# What is a trend?

A trend monitors and shows real-time and historical data. You can graph data as a time plot or as an x/y plot, where two or more sets of values are plotted to show the relationship between them.

Use a trend to:

- Show data as it is read from the data source
- View changes in data over time
- Show isolated or non-isolated graphs.
- Plot one variable against one or more others in XY plots.
- Print data

Use these button objects with trends:

- Next pen button
- Pause Pen button
- Key button

A pen on the runtime trend chart represents data from the tag or expression that you assign to the pen on the Connections tab.

## See also

Create a trend

Create a Pause Pen button

Create a Next Pen button

Create a Key button

Set up connections for the trend

Keywords: trend