Add Maple

Date Binning

Date binning allows you to group date and datetime values into meaningful time periods for analysis. Instead of analyzing individual dates, you can group them into weeks, months, quarters, or custom time ranges.


Accessing Date Binning Settings

You can configure date binning in two ways:

Method 1: Column Settings (Recommended)

  1. Click on the column header of a date or datetime column
  2. Select "Column Settings" from the dropdown menu
  3. Scroll to the "Binning" section

Method 2: Manage Columns

  1. More → Project Settings from the dashboard
  2. Select your date column
  3. Scroll to the "Binning" section

Binning Options

Auto (Recommended)

Automatically creates optimal time-based bins across your date range. You can adjust the number of bins using the slider.

Best for: Most use cases where you want balanced time periods Example: A dataset spanning 2 years might be binned into 8-12 periods

Calendar Periods

Groups dates by natural calendar boundaries:

  • Year: Groups by calendar year (2023, 2024, etc.)
  • Quarter: Groups by quarters (Q1 2023, Q2 2023, etc.)
  • Month: Groups by calendar months (Jan 2023, Feb 2023, etc.)
  • Week: Groups by calendar weeks (Monday to Sunday)
  • Day: Groups by individual days
  • Hour: Groups by hour of day

Best for: When you need standard business reporting periods Example: Monthly sales reports, quarterly business reviews

Fixed Intervals

Creates bins of fixed duration that you define:

  • Every X minutes: For high-frequency data
  • Every X hours: For daily patterns
  • Every X days: For custom weekly patterns
  • Every X weeks: For bi-weekly or monthly patterns

Best for: When you need consistent time intervals regardless of calendar boundaries Example: Every 7 days starting from a specific date

Custom Breakpoints

Define your own date/time boundaries manually. You can set specific dates and times as breakpoints.

Best for: When you need specific time periods (e.g., before/after an event) Example: Pre-launch vs. post-launch periods


Live Preview

The binning interface shows a live timeline preview so you can see exactly how your data will be grouped before applying changes. This helps you:

  • Verify the number of bins created
  • Check that time periods make sense for your data
  • See the distribution of values across bins
  • Adjust settings until you're satisfied

Examples

Example 1: Monthly Sales Analysis

Scenario: You have daily sales data and want monthly summaries Solution: Use Calendar Periods with Month grain Result: Each month becomes a single bin (Jan 2023, Feb 2023, etc.)

Example 2: Weekly User Activity

Scenario: You want to analyze user behavior in 7-day periods Solution: Use Fixed Intervals with "Every 7 days" Result: Consistent weekly bins regardless of calendar weeks

Example 3: Before/After Campaign Analysis

Scenario: You want to compare data before and after a marketing campaign launch Solution: Use Custom Breakpoints with the campaign launch date Result: Two bins: "Before Campaign" and "After Campaign"


Tips for Date Binning

Choose the Right Grain

  • Year: For long-term trends and annual comparisons
  • Quarter: For business reporting and seasonal analysis
  • Month: For monthly business cycles and seasonal patterns
  • Week: For weekly patterns and short-term trends
  • Day: For daily patterns and weekday vs. weekend analysis
  • Hour: For intraday patterns and time-of-day analysis

Consider Your Data Range

  • Short periods (days/weeks): Use smaller grains (day, hour)
  • Medium periods (months/years): Use medium grains (week, month)
  • Long periods (years/decades): Use larger grains (quarter, year)

Handle Time Zones

  • Fixed intervals can be aligned to UTC boundaries for consistency
  • Calendar periods respect local time zones
  • Consider your audience's time zone when choosing settings

Common Use Cases

Business Reporting

  • Monthly reports: Calendar Periods → Month
  • Quarterly reviews: Calendar Periods → Quarter
  • Annual summaries: Calendar Periods → Year

User Behavior Analysis

  • Weekly patterns: Fixed Intervals → Every 7 days
  • Daily patterns: Calendar Periods → Day
  • Hourly patterns: Calendar Periods → Hour

Event Analysis

  • Before/after events: Custom Breakpoints
  • Campaign periods: Custom Breakpoints
  • Seasonal analysis: Calendar Periods → Month or Quarter

Troubleshooting

My bins are too granular/fine

  • Try a larger time grain (e.g., change from Day to Week)
  • Reduce the number of bins in Auto mode

My bins are too broad

  • Try a smaller time grain (e.g., change from Month to Week)
  • Increase the number of bins in Auto mode

Some bins are empty

  • This is normal for sparse data
  • Consider using Auto mode for better distribution
  • Check if your date range is appropriate for the grain

Dates look wrong

  • Ensure your column is detected as Date/Datetime type
  • Check the date format in your source data
  • Use Manage Columns to change the column type if needed