Skip to main content
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Level up your Power BI skills this month - build one visual each week and tell better stories with data! Get started

Reply
kjohnanand
Helper I
Helper I

Dynamic Waterfall Graph based on Start and End Date

I'm trying to create a waterfall graph that tracks client wins/losses over a time period selected by a date slider. I'm using a switch/selected value combo function in order to achieve this but I can't get it to work properly.

 

Here's the switch function: 

kjohnanand_0-1701809734007.png

 

Here's one of the measures that the switch function is bringing in (all are the same as this, just with different filters):

kjohnanand_1-1701809785104.png

 

My data is unpivoted so date is in one column and active/inactive is in another column. 1 means the client is active and 0 means the client is not active. 

kjohnanand_2-1701809867461.png

 

Here are my sort and category tables: 

kjohnanand_3-1701809939939.pngkjohnanand_4-1701809955249.png

 

Here's what I'm inputting into the waterfall boxes:

kjohnanand_5-1701809996337.png

 

Here's the end result: 

kjohnanand_6-1701810018341.png

 

What am I doing wrong here?

1 REPLY 1
mizan2390
Resolver III
Resolver III

hi @kjohnanand 
The most probable reason your chart looks broken is purely a sorting issue.

A waterfall chart calculates left-to-right based on the visual order, so it is currently trying to subtract your losses before it even establishes the starting amount.

Here is how to fix it so it flows chronologically:

1. Sort the Category Column in the Data Model

  • Go to the Table View (Data View) on the left sidebar of Power BI.

  • Select your Waterfall Sort table.

  • Click on the Category column header to highlight it.

  • In the ribbon at the top (under the Column tools tab), click Sort by column and select your Order column. This forces Power BI to sort the text based on your 1, 2, 3 numbering.

2. Update the Visual Sort Settings

  • Go back to your report canvas and select the waterfall chart.

  • Click the More options (...) icon in the top right corner of the visual.

  • Hover over Sort axis and select Category.

  • Click the (...) icon one more time, hover over Sort axis, and ensure Sort ascending is checked.

Once you do this, your X-axis will snap into the correct order: Starting Amount -> Wins -> Losses -> Total.

Your DAX for the Waterfall Value is perfect. Because you multiplied [Waterfall Losses] by -1, it will correctly drop down as a red bar. The native "Total" bar at the end will then automatically calculate your Ending Amount (Starting Amount + Wins - Losses).

Give that a try.

If this solves your problem, give it a kudo and mark this as a solution.
@me so that i don't loose your thread.

Helpful resources

Announcements
April Power BI Update Carousel

Power BI Monthly Update - April 2026

Check out the April 2026 Power BI update to learn about new features.

Fabric SQL PBI Data Days

Data Days 2026 coming soon!

Sign up to receive a private message when registration opens and key events begin.

New to Fabric survey Carousel

New to Fabric Survey

If you have recently started exploring Fabric, we'd love to hear how it's going. Your feedback can help with product improvements.

Power BI DataViz World Championships carousel

Power BI DataViz World Championships - June 2026

A new Power BI DataViz World Championship is coming this June! Don't miss out on submitting your entry.