Animated Waterfall Chart

Create an animated waterfall chart that shows how a starting value builds or decreases through a sequence of additions and subtractions, ending at a final total. Each segment animates onto the chart in order, making the cumulative story easy to follow. Ideal for revenue bridges, P&L breakdowns, and budget explanations.

How to Create a Animated Waterfall Chart

  1. Enter your starting value and changes

    Input the starting total, then each addition or subtraction in sequence. Positive values add to the running total, negative values subtract from it. The chart calculates the cumulative position of each bar automatically.

  2. Set colors for additions, subtractions, and totals

    Assign distinct colors to positive segments, negative segments, and total bars. The conventional palette is green for gains, red for losses, and gray or blue for opening and closing totals.

  3. Export for your presentation or video

    Download as MP4 for a video timeline, or GIF for slide decks. Each segment animates in order, building the complete bridge from left to right.

Use Cases

  • Revenue bridge showing how last year's figure became this year's through new business, churn, and expansion
  • P&L breakdown displaying how gross revenue becomes net profit after cost of goods, operating expenses, and tax
  • Budget explanation showing how an initial budget was allocated across departments or projects
  • Cash flow waterfall visualizing sources and uses of cash over a quarter or year
  • Headcount bridge showing how a starting team count changed through hiring, attrition, and transfers

Variations

Revenue bridge

shows the path from one revenue period to another through additions and subtractions, common in quarterly earnings presentations

P&L waterfall

breaks down how gross revenue becomes net profit after deducting each cost category in sequence

Budget allocation waterfall

shows how a total budget is distributed across departments or projects, with each allocation as a downward segment

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a waterfall chart?

A waterfall chart shows how a starting value increases or decreases through a series of intermediate values, arriving at a final total. Each bar floats at the cumulative position reached by the previous bars, so the audience can trace the full journey from start to finish.

When should I use a waterfall chart instead of a bar chart?

Use a waterfall chart when you want to show the components that explain the difference between two totals, such as last year's revenue vs. this year's. Use a bar chart when you are comparing independent categories at a single point in time.

How do I make an animated waterfall chart for a video?

In KPI Studio, enter your starting value followed by each addition or subtraction in sequence. Select the waterfall chart type, set colors for positive and negative segments, and export as MP4. Each segment animates onto the chart in order.