Waterfall Chart
Shows how an initial value is affected by sequential positive and negative changes. Ideal for profit & loss breakdowns, budget adjustments, or step-by-step financial analysis.
Template details
- chart
- waterfall
- financial
- breakdown
- steps
- d3
When to use this template
A waterfall chart clearly illustrates the cumulative impact of sequential changes, making it easy to see how an initial value evolves into a final total. Analysts use it to understand the individual contributions, both positive and negative, that drive a net change, quickly identifying key drivers and their magnitude. This is crucial for explaining variances or breaking down complex calculations.
- Sequential categorical data with associated quantitative changes.
- A single quantitative measure representing change or contribution.
- Values that can be both positive (additions) and negative (subtractions).
- A clear starting value and an optional final cumulative total.
- Relatively low cardinality for the sequential categories (typically < 15-20 steps).
- Data where the order of steps is meaningful for the cumulative effect.