# Set the Time Frame

## Overview

The time frame determines how much historical data is included in your analysis. Provider Intelligence supports three predefined lookback windows:

* **1 Month (30 Days)**: Recent performance snapshot.
* **3 Months (90 Days)**: Balanced view capturing seasonal variations.
* **6 Months (180 Days)**: Long-term trend analysis.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Changing the time frame mid- or post-query resets all other query selections due to the available data coverage and metrics varying across different time periods. This behavior maintains data integrity and ensures accurate, consistent results. We strongly recommend choosing and setting the time frame before all other query selections.
{% endhint %}

## Why Historical Data Matters

Short-term data can be misleading. A provider might perform well during a one-week test but exhibit instability over months. Historical data reveals:

* **Consistency**: How stable is performance day-to-day?
* **Seasonal Patterns**: Are there recurring congestion issues?
* **Trends**: Is latency improving, worsening, or staying flat over time?
  * **Note** that trend indicators (up, down, flat) are only viewable in [single-destination views](https://docs.thousandeyes.com/product-documentation/internet-insights/provider-intelligence/view-results/destination-views) and might change between different time frames. See [Trend Analysis](https://docs.thousandeyes.com/product-documentation/internet-insights/provider-intelligence/scoring-methodologies/trend-analysis) for more information.

Snapshots in time also have their place in analysis, so ThousandEyes aggregates test data at one-hour granularity, allowing you to drill into specific time periods via the [Time Series](https://docs.thousandeyes.com/product-documentation/internet-insights/provider-intelligence/analyze-time-series).

## How to Select a Time Frame

![Time frame dropdown in the query builder](/files/7aWOWZnaRFhkWDAajj3J)

1. Use the **Time Frame** dropdown and select one of the three options.
2. The selected time frame will be applied to all metrics on your results table.


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