A waterfall chart is a financial visualization used to explain how an initial value changes through a sequence of positive and negative components to arrive at a final result. It is commonly used in corporate finance and FP&A to present variance analysis, financial bridges, and performance drivers in a clear, step-by-step format. By showing each incremental increase or decrease, a waterfall chart helps isolate the factors that contribute to change over time or between scenarios. In financial analysis, waterfall charts are frequently applied to budget versus actual comparisons, forecast updates, and period-over-period performance reviews. Typical use cases include explaining revenue growth or decline, cost movements, margin changes, and cash flow drivers. In management reporting, they are used to bridge prior-period results to current-period outcomes, or to reconcile plan, forecast, and actual results. In corporate strategy and consulting, waterfall charts support discussions around value creation, operational levers, and the impact of specific initiatives. A web-based waterfall chart generator provides a practical way to create these analyses without relying on complex spreadsheets or specialized desktop software. By focusing on numeric inputs and automatic calculations, such a tool reduces friction in building financial bridges and allows analysts to quickly test scenarios or adjust assumptions. This is particularly useful for finance professionals who need to produce clean, consistent charts for presentations, internal reviews, or client materials. Overall, a simple, browser-based waterfall chart tool supports core finance workflows by enabling clear variance analysis, structured financial storytelling, and efficient communication of key drivers in corporate finance, FP&A, banking, and professional services contexts.

Make A Waterfall Chart

Variance first. Narrative later.
Step 1
Populate your bar values & labels
Seed the baseline and variances before customizing visuals.
Bar 1
Value: 10
Bar 2
Value: -5
Last bar
5
Auto-calculated total
Step 2
Customize your waterfall
Style the narrative: colors, decimals, borders, and layout.
Dollar Sign Toggle
Show dollar signs on chart.
Variance Arrow
Show change from first to last bar.
Color Palette
Pick bar colors.
Graphic Size
Scale the chart.
Graph Borders
Outline bars with 1pt black.
Decimals
Add decimals if needed.
Orientation
Switch between horizontal and vertical waterfall.
Text Size
Adjust chart text size (1-5). Default is 3.
010Bar 1-5Bar 25Ending label120
Vibe coded with AI by Nino Mecevic - LinkedIn - X