How to create a waterfall chart in Tableau

A waterfall chart can be used to show either sequential or categorical data. It uses a series of bars that show gains and losses by displaying a running total as values are added or subtracted.

Let us then see how to build step-by-step a waterfall chart on Tableau. Our goal is to create a graph showing the running total of profits per sub-category from the Sample Superstore data source.

Step 1. Create a bar chart

1. Connect to the data source (in this case we are not using Sample Superstore).
2. Create a calculated field. Let’s call it Negative profit and type -sum([Profit]).

3. Drag Sub-category on Columns.
4. Drag Profit to Rows. You will get a standard bar chart with also negative values.

Step 2. Create a waterfall chart

5. Right click on Profit in Rows, select Quick table calculation > Running total.
6. Select Gantt bar from the dropdown menu in the Marks card.
7. Drag the field we previously created called Negative profit on Size in the Marks card.
8. Drag Profit on Color in the Marks card. You can change the color palette to make it more effective, for example a two stepped Red-Blue diverging palette.

9. Click on Analitics in the left pane. Drag Totals on the view and drop it on Row Grand Totals.
10. Fit to Entire view. Done!
    
    

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