diff --git a/src/ui/Panel/DataPanel.h b/src/ui/Panel/DataPanel.h
index 0e6ca4ce..0288353f 100644
--- a/src/ui/Panel/DataPanel.h
+++ b/src/ui/Panel/DataPanel.h
@@ -81,6 +81,13 @@ public:
      * @brief Refresh panel content (virtual function, implemented by derived classes)
      */
     virtual void RefreshPanel() {}
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Handle time change event (virtual function, implemented by derived classes)
+     * @param time Current time value from Timestep
+     */
+    virtual void OnTimeChanged(double time) {}
+
     /**
      * @brief Initialize UI (virtual function, derived classes implement specific layout)
      */
diff --git a/src/ui/Panel/DataPanelManager.cpp b/src/ui/Panel/DataPanelManager.cpp
index f77759f5..1986f583 100644
--- a/src/ui/Panel/DataPanelManager.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/Panel/DataPanelManager.cpp
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@
 #include "ui/DockTitleBar.h"
 #include "ui/MainWindow.h"
 #include "workspace/FileEntry.h"
+#include "workspace/Timestep.h"
 #include "common/SpdLogger.h"
 
 #include <QFileInfo>
 #include <QDir>
+#include <QSet>
 
 const QString DataPanelManager::PANEL_OBJECT_NAME_PREFIX = "DataPanel_";
 
@@ -42,6 +44,18 @@ void DataPanelManager::SetWorkspace(WorkSpace* workspace)
     // Connect new workspace signals
     if (currentWorkspace_) {
         connect(currentWorkspace_, &WorkSpace::FilesChanged, this, &DataPanelManager::OnFilesChanged);
+        
+        // Connect to Timestep signals if available
+        if (currentWorkspace_->GetTimestep()) {
+            connect(currentWorkspace_->GetTimestep(), &Timestep::TimeChanged, this, &DataPanelManager::OnTimeChanged);
+        }
+        
+        // Connect to TimestepChanged signal to handle future Timestep changes
+        connect(currentWorkspace_, &WorkSpace::TimestepChanged, this, [this](Timestep* timestep) {
+            if (timestep) {
+                connect(timestep, &Timestep::TimeChanged, this, &DataPanelManager::OnTimeChanged);
+            }
+        });
     }
 
     // Update all panel types
@@ -293,12 +307,31 @@ QString DataPanelManager::GeneratePanelObjectName(FileEntryType fileType, int in
 
 int DataPanelManager::FindNextAvailableIndex(FileEntryType fileType) const
 {
-    int index = 0;
-    QString baseKey = QString("%1_").arg(FileEntryTypeToString(fileType));
+    QSet<int> usedIndices;
+    QString typeStr = FileEntryTypeToString(fileType);
     
-    while (dataPanels_.contains(baseKey + QString::number(index))) {
-        index++;
+    for (auto it = dataPanels_.constBegin(); it != dataPanels_.constEnd(); ++it) {
+        if (it.value()->GetFileType() == fileType) {
+            usedIndices.insert(it.value()->GetIndex());
+        }
     }
     
-    return index;
+    for (int i = 1; i <= GetMaxPanelCount(); ++i) {
+        if (!usedIndices.contains(i)) {
+            return i;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    return -1; // No available index
+}
+
+void DataPanelManager::OnTimeChanged(double time)
+{
+    // Notify all active panels about time change
+    for (auto it = dataPanels_.constBegin(); it != dataPanels_.constEnd(); ++it) {
+        DataPanel* panel = it.value();
+        if (panel) {
+            panel->OnTimeChanged(time);
+        }
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/ui/Panel/DataPanelManager.h b/src/ui/Panel/DataPanelManager.h
index 084f4a33..f4d64cbd 100644
--- a/src/ui/Panel/DataPanelManager.h
+++ b/src/ui/Panel/DataPanelManager.h
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ public slots:
      */
     void OnPanelClosed();
 
+    /**
+     * @brief Handle time change event from Timestep
+     * @param time Current time value
+     */
+    void OnTimeChanged(double time);
+
 private:
     /**
      * @brief Update panels for specific file type