{"id":1012,"date":"2026-10-23T17:31:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T17:31:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jfdi-blog-how-to-make-a-waterfall-chart"},"modified":"2026-10-23T17:31:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T17:31:15","slug":"how-to-make-a-waterfall-chart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jfdi.pro\/blog\/how-to-make-a-waterfall-chart\/","title":{"rendered":"How to make a waterfall chart from spreadsheet data"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A waterfall chart shows how you get from a starting value to an ending value through a series of gains and losses. Each step is a floating bar, green for increases and red for decreases, and the final bar shows the total. To make one, you need two columns: the step name and the change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Make a waterfall chart<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Finance teams call it a bridge chart<\/em>, because it bridges two numbers: last year’s profit and this year’s, an opening and closing cash balance, a budget and the actual spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data layout<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is the example in the JFDI chart maker<\/a>, a quarter’s cash movements in \u00a3 thousands:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Item<\/th>Change (\u00a3k)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Opening balance<\/td>120<\/td><\/tr>
Product sales<\/td>84<\/td><\/tr>
Services<\/td>36<\/td><\/tr>
Salaries<\/td>-62<\/td><\/tr>
Rent<\/td>-21<\/td><\/tr>
Marketing<\/td>-15<\/td><\/tr>
Tax<\/td>-12<\/td><\/tr>
Closing balance<\/td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Three rules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. The first row is the starting value.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Every other row is a change<\/strong>, positive or negative. Don’t type running totals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Leave the value empty where you want a total.<\/strong> Any row with no value is drawn as a total bar showing the running total at that point. That’s how you get the final bar, and subtotals part-way through.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    In this example the closing balance works out at \u00a3130k: up \u00a310k on the quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"A
    The chart maker’s example: \u00a310k more cash at the end of the quarter than at the start.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Step by step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    1. Open the chart maker<\/a><\/strong>, search for waterfall<\/em> and click Waterfall chart<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Paste your two columns<\/strong> onto the Data step, replacing the example.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Add a total row<\/strong> at the end with no value.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Write a title that says the result<\/strong>, such as “Cash went up \u00a310k this quarter”. The chart maker’s example does exactly this.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Set the units<\/strong> under Format \u203a Numbers (a \u00a3 prefix and k suffix, for example) and turn on value labels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Export<\/strong> as PNG for slides, SVG or PDF for print, or an embed for a web page.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Showing subtotals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      To show a subtotal part-way through, such as gross profit before overheads, add a row with an empty value and a name like Gross profit<\/em> where it should appear. The bar is drawn from zero to the running total at that point, and the steps after it continue from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Getting the order right<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The order of the rows is the order of the story. Common conventions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n