Creating a Waterfall Chart

• What is this feature for
• Signing up a Waterfall Chart
• Analyzing a Waterfall Chart

What is this feature for

The Waterfall Chart, also known as Bridge Chart, is a graph of a KPI that is drilled down analysis. 

With that feature, it is possible to analyze the drill down KPI that helps or spoils the mother KPI, having a complete diagnostic of the KPI in question. 

It is important to say that this chart is only helpful in KPIs that are drilled down, whether they are hierarchical, by item or formula. 

Signing up a Waterfall Chart

Before you use the chart, it is needed to sign it up in the system. To do that, go on Settings and, on the Corporate Performance tab, click on Chart Models. 

After that, click on the icon. Enter your chart’s name and, on the Type option, select Waterfall and click on save.

A page to edit your chart will open. On this chart, we don’t have the Section option. 

This type of chart has a standard analysis form, which is to show the Target values, at the beginning of the chart, and the Actual values, at the end. Between these values, it is shown each drilled down KPI contribution to get on these values, counting its better position. 

There are other options, such as: 

• Axis Name; 
• Legend Position; 
• Show grad lines; 
• if the Comparative Order will be Alphabetic, Descending Value or Ascending Value;
• If it will be a Limit Indicator Quantity. 

Analyzing a Waterfall Chart

Go on Corporate Performance and click on KPIs. After that, access the KPI you wish and click on the Chart tab.  Then, click on the Hierarchical option and select the name you put in the waterfall chart.

A Waterfall Chart is used in situations that are needed to analyze the KPI’s drill down to know which one’s contributed positively and which one's contributed negatively. 

It calculates the difference between the picked items to analysis and shows the contribution to each drill down KPI to the final result, taking into account its better position. 

For Example: I wish to analyze the contribution of the Revenue KPI, with the drill down in the Profits and Spending KPIs, calculating the difference between the Actual and Target of these two.

If the Profit KPI had a Target of 10 and an Actual of 12, it is shown the 2 value in the chart and its contribution is shown as positive, being green.  

If the Spending KPI had a Target of 12 and an Actual of 15, since the KPI has its better position as better down, it is shown as negative, being red and with the value of -3.

In the end, the central KPI will be with a negative balance of -2 on the Target and -3 on the Actual. The main factor to that was the Spending KPI performance. 

The values that are shown to the total Actual and Target are just the sum of the drilled down KPIs values. This value can not represent the launched value on the central KPI

Another important fact is that the Waterfall Chart is only effective when the drilled down KPIs have a sum relation. If a drilled down KPI has its better position as better down, it will be counted as negative. 

In case that all the drilled down KPIs have their better positions as better down, the contributions will be inverted and a normal sum will be done. 

In case you have doubts, remember that our Content session has many articles about the functionalities of STRATWs One. 

Feel free to consult and follow any member you prefer! Besides that, our blog produces contents about management methodologies and productivity tips. Access https://www.siteware.com.br/en/blog/ and stay updated!

Don’t forget to make your suggestion or commentary about the article in the commentary section and mark if the article was useful to you. Your opinion means a lot to us!