• Overview
• How to create a Fed dot plot?
• Examples

Overview

There is no dedicated chart type for this, but it's possible to use Time chart with a bit of formulas and get a proper Fed dot plot.

How to create a Fed dot plot?

1. Set whole chart to Weekly frequency.
2. Add on Series list:
   • All Current FOMC Dot plot Votes series
     Country & Region > United States [us, Region] > Forecasts [fcst, Category] > Federal Reserve > FOMC Individual Assessments of Appropriate Monetary Policy (Dot Plot Votes) > Current
   • Values for each step from 0 to 8 (same as FOMC projection)
   • Mid target rate series usrate2152 from:
     Country & Region > United States [us, Region] > Interest & Exchange Rates [rate, Category] > Policy Rates > Target Rates
3. Add Formula analysis. These formulas set position of the dot on Time chart.
   • Disable 'Include input series...'.
   • Add usrate2176 - series for 'Projection for 0' - if you want to use it for constructing a date later.
   • Add last(fx:sALIASNUMBER) - last target rate value - if you want to see a flat line on chart.
   • For each series (representing number) add below formula:

     if(if(mod(fx:s1 , 2)=0, (abs(counter()-startofyear()-24.5))*2, (abs(counter()-startofyear()-25))*2)<fx:s1, fx:s66, null())

     this will position dot on x-axis in the middle of each section on chart. You can control the shift with two numbers in it - 24,5 and 25. The bigger these numbers are the more to the right dots will be.

4. Add Time chart.
5. Click outside of chart area and under Presentation properties > Chart elements disable 'Legend'.
6. Click on x-axis.
   • Under Presentation properties > Scale > Display range, add -4y and +0.
   • Under Presentation properties > Labels > Detail limit, select 'Year'.
7. Open Graph layout (Ctrl+L). Make two Line graphs for clarity:
   • Under one put last value for Target rate.
   • Under second, all if() series.
8. Now you need to turn lines into dots. Click on a line and under Presentation properties > Appearance > Graph style select 'Custom'. You can also catch non-visible lines with Chart (upper menu) > Select. Under Appearance set Line to 'None' then select Marker style and its size. You need to do this for each if() series.
9. To add vertical line go to Chart annotations > Annotations > Vertical line and add in on a chart. You can adjust its position by clicking on it and changing date under Presentation properties > Line > Position.

Examples

Fed Dot Plot

Recreation of the Fed dot plot.

Fed Dot Plot - double meeting

Recreation of the Fed dot plot with last and previous meeting values.

Fed Dot Plot - Alternative version

In this example we created alternative equivalent of the Fed dot plot.