The timeline app is part of Airtable Apps, a Pro plan feature. Apps let you extend the functionality of your bases: you can use apps to bring new information into Airtable, visualize and summarize your records in colorful ways, and even directly integrate your Airtable bases with your favorite apps.

With the timeline app, you can visualize your records on a timeline. From large to small data sets, it's easy to navigate throughout your timeline with a sidebar record list and custom zoom. As you scroll through your record list, the timeline pans to the records you're currently viewing so you won't lose your place. You can also customize your records in view with one color or colors pulled from a select field. 

Watch this video to learn more about how to set up and use a timeline app, or read on for further information.

Setting up and customizing a timeline app

When you first install a timeline app, it'll automatically open to the new app's settings. From the settings, you will need to pick the table and view containing the records (rows) that you want to visualize, as well as a date field to serve as the Start date field.

You also have the option to add an end date field. Adding an end date field will turn each of your records into ranges on the timeline. (If you don't add an end date field, your records will remain as points on the timeline.)

To customize the appearance of your records on the timeline, you can choose to color all your records with a specific color, or to have each of the records show the associated color of a single select field.

Navigating a timeline app

Mousing over a record will show you the date or dates associated with that record. Clicking on the record will expand the record, allowing you to see the other fields.

The red line on the timeline represents the current date. You can click and drag on the timeline to navigate earlier and later in time. Clicking the Today button will bring your window back to center on the current date.

You can also use the zoom in and out buttons to see weeks, months, or years at a time.

Editing records with timeline app

By clicking and dragging records around the timeline, you can change the date(s) associated with a record. If your timeline app uses both start and end dates, clicking and dragging the whole record will increment or decrement the both the start and end dates by the same amount of time.

You can also shorten or extend a date range by clicking and dragging on the left or right edges of a record.

If you're in the middle of dragging a record to change its start and end dates, or dragging the start or end point of a date range, and you want to cancel your action, just press the Esc key before letting go of your cursor.