Event tracking data - How long to show?

Question

Google Analytics does not offer real time statistics.

Most of the time it takes between a few hours and a day for statistics to show up.

Update: This answer is now outdated. As @shanabus mentions in the comments, Google now offers real-time stats.

You can't view events data right away. There seems to be a delay between a couple of hours to over a day.

Although your code may have been correct at the time of asking your question, the current method of implementation is as follows. It is highly recommended you upgrade to take advantage of asynchronous behaviour.

// After initializing ga.js asynch:
_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', category, label, value, non-interact]);

// Source: https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/gajs/

Regardless of whatever method you decide to use to send your tracking event, you can debug the process using Chrome's ga debugger:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jnkmfdileelhofjcijamephohjechhna

A typical failure will look like this:

_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'asdf', 'test', 'test', 'test', true, 'test']);
_gaq.push processing "_trackEvent" for args: "[asdf,test,test,test,true,test]":
The _trackEvent API expects a number value for argument 3. The argument given (test) was a string. 

A successful transmission will show a bit more information:

_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'asdf', 'test', 'test', 123, true]);
_gaq.push processing "_trackEvent" for args: "[asdf,test,test,123,true]":
Track Event
Tracking beacon sent!

Account ID               : UA-xxxxxxxx-1
Page Title               : xxxxx.com
Host Name                : xxxxx.com
Page                     : /
Referring URL            : -
Hit ID                   : 1103xxxxxxx
Hit Type                 : event
Event Name               : asdf
Event Type               : test
Event Label              : test
Event Value              : 123
Visitor ID               : 14044xxxxx
Session Count            : 8
Session Time - First     : Thu Jun 07 2012 22:25:11 GMT 1000 (EST)
Session Time - Last      : Thu Jun 14 2012 22:45:08 GMT 1000 (EST)
Session Time - Current   : Fri Jun 15 2012 12:30:21 GMT 1000 (EST)
Campaign Time            : Thu Jun 07 2012 22:25:11 GMT 1000 (EST)
Campaign Session         : 1
Campaign Count           : 1
Campaign Source          : xxxxxxxx
Language                 : en-gb
Encoding                 : UTF-8
Flash Version            : 11.2 r202
Java Enabled             : true
Screen Resolution        : 1280x800
Browser Size             : 1921x593
Color Depth              : 24-bit
Ga.js Version            : 5.3.2d
Cachebuster              : 1724882479 

Other debug environments are suggested here:

https://developers.google.com/analytics/resources/articles/gaTrackingTroubleshooting#debuggingTools

As of 2014 Events will now show up in real-time.

You can see that your code works by using Google Analytics Real-time. Go to this URL to view it: https://www.google.com/analytics/web/#realtime/

Events can not be seen here but page views can.

My GA events usually show up about 30mins after the event took pace, but sometimes faster. I have also experienced slower updates, but never days.

EDIT

GA now offers real time statistics and your updates should happen immediately.

EDIT

Events flow now exists too, which is helpful.