Thanks, yes, this is an issue. If you format the up-down bars with a fill color and no border, they can be resolved down to a smaller size. If you use Excel 2003 and earlier, you can manually change the gap width of the bars to help with visibility (Excel 2007 requires some VBA).

I picked up the deviation values straight away for data label column for some deviation chart, ignoring your formulas. When I found that the data labels were not getting positioned correctly in the graph, I realised that even there, you had ensured a discipline whereby labels are displayed only above the X axis & on top of the stack.

I used all possible permutations & combinations to understand the reasoning behind your colour scheme & formulas & ended up with this:

Blank + & – columns ensure only the row deviation given by red or green is visible
Blank + is to make the patch above X axis from 0 upto cum after effect value invisible.
This implies that Blank + would have values only if both before & after effects are positive
Blank + would take the least value of before & after effects
Blank – is to make the patch below X axis from 0 down to cum after effect value invisible.
Blank – would have values only if both before & after effects are negative
Blank – would take the least ABS value of before & after effects

Red – & + to show negative deviations
Sum of ABS Value of Red + & Red + = Row deviation
Red – will have values only if the after effect is also negative
Red – will pick up either after effect or deviation, whichever is smaller number in ABS values
Red + will have values only if before effect is +
Red + will pick up before effect or deviation, whichever is smaller number in absolute values

Green – & Green + to show positive deviations
Sum of ABS Value of Green + & Green – = Row deviation
Green – will have values only if before effect is negative
Green – will pick up either before effect or deviation, which ever is smaller ABS
Green + will have values only if after effect is +
Green + will pick up after effect or deviation which ever is smaller ABS

Whatever, thankss for pointing out the typo in the example. The formulas were correct, but the typo in the table led to a misinterpretation of the protocol.

Gaaa! I see the error (I didn’t notice when I tested the same numbers yesterday). I’ve corrected these values. The formulas were always correct

Your reply to

“If deviation is +, Previous row cum is -, current row cum is +, Green + is current cum and green – is previous cum”
is
“No, because the green negative (which is a difference) cannot exceed the gain (B3). ”

Sir, is it not true that, if the previous row cum is picked, it will never exceed the gain as in any situation, the gain has to be more than the previous row –ve cum, to make the current row cum +ve?

I tried couple of options with + & – If the value in C9 is read as -4.87 instead of -9.87, then everything works fine whether it is your ‘=IF(AND(C20),MAX(-B3,C2),0)’ formula or as bland as mine wherein I pick earlier cum value

My son goes around telling everyone who bothers to listen, that I’ll end up in the next couple of days, plotting a waterfall chart with start point as his previous year performance in school & end point as current year’s

Thanks a Million for all the guidance,
Savithri

The previous after effect is -ve, current deviation ( price effect 6.35) is +, making the after effect also + 1.48.

Hence green – is picking up Max of -6.35 and – 4.87 which is -4.87 ( previous row after effect as I understand) .

This along with the value in green + is painting the entire stretch from a negative cum to positive cum ( which is the current favourable deviation) as green in the display

Savithri

“If deviation is +, Previous row cum is +, current row cum is + , Green + is current cum and green – is zero”

Current cum = previous cum + gain. Green + is gain (the difference between previous cum and current cum).

“If deviation is +, Previous row cum is -, current row cum is +, Green + is current cum and green – is previous cum”

No, because the green negative (which is a difference) cannot exceed the gain (B3).

“If deviation is +, Previous row cum is -, current row cum is – , Green + is zero and green – is previous cum”

No, Green – is current cum minus previous cum.

I know it is preposterous on my part to even suggest the following to YOU, but how much ever I tried , I couldn’t see any links/ comments further for this chart which would have cleared my doubt

In the example that is used, if the formula for G column is as stated therein, then should not the value in cell G9 be -6.35 instead of -9.87 as required?
Could not the formula in column G be simply be ‘IF(AND(C20),C2,0)’ ?

As I understand it, for Green + & Green – columns, you have the following logic:-

1. If the deviation is > 0 (favourable), only then Green + or Green – column values have values

2. If deviation is > 0, for green + column, you check whether after effect in the current row is > 0, if yes, you plot current after effect

3. If deviation is >0, for green – column you check further whether the previous row effect (before the current deviation) is < 0, if yes, the idea as I understand it is to pick up previous row value. This is required as you need to show in green, the previous cum – value + the current row favourable effect
So instead of the formula in G3 as “IF(AND(C20),MAX(-B3,C2),0)”, can we not simply use IF(AND(C20),C2,0) ?

4, If deviation is +, Previous row cum is +, current row cum is + , Green + is current cum and green – is zero
If deviation is +, Previous row cum is -, current row cum is +, Green + is current cum and green – is previous cum
If deviation is +, Previous row cum is -, current row cum is – , Green + is zero and green – is previous cum

It is possible that the previous cum & current cum have same signs that is it is both + or both –
In such a case either green + or green – will automatically get skipped, because Green + will not pick in case current cum is – and green – will not pick if previous cum is +
But in a 3rd case, where there are opposite signs for previous cum & current cum then both green + & Green – values would get filled
This is essential because the deviation is making earlier negative cum, now a positive cum value, which means entire below 0 Axis values & above 0 X axis values have to be painted green

Pls bear with me for this loooong comment
Savithri

Thanks for suggesting the topic. I’d considered writing about it, but you provided the kick in the pants.

“I’m eagerly awaiting …”

I probably shouldn’t have said anything, because it will take some time to get this ready :-(