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Is there a way to create a chart/graph from a Sharepoint list, whether through Sharepoint graphing or MS Excel, so that the chart will automatically update when the data in the list changes?

I've done some basic searching online but I haven't found anything really definitive. Any suggestions would be welcome.

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  • There are several open-source JQuery charts you can get and use with SharePoint. You could either build a web part and use the CSOM or SPServices to populate the graph with the list data. You could also use a CEWP and do the same thing, but I would recommend creating a web part to handle your graphs. You can create all the custom options you want in a web part without having to change code. Including refresh rates. – lazoDev May 8 '14 at 17:25
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    Is SQL Server Reporting Services an option? IF it is, then it is the best option and very easy to use. – Paiman Samadian May 9 '14 at 0:34
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If you use Excel Web Access Web Part to display the chart, it has an option to auto refresh at regular interval. Check out link below for config options:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint-server-help/excel-web-access-web-part-custom-properties-HA010377893.aspx'

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  • I could be mistaken, but I think the refresh options for Excel are for while it's open in the browser? PowerBI advertises as one of its features the ability to schedule data refresh. Since that's a feature that you have to pay for, I didn't think it was available elsewhere... – Mike2500 May 8 '14 at 16:04
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The Enterprise version of SharePoint 2010 has a Chart Web Part under the Business Data category, and is a very simple OOTB solution for this. It can connect to any list on your site and, while it won't automatically refresh if you're viewing it when someone else modifies an item in the connected list, it does generate the chart in realtime whenever you load the page.

I put a Chart and a view of the List together on a Web Part Page, so that editing an item in the list web part will cause the browser to reload the page, thus updating the chart image. The only downside is that you have to specify the chart's image dimensions at design time, so it won't easily scale for a wide range of screen resolutions.

The Chart Web Part also offers you the choice between connecting directly to the actual list, or connecting to the list web part that you've put on the page. If you connect to the web part, then you get the added benefit of a dynamic chart - filtering the list in the web part instantly filters the chart to the same data, but the drawback is that the chart's axes can only be linked to columns actually displayed in that view (connecting to the actual list lets you use any column for your axes). This was a hurdle for me since I was using several calculated columns that the users don't really need or want to see in the list view.

Microsoft decided not to include the Chart Web Part in SP2013, but it's a very simple process to import it if you have access to a 2010 environment to export it from; see additional information on this process at http://www.highmonkey.com/Blog/August-2013/Chart-Web-Part-and-SharePoint-2013.aspx.

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  • Sounds interesting. The link at the bottom of this answer returns a 'page not found'. – G-E Oct 17 '16 at 12:05
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It's also possible to have auto-refreshing charts built in javascript/css that call the data out of the list. See spservices for the data calls and google javascript charts for ideas there.

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  1. Use Excel Web Services web part to display the spreadsheet.
  2. Name the chart you need to display in the Excel.
  3. Set up the web part to display this named object (chart) - see the "Display object" field in the settings.
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  • This doesn't address the requirement for the chart to auto-update. – Dan Henderson Jun 16 '17 at 15:38
  • @DanHenderson actually it does as there's an auto-update option in the Excel Web Services web part. – evictorov Jun 29 '17 at 6:23
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    How to set that option would be a good addition to the answer! :) I don't believe the option lets you tie it to "when the data in the list changes", but it could be good enough. – Dan Henderson Jun 29 '17 at 18:43

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