Forum Discussion
Waterfall visual: add additional disconnected bart
Hi PowerToBI ,
In the standard Power BI waterfall chart, the running baseline is fixed and continuous across the entire visual.
The chart does not support restarting or resetting the baseline at an intermediate category. A baseline reset is only possible when using the automatic final Total column, or splitting the logic across separate visuals. Because of this built-in behavior, two categories cannot independently start from the same baseline within a single standard waterfall.
Consequently, a configuration where multiple categories e.g. Intro and Start independently originate from the same baseline cannot be achieved within a single instance of the standard Power BI waterfall visual.
Hope this helps.
Thank you.
Hii PowerToBI
standard waterfall chart doesn't support "selective" breakdowns, you must trick the chart by putting both your main categories and your subcategories into the Category bucket of the visual, leaving the Breakdown bucket empty.
1. Create a "Waterfall Axis" Table
Create a new calculated table that contains every label you want to see on the X-axis in the exact order you want them.
WaterfallAxis =
UNION(
DATATABLE("Label", STRING, "Order", INTEGER, "Type", STRING,
{
{"Intro", 1, "Pillar"},
{"A", 2, "Breakdown"},
{"B", 3, "Breakdown"},
{"C", 4, "Breakdown"},
{"Start", 5, "Pillar"}, -- Or "End", depending on your logic
{"End", 6, "Pillar"}
}
)
)
Note: Ensure you set the Sort by Column for "Label" to the "Order" column.
2. Create the Dynamic Measure
You need a measure that calculates the correct value based on which label is being filtered on the axis.
Dynamic Waterfall Value =
VAR CurrentLabel = SELECTEDVALUE('WaterfallAxis'[Label])
RETURN
SWITCH( CurrentLabel,
"Intro", [YourIntroMeasure],
"A", CALCULATE([Amount], 'BreakdownTable'[Breakdown] = "A"),
"B", CALCULATE([Amount], 'BreakdownTable'[Breakdown] = "B"),
"C", CALCULATE([Amount], 'BreakdownTable'[Breakdown] = "C"),
"Start", [YourStartTotalMeasure],
"End", [YourEndTotalMeasure]
)
3. Configure the Visual
- Category: Use 'WaterfallAxis'[Label].
- Breakdown: Leave this Empty.
- Values: Use your [Dynamic Waterfall Value] measure.
Important Note on Totals
In a standard waterfall, the "Total" column is usually automatically generated. If you want "Start" or "End" to act as a "running total" or "summary" pillar, you may need to go to the Format Pane > Pillars and manually define "End" as a total, or ensure your DAX measure for that specific label returns the cumulative sum rather than a delta.
If this dynamic calculation solves your category-based KPI tracking, please mark this as the "Accepted Solution"!
Hi PowerToBI ,
In the standard Power BI waterfall chart, the running baseline is fixed and continuous across the entire visual.
The chart does not support restarting or resetting the baseline at an intermediate category. A baseline reset is only possible when using the automatic final Total column, or splitting the logic across separate visuals. Because of this built-in behavior, two categories cannot independently start from the same baseline within a single standard waterfall.
Consequently, a configuration where multiple categories e.g. Intro and Start independently originate from the same baseline cannot be achieved within a single instance of the standard Power BI waterfall visual.
Hope this helps.
Thank you.Hi PowerToBI ,
I see what’s happening—the Waterfall visual is treating "Start" and "End" as just another addition rather than a calculation of the previous steps.
To get "Start" to align at the same level as "Intro" and have "End" act as the final sum, you don't actually need a more complex measure; you just need to use a specific formatting feature in Power BI.
Try this:
- Select your Waterfall chart.
- Go to the Format Pane (the paintbrush icon).
- Expand the Columns (or Pillars) section.
- You will see a list of your Labels (Intro, A, B, C, Start, End).
- Find "Start" and "End" in that list and toggle the switch to "Set as total."
Why this works:
When you "Set as total," Power BI stops treating that category as a "floating" bar and anchors it to the bottom of the Y-axis. This will make your "Start" pillar look exactly like your "Intro" pillar, and your "End" pillar will represent the final result of the whole sequence.
If "Start" is meant to be a subtotal of everything before it, this formatting change is the most reliable way to fix the visual without breaking your DAX.
Let me know if those bars anchor correctly for you!