# Define a Template for Automatic Series | WPF Controls | DevExpress Documentation

This document describes automatic series creation based on a template. For alternative approaches, refer to [Create a Series Manually](/WPF/7919/controls-and-libraries/charts-suite/chart-control/provide-data/create-a-series-manually) and [Bind a Series to a Data Source](/WPF/7921/controls-and-libraries/charts-suite/chart-control/provide-data/bind-a-series-to-a-data-source).

The automatic series creation is used when the number of series is either unknown or too large.

Note that in the [Diagram.Series](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.Diagram.Series) collection, the auto-created series precede the manually created series.

To connect the [ChartControl](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.ChartControl) to a database, assign a data source to the [ChartControl.DataSource](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.ChartControl.DataSource) property.

Next, define the name of the data column where new series will be created (and named) via the [Diagram.SeriesDataMember](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.Diagram.SeriesDataMember) property.

For the [Diagram.SeriesTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.Diagram.SeriesTemplate) property, choose the common view type for the auto-created series, as shown in the image below.

![DXChartsGettingStarted3_05](/WPF/images/dxchartsgettingstarted3_0513670.png)

Next, assign the required data fields to the [Series.ArgumentDataMember](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.Series.ArgumentDataMember) and [Series.ValueDataMember](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.Series.ValueDataMember) properties. These properties determine the names of data fields from which auto-created series should obtain data for their point’s arguments and values.

Note that you do not need to specify the [Series.ArgumentScaleType](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.Series.ArgumentScaleType) property (set to the **Auto** mode by default) because the type of series points’ arguments is detected automatically based on the type of underlying data.

For details on this, refer to [Series Scale Types](/WPF/8453/controls-and-libraries/charts-suite/chart-control/provide-data/series-scale-types).

Note

You cannot obtain and customize an individual auto-created series at design time.  You can define the view type or other settings for an auto-created series individually in the [ChartControl.BoundDataChanged](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.ChartControl.BoundDataChanged) event handler.

To learn more on how to define a template for automatic series, see [Lesson 3 - Use a Series Template for Auto-Created Series](/WPF/9758/controls-and-libraries/charts-suite/chart-control/getting-started/lesson-3-use-a-series-template-for-auto-created-series).

See Also

[Series](/WPF/6339/controls-and-libraries/charts-suite/chart-control/series/series)

[Series Scale Types](/WPF/8453/controls-and-libraries/charts-suite/chart-control/provide-data/series-scale-types)