Reading charts and reports
Variance waterfall chart
- Reading charts and reports
Definition
A waterfall chart that starts at one total, such as budget, adds and subtracts each variance as a floating bar, and ends at the other total, such as actual.
Example
Raket Parts B.V. Q3 2025 revenue: start at the illustrative budget of €18,000,000; built-to-order parts +€541,935; catalogue parts -€117,268; flight computers +€51,745; end at actual revenue of €18,476,412. The chart shows at a glance that one stream drove the whole gain.
Raket Parts B.V. is a fictional company created for Insyt.
Why it matters
It explains how you got from one number to another, which a table of variances does less clearly.
Where it is used
Budget variance reports, profit bridges and board packs. Used by FP&A analysts, management accountants and BI developers.