Tableau Waterfall Chart
How to Create Tableau Waterfall Chart?
The waterfall chart is a type of chart that effectively displays how an initial value is incremented and decremented by a series of intermediate values, leading to a final value. It shows how you arrived at a net value (from where your initial value starts and ends) and how it gets there incrementally. One Dimension and Measure is needed to create a Waterfall chart. So, we can see both the size of changes and difference in costs between consecutive data points. The waterfall chart is an evolved form of the Gantt Chart. Creating a Waterfall Chart To create a simple Motion Chart, the following are the steps:- Open the Tableau Desktop and connect to your data source.
- Drag and drop the Dimension Category to the Columns shelf and Measure (we have taken Sales) to the Rows shelf. You will see the simple bar chart.
- You can swap or change the order of the rows and column by clicking on the icon present in the middle of the vertical axis. It also shows the naming when you linger the mouse over it.
- Sort the data in any order of sales value. Here we have sorted in the ascending order. The following chart appears.
- Under the marks tab, change the chart type to Gantt Bar. The following chart appears.
- Drag and drop the sales measure in the size option under marks cards. The chart below changes to produce the following chart which is a Waterfall chart.
- Create a calculated field named negative sales. Click on Analysis -> Create Calculated Field.
- A drop box will appear to change the name to negative sales. And in the central box write –[sales]. Click on Ok.
- Drag the newly created calculated field negative sales to the size shelf under Marks Card. The chart below now changes to produce the following Waterfall chart.
Waterfall Chart with Color
We can even give different color gradients to the bars to make it look more attractive. For this, drag the Sales measure to the Color shelf under the Marks Card. By default, positive value changes are indicated by an orange color and negative value changes by a blue color. If you want, you can also specify another coloring according to your choice. You get the given below waterfall chart with a different color.
Waterfall Chart with Label
We can show the detailed value of sales on the top of the bars. For this, drag the Sales measure to the Label shelf under the Marks Card. You can get the given below waterfall chart with the specific label.