OriaWaterfall chart in Excel

A practical guide by Oria

Waterfall chart
in Excel

Turn your numbers into a clear story
Correct totals, clean labels and six editable templates

Start with the data
Revenue rises from 412 to 431 millionOrganic growth adds 46.8 to reach the subtotal of 458.8 Foreign exchange subtracts 9.3 and disposals subtract 18.5 Closing revenue is 431Revenue · illustrative, $mOrganic growth lifts the closing balance412Opening+46.8Organic458.8Subtotal−9.3FX−18.5Disposals431Closing412 + 46.8 − 9.3 − 18.5 = 431

01 / The essentials

The numbers first
The chart follows

An Excel waterfall chart turns a starting total and signed changes into a visual reconciliation Totals sit on the baseline; increases and decreases float between them

Keep the calculation in the worksheet and the presentation in the chart — the three habits below catch the most common errors before formatting begins

01

Sign

Enter reductions as negative numbers

02

Calculate

Make subtotal and closing rows formulas

03

Anchor

Mark the starting, subtotal and closing bars as totals

02 / The example

From $412m to $431m
With a useful checkpoint

Enter the labels and values below in A3:B13 — organic revenue reaches $458.8m before foreign exchange and disposals bring the close to $431m — figures are illustrative

Worksheet range A3:B13 · values in $m
RowA · StepB · Value
4Opening revenue412.0
5New customers58.4
6Expansion23.9
7Price11.2
8Churn−34.6
9Downgrades−12.1
10Organic revenue=B4+SUM(B5:B9)
11FX−9.3
12Disposals−18.5
13Closing revenue=B10+SUM(B11:B12)
Checkpoints from the worksheetOrganic 458.8 → Closing 431.0 → Net change +19.0

03 / In Excel

Four steps from cells to chart

  1. 1

    Select the source range

    Highlight A3:B13 so Excel receives the step names and values — include the calculated subtotal and closing rows

  2. 2

    Insert the waterfall

    Choose Insert → Waterfall — Excel places positive and negative changes in sequence

  3. 3

    Anchor the three total bars

    Select the opening bar as an individual data point, right-click and choose Set as Total — repeat for Organic revenue and Closing revenue

  4. 4

    Finish with readable labels

    Add data labels and subtle connectors — use one colour for totals and distinct colours for increases and decreases — keep the chart title focused on the finding

Menu names can vary by platform — see Microsoft’s waterfall instructions ↗

04 / Before you share

Check the sheet and the slide

  • Reconcile without double counting The organic subtotal is a checkpoint, not another change — do not add it again when calculating the close
  • Check every total flag Rebuilding the chart can require setting the total bars again — confirm all three begin at zero
  • Preserve the signed inputs Never enter a decrease as positive just to change its appearance — change its formatting instead
  • Choose how to paste An embedded chart carries a copy of the workbook data; a linked chart needs its source file; a picture preserves appearance but cannot be edited as a chart
Final tie-out · expected result 0=ROUND(B13-B4-SUM(B5:B9)-SUM(B11:B12),6)

05 / The template collection

Start with a slide
Make it your own

Six slide layouts covering native charts, subtotals, crossing zero and presentation formatting Preview a PDF or download an editable PowerPoint

Illustrative data · Editable text and shapes · No sign-up required

06 / Questions

A few useful answers

Why is my closing bar floating?

Select that individual bar and choose Set as Total — do the same for the opening bar and each subtotal; selecting the whole series will not expose the same point-level option

Should a decrease be a negative number?

Yes, the sign controls the direction of the movement — keep a decrease negative in the source table and use chart formatting to change its colour

Can I include a subtotal?

Yes, put the subtotal in its own row and calculate it from the preceding movements — mark its chart bar as a total so Excel treats it as a checkpoint

What if my balance crosses zero?

The native waterfall can show negative cumulative values — check labels around the zero line carefully; a hand-built stacked-column alternative needs additional handling for negative bases

Should I link my chart to Excel?

Link when the deck needs updates from a stable, accessible source workbook; embed for a self-contained editable copy, or paste a picture when appearance matters more than editability

Do the downloads include Excel workbooks?

No, these are editable PowerPoint slide templates and PDF previews — use the worksheet example above to build your Excel chart — the slide shapes are not linked to workbook cells