact prior-period value.

How to Read Chart Elements

Tooltips

Hover over any data point to see exact values:

• Date
• Metric value (revenue, profit, ad spend, etc.)
• Comparison to previous period (if enabled)

Responsive Design

Charts automatically resize to fit your screen. On smaller screens, data points may be aggregated for readability.

Best Practices for Chart Analysis

1. Check Charts Regularly

Review your dashboard charts at least weekly to stay on top of trends. Daily checks during active campaigns help you react quickly to changes.

2. Use Multiple Time Ranges

• 7d for recent campaign performance
• 30d for monthly business reviews
• 90d for quarterly planning
• 365d for annual strategy and seasonal patterns

3. Combine Charts with Other Metrics

Charts show trends, but pair them with:

• KPI Metrics for specific numbers
• P&L Tracking for profitability context
• Traffic Sources for channel-level insights

4. Look for Correlations

Compare ad spend charts with revenue charts to find your most efficient marketing periods. Look for patterns where specific actions led to measurable results.

Troubleshooting Charts

Charts Not Loading

Check:

• Internet connection is stable
• Browser is up to date
• JavaScript is enabled
• Try refreshing the page

If charts still do not load:

• Clear your browser cache
• Try a different browser
• Check the Sync Status page to confirm data is available

Charts Showing No Data

Common causes:

• New account that has not completed first sync
• Selected time range has no data (e.g., store was not active)
• Integration disconnected

Fix:

1. Verify integrations are connected at Settings > Integrations
2. Run a Manual Sync if needed
3. Select a time range where your store was active

Data Seems Incorrect

Verify:

• Correct time range is selected
• Currency settings match your store
• Time zone is properly configured
• Recent sync has completed

Troubleshoot data issues

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do charts update with new data?

Charts update automatically each time a sync completes. Data is cached for up to 60 seconds for performance, with background revalidation every 120 seconds. This means you may see data up to 2 minutes old, but the page loads instantly.

Can I export chart data as a CSV or image?

Not from the dashboard overview - it has no export button. Build a report under Reports (Pro and Plus) and download it as CSV or PDF, or enable the Daily AI Email Summary for a written digest in your inbox.

Why does my revenue chart show a dip on the most recent day?

The most recent 1-2 days may show incomplete data because some sources (Google Analytics, Search Console) have processing delays of 24-48 hours. Wait for the data to finalize before drawing conclusions about recent performance.

What is the difference between the area chart and line chart?

Area charts shade the region below the line to emphasize volume, which suits cumulative quantities like revenue and profit. Line charts show data points connected by lines without shading, making them better for comparing multiple overlapping series.

Related Articles

• Dashboard Overview
• KPI Metrics - Metric definitions and benchmarks
• Traffic Sources - Channel-level performance
• Time Range Filters - Control date ranges
• P&L Overview - Profitability analysis

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Last updated: August 29, 2026