High energy ahead: Figure 18 shows you how to use the waterfall chart to visually reflect data changes

Preface

Waterfall diagram is called Waterfall diagram because it looks like a waterfall ( Waterfall Plot). Waterfall chart combines absolute value with relative value , It is applicable to express the quantitative change relationship between several specific values . It is often used in profit and loss analysis 、 Business scenarios such as Bill details analysis .

Waterfall diagram through clever settings , Make the arrangement of data points in the chart look like a waterfall . The graph with this effect can reflect the amount of data at the same time , It can more intuitively reflect the increase and decrease of data .

Through waterfall diagram , We can intuitively see the impact of various factors on the aggregate value in the figure 、 The evolution of numerical values 、 Summary of data .

Q： What scenarios are suitable for using waterfall charts ？

for instance , When you want to express a continuous numerical addition and subtraction relationship , You can use waterfall ; When you want to express the evolution of the number between two or more data points , And finally form the cumulative value , You can use a waterfall chart .

following , We will use the profit and loss of a company in a certain year to analyze the scenario , Explain the detailed steps .

1. First, go to the report making page , Find our waterfall component and drag it to the report development page , And then month Fields bound to our columns , And then we measure the profit Fields bound to our rows ：

2. At this time, we can't see the value from the column chart , Because the value tag is hidden by default ：

3. Click on the ‘ graphics ’ word , Then find the value tag and uncheck ：

4. At this time, we found that the value is still not displayed on the summary column chart , We can directly click on the column chart , Then find the value tag and uncheck , The effect is as follows ：

5. We can see in the row axis 0 There is no data below , So we try to 0 The scale is set at the origin , Easy to watch ：

6. If we want to see more intuitively the impact of monthly profits on annual profits , Then we will click on the ‘ data ’ word , Then click the inverted triangle icon on the profit field , Move mouse to “ Predefined dynamic calculators ” On the words , Then click summary percentage ：

7. But the accuracy of the percentage presented at this time is not ideal , We need to click on the percentage tab at the top of the column chart , Then click on the right side ‘ Format ’ word , Then drop down the text format box , Percent selected , Then click "suspend" ‘ Increase the number of decimal places ’ The icon , Two clicks ：

8. Since it is profit and loss analysis , Then we need to see which month is profitable at a glance in the table , Which month lost money , To achieve this, we can click any non summary column , Then click on the right side to set words , Find the highlight under analysis , Click in , Then operate according to the figure ：

9. Then slide up in the settings to find the title , You can set the properties of the title in the following options , Here we only show how to modify the title name , Click the first box under the title to modify the title name ：

10. Then click the preview in the upper right corner ：

From the above figure, we can clearly see the total profit 、 The profit of the current month and the proportion of each month's contribution to the total profit , You can also clearly see the evolution of the numerical value . This can focus on the analysis of the reasons for low profits or losses in the corresponding months .

therefore , The advantage of waterfall chart is that it can show the cumulative effect of data , At last, summarize . The colors of summary labels and columns can be set separately , You can select the summary tab or column to adjust the attributes in the format menu . It is very intuitive to see the influence ratio of each factor on the total value .

In today's article , We use Yonghong BI The applicable scenarios and operation methods of waterfall diagram are introduced in detail .