Waterfall Chart Guide (Beta)

We have expanded our data visualizations in Storyboards to include several new chart types, including the Waterfall Chart. Waterfall charts are typically used to illustrate how headcount changes over time, helping you quickly identify increases, decreases, and the factors driving those movements.

Before creating your Waterfall chart, you should already be familiar with the fundamentals of creating a basic chart or table. Learn more by reading our guide about  Creating basic charts and tables, and the Beta Define (Explore in Storyboards) guide. 

Permissions

To get started using Waterfall Charts, you will need to ensure you have the following permissions.

The permissions of CanExploreData and CanCreateDashboard are required to create or edit the queries or visualizations.  

These permissions are accessed from Admin > Application Role > Permission page.  The user will also need Storyboard edit permission to make any modifications to that Storyboard.  This permission is accessed from Admin > Data Access Role > Storyboard > Edit or via Storyboard Settings > Sharing > Can View & Edit.

Your Data Access Role permissions govern the actual data users are able to view based on their selected roles.

Authorized users can access the Define panel to create new queries or visualizations, as well as modify existing ones.

Creating the Waterfall Chart

A Waterfall Chart visually represents cumulative totals, showing increases and decreases between steps.

1. To create a Waterfall Chart from within a Storyboard, click on the Edit [pencil] icon to enter Storyboard Modify Mode.

2. Click the Add [+] icon, then select the Waterfall Chart option.

3. A new window will appear where you can Define the query for the chart.

4. Choose your data:
   • For a basic Waterfall Chart, include
     • Start Metric,
     • Sequence Metric/s, and;
     • Time Period (Time).
   • For a stacked Waterfall Chart, include
     • Dimension (Breakdown).
   • Alternatively, for more detailed analysis you can include:
     • End Metric (Optional metric used to display the actual end value).  

The End Metric is not connected to the cumulative values. It can be helpful for comparing the calculated end values with the actual end value.

Note on Sequence Metrics

Sequence metrics represent the increase/decrease bars in the Waterfall Chart.  To override a metric’s value assignment, click on the chip next to the metric to choose its value type: Default, Negative, Positive.  For example, assigning a metric to Negative displays the value as a decrease in the chart (e.g. exits or terminations).

This option is available because most data values are recorded as positive in the database (e.g. 211 terminations), even though they represent a decrease in headcount in the waterfall chart.

in addition to the standard query parameters, you can also configure the following options:

• Show Final Total (Is Sum):
   
  • Off: Hides the final cumulative value from the chart.
     
  • On: Displays the final total value at the end of the waterfall sequence.
     
• Running Totals (Is Intermediate Sum):
   
  • Off: Bars represent individual metric values without cumulative totals between steps.
     
  • On: Bars represent cumulative running totals between steps, showing the progressive buildup of values.

In the example below, you will see the following selections:

Start Metric: SOP HeadcountSequence Metrics: External Hires, Internal Hires, Terminations

Time: Timeperiod 2023 and 2024

Running Totals (is intermediate Sum): On

5. Click Run & Preview Query to run the query and generate a preview of your waterfall chart.
6. Click the Table tab to switch to a table view of the data.  Click Waterfall to view the diagram. 

7. Click Insert to Storyboard to add your waterfall chart to your Storyboard or you can edit the query definition and re-run the query to get the desired results before inserting the waterfall chart to your Storyboard.
8. Your waterfall chart will be added to the bottom of your Storyboard.
9. Enter a name for the Tile Title, then click Save at the top right of the page, and Exit Modify Mode.

Editing the Waterfall Chart 

1. To edit a waterfall chart from within a Storyboard, click on the Edit [pencil] icon to enter Storyboard Modify Mode. 
2. From the Tile Configuration Panel, click the new icon Settings.

3. This will open the query definition window > Define tab 

4. Update or edit the query definition and click Run & Preview Query to run the new query.
5. Click Update to Storyboard to update the Storyboard Tile - the modal window will close.  Alternatively you can Cancel to return to the Storyboard with no updates applied.
    

Customizing the Waterfall Chart Visual Style

1. To customize the appearance of the waterfall chart, click on the Edit [pencil] icon to enter Storyboard Modify Mode.
2. From the Tile Configuration Panel, click the icon Settings to open the panel and navigate to the Design Tab.

3. Make your selections. Properties of the waterfall chart include the following: 

General

• Chart Background Colour
• Show Data Labels
  • Data Label - Size
  • Data Label - Colour
  • Data L abel - Bold
  • Data Label - Shadow
  • Data Label - Position
• Show X-Axis Line
• Show X-Axis Labels
• X-Axis Label - Size
• Show X-Axis Title
  • X Axis Title
• X-Axis Rotation
• Stagger Lines
• Show Y Axis Line
• Show Y Axis Labels
• Y Axis Label - Size
• Show Grid Lines
• Show Major Ticks
• Show Minor Ticks
• Show Connector Lines
  • Connector Line Colour
  • Connector Line Thickness
  • Connector Line Dash Type

Legend

• Show Legend
  • Legend Horizontal
  • Legend Vertical
  • Legend Max Height

Chart Color Palette

• Chart Color Palette
• Start/End Metrics
• Totals
• Positive
• Negative

Note on Chart Color Palette

• The Start/End Metrics color uses the first color in the selected chart color palette.  Totals are displayed at 40% opacity of this same Start/End color, making them stand out as summary points.  Positive and Negative values are assigned the second and third colors from the selected palette, respectively.If a breakdown is applied, the chart color palette is applied to each series as usual.Users can configure a Custom Palette for their Waterfall Chart if they’d like to override the default colors.

Axis

• Soft Min/Max
• Min Value
• Max Value
• Tick Interval
• Minor Tick Interval

Metric Style

• Horizontal Bars

Series

• Padding Around Bars
• Padding Around Groups

Any updates to Design Settings configurations apply immediately to the waterfall chart so simply click Update on Storyboard.

What is coming next:

We’ll continue to provide updates as the feature progresses toward full release, and welcome your feedback.

Feedback Form

We encourage our beta testers to complete this Feedback Form to let us know what’s working well, report any issues encountered, and share ideas for future enhancements.  

No need to re-mention any features already listed in the “What’s Coming” table above.