Gadgets Help - FRED® Graph Gadget
The FRED® Graph Gadget is a tool that allows you to view FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) graphs on a webpage or other software application that supports gadgets, such as iGoogle. The gadget can be customized to show the graphs and series of your choice.
Please review our Disclaimer before using the FRED® Graph Gadget.
How to Locate and Customize the FRED® Graph Gadget
- The FRED® Graph Gadget can be found through web services that support gadgets; once you have located such a service, search the list of gadgets with the search term "economic data fred graph."
- Or, if your webpage or software supports it, add the gadget using the following URL: http://research.stlouisfed.org/gadgets/code/fredgraph.xml
- Add the FRED® Graph Gadget to a webpage or software application that supports gadgets per that application's instructions.
- This is how the FRED® Graph Gadget will appear:
- Although other series can be added, the default gadget displays graphs of these FRED® series:
- For example, click on the "INDPRO" tab to view the "Industrial Production Index" graph:
- To customize your gadget's graphs, click "Create New Custom FRED® Graph" in the gadget. This will take you to the FRED® Graph interface.
- Add a data series by typing a FRED® Series ID into the text box or search for a FRED® series by clicking "Browse":
- Customize the look of the graph by clicking "Graph Settings"
- Add data series by clicking "Add Line"
- When finished customizing and adding data series, click "Link" and copy the URL below "Link to Graph Image":
- Return to your webpage or software application, click the down arrow at the top of the FRED® Graph Gadget, then click "Edit settings":
- Paste the URL that you copied into one of the text boxes labeled "Tab #: Enter Custom FRED Graph Link"
- In the edit drop-down, tabs are numbered from 1 to 5, corresponding to the gadget's display left to right.
- The default graph that is displayed within the chosen tab will be replaced with your custom graph.
- In this example, the CPIAUCSL graph will be replaced with our custom graph of DEXUSEU because we are entering the URL of the custom graph into the Tab 2 text area. - You can also edit the size of the chart as it is displayed in the gadget.
- Click "Save"
- Your custom FRED® Graph should now be displayed on your webpage or software application!
- Click "View this FRED® Graph" to visit the full-size graph on the FRED® website.
- Note: As an alternative to creating a new custom graph, you can edit the settings of one of your current gadget graphs by clicking "View this FRED® Graph" while
on the tab you want to edit:
- Use the FRED® Graph interface to make your changes (add/remove series, change units, date ranges, colors, etc.).
- When finished with your changes, click "Link" and copy the URL below "Link to Graph Image".
- Copy the URL that now appears in your browser's address bar.
- Return to your webpage, click the down arrow at the top of the FRED® Graph Gadget, then click "Edit settings".
- Paste the URL that you copied into the text box for the tab you want to edit.
- Click "Save".
- Your changes should appear in your FRED® Graph Gadget!
- Graphs will automatically update when observations are added and updated.
- The default graphs will roll forward, displaying the most recent 10 years of observations.
- Custom graphs that have been set to display 5 or 10 years will roll forward, displaying the most recent 5 or 10 years of data.
- Custom graphs that have been set to "Max" will always display the maximum number of observations.
- Graphs set to a custom range of dates will keep the user's start date in place but will update as observations are added.
- Note: If you've added custom graph links to your gadget and you click "Cancel" in the gadget's edit drop-down, your settings may be lost—even if you have previously saved them. "Cancel" may revert a gadget to its default settings. Always click "Save" unless you explicitly want the gadget to revert to the default settings.
