Overview
The Graph Visualization and Trend Analysis feature helps you analyze workforce spending over time by combining both labor and expense data into one clear visualization.
It enables Finance and HR teams to understand cost trends, identify deviations, and make informed budgeting decisions without relying on manual spreadsheets.
When and why it should be used
- Compare planned vs. actual costs for your workforce.
- Identify deviations from the original agreements or budget forecasts.
- Monitor trends over different periods (month-over-month or year-over-year).
- Create shareable, export-ready reports for management discussions or financial reviews.
How to use
- On your sidebar, go to the Finance → Workspace
- Open the Employee Costs tab
- In the cost column, review the combined total for labor + expenses - this reflects the actual cost of each employee
- Use the Agreement line to view the planned cost originally defined during hiring
- Compare both values to identify variances between planned and actual expenses
- Adjust the period selector to view month-over-month or year-over-year trends
- Explore the automatically generated charts and tables to visualize how costs evolve
- Apply filters to focus on specific departments, data sources, or time frames
- Click Export to download the report and share it with Finance, HR, or leadership
Tips and Best Practices
- Use consistent periods (e.g., quarterly or monthly) to make trend comparisons easier.
- Apply filters to focus on the most relevant data sources - this avoids noise in your analysis.
- When sharing reports, include both charts and summary tables for clarity.
- Regularly check deviations between planned and actual costs to anticipate budget adjustments early.
Troubleshooting
- If the chart doesn’t display data for some employees, make sure their cost information (labor and expenses) is complete for the selected period, as missing data can prevent them from appearing in the visualization.
- If the export button isn’t active, check that you’ve selected a valid time period and at least one data source before exporting.
FAQ
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Can I compare costs across different departments?
Yes. Use the filter options to focus on specific teams, departments, or domains for a more granular analysis.
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Can I view both planned and actual costs in the same chart?
Absolutely. The Agreement line represents the planned costs, while the Cost column shows the actuals, allowing side-by-side comparison.
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