{"id":147979,"date":"2024-09-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-05T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/?p=147979"},"modified":"2026-01-21T09:58:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T09:58:54","slug":"how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/","title":{"rendered":"How to create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"678\" data-id=\"148027\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-148027\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp 900w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image-300x226.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image-768x579.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image-180x135.webp 180w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image-600x452.webp 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"#Download-PDF\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"894\" height=\"674\" data-id=\"147326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/BLOG-Banner_PDF-Download-copy-1.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-147326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/BLOG-Banner_PDF-Download-copy-1.webp 894w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/BLOG-Banner_PDF-Download-copy-1-300x226.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/BLOG-Banner_PDF-Download-copy-1-768x579.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/BLOG-Banner_PDF-Download-copy-1-180x135.webp 180w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/BLOG-Banner_PDF-Download-copy-1-600x452.webp 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 894px) 100vw, 894px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-takeaways\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"key_takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Waterfall graph simplifies the visualization of total changes. This type of graph is useful for clearly showing how variations, positive or negative, affect a total value, making the data more understandable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Creating a waterfall graph on PowerPoint is simple and intuitive. Without the need for external software, the Waterfall chart can be generated directly in slides, using the \u201cChart\u201d button in the \u201cIllustrations\u201d section.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Flexibility in column formatting is a strength. PowerPoint makes it easy to change the columns, allowing you to define which ones should represent a total or a growth contributor, customizing the display as needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The waterfall chart lends itself to multiple uses. It is not limited to financial analysis-it can be used in a variety of business contexts to monitor costs, evaluate projects or analyze processes, making presentations more impactful.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The end result is highly customizable. After creation, the chart can be resized and paired with other visual elements, such as tables, for optimal visual impact, improving the effectiveness of presentations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-waterfall-chart-allows-you-to-visually-represent-changes-in-a-total-making-your-presentations-clearer-and-more-effective\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"waterfall_chart_allows_you_to_visually_represent_changes_in_a_total_making_your_presentations_clearer_and_more_effective\"><\/span>Waterfall chart allows you to visually represent changes in a total, making your presentations clearer and more effective<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking for a way to <strong>make your PowerPoint presentations clearer and more impactful<\/strong>, especially when you have to show numerical data that, let&#8217;s face it, in figure form don&#8217;t have much appeal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If so, know that the <strong>Waterfall chart<\/strong> is the ideal tool for you. With this chart, you can intuitively show the changes in a total value, making it easier for your audience to understand the data, who, at a glance, will be clear about the situation you are describing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best part?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On PowerPoint you can <strong>create a waterfall chart in a few simple steps<\/strong>, without having to use external software, directly in your slides. In short, turning a bunch of numbers into an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/\">effective presentation<\/a> is easier than you think!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To speed up this process even further, you can use the <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/powerpoint-addin\">MLC PowerPoint Add-In<\/a>, our tool designed to streamline slide creation directly within PowerPoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Read also:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/what-is-data-storytelling\/\">What is data storytelling and what are its 3 main principles<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-a-waterfall-graph\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_is_a_waterfall_graph\"><\/span>What is a waterfall graph?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Waterfall chart is a tool used to visualize <strong>how a series of values contribute to the overall change in a total value<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is commonly used in business and finance to depict trends in progressive data, such as changes in profit or budget over time, and its special feature is that it clearly shows the positive and negative contributions that lead to the final result, making it easier for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-involve-the-audience-during-your-presentations\/\">the audience to feel involved<\/a> and understand the changes that occurred between a starting point and an ending point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On PowerPoint, the Waterfall chart can be created in just a few steps and is particularly useful for presentations because of its ability to <strong>simplify the presentation of data through a clear visualization<\/strong>, just like the one you can see below in the two examples.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"564\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_1-1024x564.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 1 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-147982\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_1-1024x564.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_1-300x165.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_1-768x423.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_1-600x330.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_1.webp 1468w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"567\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_2-1024x567.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 2 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-147984\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_2-1024x567.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_2-300x166.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_2-768x425.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_2-600x332.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_2.webp 1467w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The inner columns in the chart (which I have marked in the image as Growth Contributors) represent the increases or decreases over time: the arrangement of these elements helps you understand <strong>how each value affects the change in the total<\/strong>, from the first column to the last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Please note: columns showing totals can also be interspersed in the graph. Assume, for example, that you want to show the change in a company&#8217;s profit over an entire year, but that you want to emphasize the interim milestone of the first six months: in this case, in addition to the initial and final totals, we will insert another one in the middle of the graph showing the total reached after the first six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anyway, in almost all cases the waterfall graph is set up to show only an initial and a final total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This type of graph is often used to <strong>analyze financial statements, showing how individual income and expense items lead to the total profit or loss<\/strong>. However, it can be used in a wide range of contexts, including cost analysis, project management, and process evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So far so clear, but now let&#8217;s go to see specifically how to insert a Waterfall diagram on our slides: trust me, this is a very simple task. You just need to know what steps to follow: and in the remainder of the article I will show you them from first to last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-build-a-waterfall-chart-in-just-a-few-clicks-directly-on-powerpoint\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_build_a_waterfall_chart_in_just_a_few_clicks_directly_on_powerpoint\"><\/span>How to build a waterfall chart in just a few clicks, directly on PowerPoint<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before we start, I have good news for you: <strong>we can create a waterfall chart directly in PowerPoint<\/strong>, without having to move to another program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Convenient, don&#8217;t you think?