Automation is a game-changer when it comes to cutting down on repetitive work. The reason? It makes repeatable tasks faster, easier, and more consistent. At least, that’s the case when using automation with Grapher. Whether you’re designing a plot with specific formatting, pulling from multiple datasets, or exporting files with identical settings, the automation capabilities available for Grapher let you script that entire process so you don’t have to do it manually every single time.

For example, let’s say you need to recreate a particular graph layout for recurring reports. Instead of remembering which color scheme, axis scale, or export format you used last time, a script can build all of that for you. That way, when you need to generate a new report, you can just run the script to quickly get the output you need.

Here’s another example: perhaps you’ve created your first plot but need to add 20 more for all the other variables. Instead of clicking through to add them or setting up the columns and data rows yourself, you can just use a script to loop through the whole dataset and add what you need.  

The best part? Everything you do manually in Grapher, you can do with automation. No matter how simple or complex your workflow is, automation gives you a consistent, repeatable way to get it done—no extra clicks, no forgotten steps, and no wasted time.

Now, if you’re looking to get started with automation in Grapher, you don’t have to do much work. Grapher comes with a built-in Script Recorder that makes automation incredibly easy to use. Here’s how it works: just hit Record in Grapher’s Automation tab and then go about your graphing tasks like you normally would. Add data, format axes, apply colors, adjust labels, and export the file—do whatever steps your workflow includes. As you perform each action, the Script Recorder will capture everything in real time, line by line, and build the script for you. When you’re done, click Stop, and voilà—you’ll have a ready-to-use script that can repeat those same steps anytime you need. When you’re ready to use it, simply open it in Grapher’s embedded Script Manager, which houses multiple intuitive tools for developing and running scripts so you can work more efficiently. It’s that straightforward. 

With the Script Recorder, you don’t have to spend time creating scripts from scratch. This feature handles the hard work for you, and it also teaches you along the way. As it logs your actions, it shows you the exact scripting language used to call each function. This provides insight into what’s happening behind the scenes so you can customize your script if necessary by tweaking parameters, deleting actions, or adding steps.

If the Script Recorder makes automation approachable, Grapher’s ability to house your scripts takes it a step further—decreasing unwanted work so you can design plots faster. 

With Grapher, you can add your own scripts directly to the Automation tab. That means if you’ve got a script you use regularly—maybe to generate a specific type of plot, apply your go-to formatting settings, or export to a specific file type—you can add to the ribbon. No more digging through folders or reopening files. No more hunting around for the script you want to run. Just click on the saved script you need to use in the Automation tab, and your workflow will run like clockwork within Grapher. Everything will happen in one place, making your visualization process fast and efficient.

Once you’ve started using Grapher’s built-in automation tools, there’s another time-saving trick worth exploring to level things up: combining Grapher with Excel through the power of COM automation.

Like many scientists and engineers, you may use Excel for data collection and analysis. This scenario is great because Excel and Grapher speak similar automation languages. Thanks to their shared use of Microsoft’s COM (Component Object Model) interface, you can write a single script that talks to both programs—automating tasks across programs in one seamless workflow.

To put this into perspective, imagine opening a script that cleans and formats your data in Excel, saves the file, and then loads that file in Grapher to generate a new plot—all without any manual steps. That’s the power of COM automation. It makes Grapher and Excel natural partners. With just one script, you can streamline your entire data-to-graph process, reducing repetitive, manual steps.