A charting application generates a so-called timelink chart. To generate the timelink chart, the charting application renders a timeline axis representing a segment of time. The charting application further renders a business event axis in (orthogonal) relation to the timeline axis. Positions on the business event axis indicate respective types of business events that can occur. For each of multiple business events associated with a respective business activity, the charting application generates a corresponding event instance with respect to the business event axis and the timeline axis to indicate a type associated with a respective business event of the multiple business events and when the respective business event occurs in time. In a final step, the charting application generates a graphical link connecting multiple event instances (associated with the respective business activity) in the timelink chart to display a progression of the respective business activity over time.