About Waterfall Charts

These charts display a running total of positive and negative values, which is helpful in showing how you arrived at a net value from an initial value.

The, Figure 7-2 starts with Net Revenue and then shows the positive and negative contributions that led to Net Income.

Figure 7-2 Waterfall Chart Example

screenshot shows a waterfall chart with net revenue, cost of sales, gross profit, operating expenses, pretax income from operations, provision for income tax, monthly interest income, and net income

Waterfall chart data is typically plotted on grid row data values with a single column, where row elements are plotted on the X axis.

The default setting for the Series/Groups is "Columns/Rows".
If the X-axis data appears in the grid columns, use "Rows/Columns" instead.

Positive Values, Negative Values, and Totals

Typically, EPM data is displayed as positive values in a grid. You must manually set data values as negative (for example, Cost of Sales and Operating Expenses) or as totals (for example, Gross Profit and Net Income).

To set a data value as negative:

Select the row or column that contains the data value that you want to set as negative.
On the row header, click the down arrow, and select Plot As Negative.

The row or column displays a minus sign to indicate that it is a negative value.

Figure 7-3 Waterfall Negative Data Values

screenshot showing Cost of Sales, Operating Expenses, and Provision for Income Tax set as negative values

Figure 7-3 shows an example of Cost of Sales, Operating Expenses, and Provision for Income Tax set as negative data values.

To set a data value as total:

Select the row or column that contains the data value that you want to set as a total.
On the row header, click the down arrow, and select Set As Total.

The row or column displays a Ʃ sign to indicate that it is a total value.

Figure 7-4 Waterfall Total Data Values

screenshot showing Net Revenue, Gross Profit, Pretax Income From Operations, and Net Income set as total data values

Figure 7-4 shows an example of Net Revenue, Gross Profit, Pretax Income From Operations, and Net Income set as total data values.

Properties

You can set these properties for waterfall charts:

Set the bar colors for increase, decrease and total, as well as the connecting line color and style.
Set the label location, with text and number formatting. Use either the Auto or Center settings to show the labels for all bars.
Set the bar width and border.

Figure 7-5 Waterfall Chart Finished Example

screenshot shows a finished example of a waterfall chart with the data values inset

Figure 7-5 shows a finished example of a waterfall chart with the corresponding data values inset.

Note:

Sample Report 2b (Advanced Charts) contains a bubble chart example.