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First we should have at hand the data we want to represent through the graph: in my case, as you can see below, I gathered them in an ad hoc table. Do it yourself: <strong>you will find it much easier to put them on the graph<\/strong> from such a table.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_3-1024x526.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 3 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-147986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_3-1024x526.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_3-300x154.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_3-768x395.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_3-600x308.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_3.webp 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you can see, this is data that we will need to graphically show the contributions to revenues over the course of 5 years, starting with the total in the first year, up to the total reached at the end of the 5-year period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To prepare the chart, click at the top on the <strong>Chart<\/strong> button in the <strong>Illustrations<\/strong> section and, in the small window that will open, select the <strong>Waterfall<\/strong> type, then click Ok.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_4-1024x526.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 4 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-147988\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_4-1024x526.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_4-300x154.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_4-768x394.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_4-600x308.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_4.webp 1176w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You will now notice a window in which you can enter the data you intend to display through the chart.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"524\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_5-1024x524.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 5 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-147990\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_5-1024x524.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_5-300x153.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_5-768x393.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_5-600x307.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_5.webp 1183w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Substitute your own for the default ones<\/strong> with a simple copy and paste, just as I did in the example below.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_6-1024x526.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 6 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-147992\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_6-1024x526.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_6-300x154.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_6-768x395.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_6-600x308.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_6.webp 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, close the little window and here is our graph on the slide, but if you pay attention, it is not ready yet: in fact, in the example below, you will notice that the columns representing the totals are the first and fourth and all the others show the growth contributors instead.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_7-1024x518.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 7 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-147994\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_7-1024x518.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_7-300x152.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_7-768x389.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_7-600x304.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_7.webp 1180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But we need a graph that shows the first and last columns as total!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How do we solve this problem?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Read also:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/complete-guide-to-creating-an-effective-presentation\/\">Complete Guide to Creating an Effective Presentation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-formatting-of-the-columns-of-a-waterfall-graph\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the_formatting_of_the_columns_of_a_waterfall_graph\"><\/span>The formatting of the columns of a waterfall graph<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s very simple: know that we can easily <strong>change the formatting of each individual column<\/strong>, deciding for each one whether we want it to represent a total or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To do this, right-click on the column you want to change (I started with the second-to-last one) and, if you want to change it from a total to a growth contributor, click <strong>Clear Total<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"531\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_8-1024x531.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 8 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-147996\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_8-1024x531.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_8-300x155.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_8-768x398.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_8-600x311.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_8.webp 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We&#8217;re almost there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, let&#8217;s turn the last column from a growth contributor to a total: right-click and select <strong>Set as Total<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"524\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_9-1024x524.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 9 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-147998\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_9-1024x524.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_9-300x154.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_9-768x393.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_9-600x307.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_9.webp 1178w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And there you have it: our waterfall graph is pretty much ready. All we have to do is <strong>resize it as we prefer<\/strong> (I chose to resize it so that it can be placed side by side with the corresponding table) and we&#8217;re there!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"527\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_10-1024x527.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot waterfall chart 10 | MLC\" class=\"wp-image-148000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_10-1024x527.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_10-300x154.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_10-768x395.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_10-600x309.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-waterfall-chart_10.webp 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Piece of cake, don&#8217;t you think?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-put-what-i-showed-you-into-practice-and-share-your-experience-with-me\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"put_what_i_showed_you_into_practice_and_share_your_experience_with_me\"><\/span>Put what I showed you into practice and share your experience with me<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Waterfall chart on PowerPoint is a really effective tool for turning complex numbers and data into a simple and immediate visual representation, perfect for creating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/\">effective and impactful presentations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With just a few clicks, without leaving PowerPoint, you can <strong>make your presentations more impactful and communicative<\/strong>, making it easier to understand changes in the data. And if you&#8217;re aiming for a truly polished result, you can also rely on our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/powerpoint-presentation-design-agency\/\">PowerPoint presentation design agency<\/a> to help you turn your data into visually stunning slides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that you know all the steps, all you have to do is <strong>put this guide into practice<\/strong> and experiment with creating your first waterfall chart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What results will you get from your presentations?