How to Choose the Period for a Moving Average Trendline in WPS Office Spreadsheets
Question details
The user wants to understand how to choose the Period value for a moving average trendline in WPS Office Spreadsheets, especially when trying to represent a monthly average.
- Product
- WPS Office Spreadsheets
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating or editing a chart with a moving average trendline and choosing the correct Period for daily, weekly, or irregular observations.
- Observed behavior
- The Period setting controls how many data points are included in each moving average window, and a fixed period does not automatically align with calendar months when observations are irregular.
Open the WPS Office spreadsheet that contains the chart and check whether your data is recorded at a fixed interval, such as daily or weekly, or has irregular dates. The correct Period value depends on the observation frequency.
Set the Moving Average Trendline Period Based on Observations per Month
Use this when your data is recorded at a consistent interval and you need a quick approximate monthly moving average in the chart.
The Period value is not a calendar month. It is the number of data points used in each moving average window. For fixed-frequency data, set Period to the number of observations that typically represent one month.
Open your workbook in WPS Office Spreadsheets and click the data series in the chart that should receive the trendline.
Go to Chart Tools, open the Trendline menu, and choose Moving Average to add the trendline or open the existing trendline settings.
In the Format Trendline task pane, find the Period box under the Moving Average options.
Type the number of observations that represent one month. For daily stock data, 21 trading days is a common approximation.
Chart a Calculated Column for a True Calendar-Month Moving Average
Use this when your dates are irregular or you need each moving average point to represent an actual calendar month instead of a fixed number of observations.
Choose Moving Average Trendline Periods and Create Monthly Charts in WPS Office
WPS Office Spreadsheets lets you add a moving average trendline, set its Period in points, and use worksheet formulas such as AVERAGEIFS to create a true calendar-month moving average when needed.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Get WPS Office from the official website and install it on your computer.
- 2. Open your Excel workbook: Launch WPS Office Spreadsheets and open the existing .xlsx or .xls workbook containing the chart data.
- 3. Add a moving average trendline: Click the chart series, go to Chart Tools, open the Trendline menu, and select Moving Average.
- 4. Set the Period: In the Format Trendline pane, enter the Period value based on the number of observations per month, such as 21 trading days.
- 5. Use a helper column for calendar months: For true calendar-month averages, create a new column with AVERAGEIFS using actual dates and chart that column.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Period setting in a moving average trendline actually control?
The Period setting controls the number of data points included in each moving average calculation. It defines the width of the moving window, not a calendar month.
How many periods should I use for a monthly moving average on daily stock data?
For daily stock data, a common approximation is 21 trading days per month. If your data includes weekends or holidays, use the number of observations that actually occur in a typical trading month.
Why doesn’t my trendline use calendar months when I set Period to 30?
Because Period counts data points, not calendar days. If you have missing dates or irregular observations, a fixed Period of 30 will not align with actual month boundaries.
Can I create a true calendar-month moving average in WPS Office Spreadsheets?
Yes. Calculate it in a separate column using a formula such as AVERAGEIFS with actual date criteria, then chart that calculated series instead of relying on a fixed trendline Period.
Where do I find the Period option for a moving average trendline in WPS Office?
Select the chart series, go to Chart Tools, open the Trendline menu, choose Moving Average, and then find the Period field in the Format Trendline task pane.
