Create a WPS Spreadsheet Waterfall Chart for Positive and Negative Values
Question details
The user needs to create a chart that clearly displays positive and negative amounts and shows how changes contribute to a total.
- Product
- WPS Spreadsheets
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The source data contains increases and decreases, and the user wants a chart similar to the reference example.
- Observed behavior
- The user needs a chart type that visually separates positive changes, negative changes, and total values.
Arrange the source data in a table with a category or label column and a corresponding value column. Check that increases are entered as positive numbers and decreases as negative numbers before inserting the chart.
Insert a waterfall chart for positive and negative values
Use this solution when the data represents sequential increases and decreases that build toward one or more totals.
A waterfall chart is designed to show how positive and negative changes affect a starting amount or running total. After insertion, WPS Spreadsheets can format increases, decreases, and totals with different colors or column styles.
Open the worksheet in WPS Spreadsheets and select the label and value columns that contain the categories and positive or negative amounts.
On the ribbon, select Insert, open the Chart options, and choose Waterfall to create the chart from the selected data.
Click a column that represents a subtotal or final amount, open the chart formatting options, and mark it as a total when the Waterfall chart controls provide that option.
Select the chart, open the chart or data-series formatting pane, and assign distinct fills or colors to positive values, negative values, and total columns.
Use a column chart when values are independent
Choose this option when positive and negative values should be compared directly rather than shown as sequential changes toward a total.
Build clear positive-and-negative charts in WPS Spreadsheets
WPS Spreadsheets lets you insert a waterfall chart directly from the Insert tab, identify totals, and format positive and negative changes for clear financial or operational reporting.
- 1. Open WPS Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Office and open an existing spreadsheet or create a new workbook.
- 2. Prepare the values: Enter category labels and positive or negative amounts in adjacent columns, then select the complete data range.
- 3. Insert a waterfall chart: Choose Insert from the ribbon, open Chart, and select Waterfall.
- 4. Customize the chart: Use the chart formatting tools to identify totals and apply separate styles to increases and decreases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which WPS chart type is best for positive and negative changes?
Use a waterfall chart in WPS Spreadsheets when the values represent increases and decreases that contribute to a running total. It separates positive changes, negative changes, and totals visually.
How do I insert a waterfall chart in WPS Spreadsheets?
Select the source data, choose Insert on the ribbon, open the Chart options, and select Waterfall. WPS Spreadsheets will create the chart from the selected labels and values.
Can I show totals in a WPS waterfall chart?
Yes. Select the column representing a subtotal or final amount, then use the waterfall chart formatting controls to mark it as a total. Total columns can also be formatted differently from increases and decreases.
Why are some values not displayed as decreases?
Check the source data and make sure decreases are entered as negative numbers. Positive numbers are displayed as increases, while negative numbers are displayed as decreases in the waterfall chart.
Should I use a column chart instead of a waterfall chart?
Use a column chart when you only need to compare independent positive and negative values. Use a waterfall chart when you need to explain how sequential changes lead from a starting amount to a subtotal or final total.
