14. Visuals and Their Formatting
14.8 Waterfall Chart
Start with a problem
Rani asks: Sales went from ₹900 in April to ₹1,200 in May. Which category caused the increase?
Explain simply
A waterfall chart starts from one total, shows each increase (up) and decrease (down), and ends at the new total.
Show the data
| Category | Apr (₹) | May (₹) | Change (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy | 700 | 350 | −350 |
| Snacks | 200 | 450 | +250 |
| Fruits | 0 | 400 | +400 |
| Total | 900 | 1,200 | +300 |
About this data: This table uses columns: Category, Apr (₹), May (₹), Change (₹). This table uses columns: Step, Value (₹). This table uses columns: Wrong result, Reason, Correction. Values shown are the lesson examples already on this page (not a new dataset).
Fictional sample data. Practice file: visuals_orders_apr_may_2026.csv (source: src/practice/).
Demonstrate
- Create
Sales Change = [Total Sales] - CALCULATE([Total Sales], PREVIOUSMONTH('Date'[Date]))if you have a Date table, or use the simpler Category + Month breakdown below. - Insert Waterfall chart.
- Category:
Month. Breakdown:Category. Y-axis:Total Sales. - Format › Visual › Breakdown › Max breakdowns 5.
Show the result
Your result should look like this (fictional sample):
| Step | Value (₹) |
|---|---|
| April total | 900 |
| Dairy | −350 |
| Snacks | +250 |
| Fruits | +400 |
| May total | 1,200 |
Explain what happened
With Month as Category and Category as Breakdown, Power BI computes each category's change from the previous month and draws it as a floating bar. 900 − 350 + 250 + 400 = 1,200.
Explore further
- Green = increase, red = decrease by default; change colours in Format › Columns.
- A P&L bridge (revenue, then costs, then profit) is the classic finance use.
Detailed reference for this lesson:
Explains how a start value turns into an end value through increases and decreases.
- Field wells: Category, Breakdown, Y-axis, Tooltips.
- Example 1 (bridge): Category = a Sales Component column (Gross Sales, Discounts, Delivery Fees, Net) with a measure that returns positive/negative values.
- Example 2 (change between periods): Category = Month Name (Sep, Oct), Breakdown = City, Y-axis = Total Orders. This shows which cities drove the October (Diwali) increase.
- Avoid when there is no meaningful start/end.
- Formatting: Sentiment colours (Increase, Decrease, Total), Breakdown › Max breakdowns (the rest become "Other"), data labels, Total column label.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
A common mistake with waterfalls is using a category field without a sensible order, so the steps jump around. Sort the categories in a logical order (for example Gross Sales, then Discounts, then Delivery Fee, then Net), or use the Breakdown well to show month-over-month drivers. Never forget this.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
Waterfall मधली एक common चूक म्हणजे योग्य क्रम नसलेलं category field वापरणं, त्यामुळे steps इकडे-तिकडे उड्या मारतात. Categories तर्कशुद्ध क्रमाने sort करा (उदाहरणार्थ Gross Sales, then Discounts, then Delivery Fee, then Net), किंवा month-over-month बदलाची कारणं दाखवण्यासाठी Breakdown well वापरा. हे अजिबात विसरू नका.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
Waterfall की एक common गलती है ऐसा category field इस्तेमाल करना जिसका कोई सही क्रम न हो, जिससे steps इधर-उधर उछलते हैं. Categories को तर्कसंगत क्रम में sort करो (जैसे Gross Sales, then Discounts, then Delivery Fee, then Net), या month-over-month बदलाव के कारण दिखाने के लिए Breakdown well इस्तेमाल करो. यह बिल्कुल मत भूलना.
Fix common mistakes
| Wrong result | Reason | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Only one bar appears | Only one month in the filter | Include both months |
| Steps do not add up | A filter hides a category | Check the Filters pane |
| Too many tiny steps | Breakdown with many members | Limit Max breakdowns; group the rest as Other |
Practise independently
Practice task
Build a waterfall from April to May broken down by City.
Hints
- April: Pune 600, Nashik 300, Kolhapur 0.
Solution
Pune 600, then 250 (−350), Nashik 300, then 500 (+200), Kolhapur 0, then 450 (+450). 900 − 350 + 200 + 450 = 1,200.
Think like a professional
Waterfalls answer why did the number change? – the question senior managers ask most. Always reconcile the end total with your card before presenting.
Revision card