<\/strong> I&#8217;m curious to find out! Try it now and share your experience and impressions in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-faq\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [{\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"What is a waterfall graphic?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"A Waterfall chart, also known as a waterfall graph, is a tool used to visualize how a series of values contribute to the overall change in a total. It is particularly useful for clearly depicting positive and negative contributions leading from the initial total to the final result.\"\n    }\n  },{\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"What data can be shown effectively through a waterfall graph?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"A waterfall graph is ideal for showing changes in profit, financial balances, income and expenses, or any set of values that contribute to the change in a total. It is often used to represent financial data, but can also be used in other contexts such as cost analysis or project management.\"\n    }\n  },{\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"What software can I use to create a waterfall chart to include in my presentations?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"You can easily create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint. Just go to the \u201cIllustrations\u201d section, click on \u201cChart,\u201d select the \u201cWaterfall\u201d type, and enter your data, conveniently from your slide, without using additional programs.\"\n    }\n  }]\n}\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What is a waterfall graphic?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Waterfall chart, also known as a waterfall graph, is a tool used to visualize how a series of values contribute to the overall change in a total. It is particularly useful for clearly depicting positive and negative contributions leading from the initial total to the final result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What data can be shown effectively through a waterfall graph?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A waterfall graph is ideal for showing changes in profit, financial balances, income and expenses, or any set of values that contribute to the change in a total. It is often used to represent financial data, but can also be used in other contexts such as cost analysis or project management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What software can I use to create a waterfall chart to include in my presentations?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can easily create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint. Just go to the \u201cIllustrations\u201d section, click on \u201cChart,\u201d select the \u201cWaterfall\u201d type, and enter your data, conveniently from your slide, without using additional programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"Download-PDF\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Get the one-pager now!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class='_form_186'><\/div><script type='text\/javascript' src='https:\/\/mlcpresentationdesign.activehosted.com\/f\/embed.php?static=0&id=186&6A8918240A073&nostyles=1&preview=0'><\/script><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Waterfall chart allows you to visually represent changes in a total, making your presentations clearer and more effective&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":148027,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-147979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-presenting-data","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.1 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Create effective presentations with a waterfall chart on PowerPoint: visually represent changes in a total with clarity and impact\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Create effective presentations with a waterfall chart on PowerPoint: visually represent changes in a total with clarity and impact\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MLC Presentation Design Consulting\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/leanpresentationdesign\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-05T10:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-21T09:58:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"678\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Maurizio La Cava\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@maurizio_lacava\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@maurizio_lacava\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Maurizio La Cava\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint","description":"Create effective presentations with a waterfall chart on PowerPoint: visually represent changes in a total with clarity and impact","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint","og_description":"Create effective presentations with a waterfall chart on PowerPoint: visually represent changes in a total with clarity and impact","og_url":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/","og_site_name":"MLC Presentation Design Consulting","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/leanpresentationdesign\/","article_published_time":"2024-09-05T10:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-21T09:58:54+00:00","og_image":[{"width":900,"height":678,"url":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Maurizio La Cava","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@maurizio_lacava","twitter_site":"@maurizio_lacava","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Maurizio La Cava","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/"},"author":{"name":"Maurizio La Cava","@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/60c18dd5ac75b5c444e35291cf24e224"},"headline":"How to create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint","datePublished":"2024-09-05T10:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-21T09:58:54+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/"},"wordCount":1493,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp","articleSection":["Presenting Data"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/","name":"How to create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp","datePublished":"2024-09-05T10:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-21T09:58:54+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/60c18dd5ac75b5c444e35291cf24e224"},"description":"Create effective presentations with a waterfall chart on PowerPoint: visually represent changes in a total with clarity and impact","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp","width":900,"height":678},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/how-to-create-a-waterfall-chart-on-powerpoint\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to create a waterfall chart on PowerPoint"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/","name":"MLC Presentation Design Consulting","description":"Lean Presentation Design services","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/60c18dd5ac75b5c444e35291cf24e224","name":"Maurizio La Cava","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88488f2556664440e923db216cea94fd7ca1ea61499c71dca6019dbf0b7b9e4e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88488f2556664440e923db216cea94fd7ca1ea61499c71dca6019dbf0b7b9e4e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88488f2556664440e923db216cea94fd7ca1ea61499c71dca6019dbf0b7b9e4e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Maurizio La Cava"},"description":"Presentation Strategist, Founder of the Lean Presentation Design Methodology, Professor of Presentation Strategies, Startup Pitch Coach, Public speaker, CEO at MLC Presentation Design Consulting . Author of: Lean Presentation Design and Startup Pitch, Startup Pitch Strategist at Polihub.","sameAs":["http:\/\/mauriziolacava.com"]}]}},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp",900,678,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image-150x150.webp",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image-300x226.webp",300,226,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image-768x579.webp",768,579,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp",900,678,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp",900,678,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image.webp",900,678,false],"blog_sidebar_thumb":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image-180x60.webp",180,60,true],"blog_sidebar_thumb_big":["https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/BLOG-Waterfall-Chart_Featured-Image-180x135.webp",180,135,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Maurizio La Cava","author_link":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/author\/mauriziolacava\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Waterfall chart allows you to visually represent changes in a total, making your presentations clearer and more effective...","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}