Follow along with the attached packaged workbook to the right of this text in the "Attachments" section.  

In the attached CSV file, WaterFall_SampleData.csv, there are only three measures: Net Sales, Cost of Sales, and SGA.  In the following steps, Gross Profit and Operating Income are calculated in Tableau Desktop to create a waterfall-like chart using these measures.

1. Open WaterFall_SampleData.csv in Tableau Desktop.
2. Click Analysis > Create Calculated Field. Create a calculated field with the name Gross Profit with the following formula:

   [Net Sales]-[Cost of Sales]

3. Create a calculated field with the name Operating Income and use the following formula:

   [Net Sales]-[Cost of Sales]-[SGA]

4. Create a calculated field and name it Fix Fields to include the formula shown below. This calculated field is used to populate the horizontal frame of the waterfall-like chart.

   CASE [Segment]
   WHEN "Consumer" THEN TODAY() 
   WHEN "Cooperate" THEN TODAY()+1
   WHEN "Home Office" THEN TODAY()+4
   END

5. Create a calculated field named Order Of Field with the formula listed below. This calculated field is used to decide the order of measures.

   CASE INDEX()
   WHEN 1 THEN 'Net Sales'
   WHEN 2 THEN 'Cost of Sales'
   WHEN 3 THEN 'Gross Profit'
   WHEN 4 THEN 'SGA'
   WHEN 5 THEN 'Operating Income'
   END

6. Create a calculated field named Set Gantt Starting Point to include the following formula:

   CASE INDEX()
       WHEN 1 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Net Sales]))
       WHEN 2 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Cost of Sales]))
       WHEN 3 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Cost of Sales]))
       WHEN 4 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Cost of Sales]))
       WHEN 5 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Net Sales]))
   END

7. Create a calculated field named Water Fall Width to include the following formula.

   IF INDEX() = 1 THEN -[Set Gantt Starting Point]
   ELSEIF  INDEX() = 2 THEN -[Set Gantt Starting Point]
   ELSEIF  INDEX() = 3 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Gross Profit]))
   ELSEIF  INDEX() = 4 THEN TOTAL(SUM([SGA]))
   ELSEIF  INDEX() = 5 THEN -TOTAL(SUM([Operating Income]))
   END
   

8. Create a calculated field named Labels with the following formula:

   IF INDEX() = 1 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Net Sales]))
   ELSEIF  INDEX() = 2 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Cost of Sales]))
   ELSEIF  INDEX() = 3 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Gross Profit]))
   ELSEIF  INDEX() = 4 THEN TOTAL(SUM([SGA]))
   ELSEIF  INDEX() = 5 THEN TOTAL(SUM([Operating Income]))
   END
   

9. Place Fix Fields to Columns by right-clicking and select Fix Fields(Discrete), then click OK.
10. Right-click Fix Fields on Columns, then select Show Missing Values.                                                                                 
11. Place Order Of Field to Columns.
12. Right-click Order Of Field on Columns, then right-click the field and select Compute Using >  Fix Fields.
13. Place Set Gantt Starting Point to Rows, then right-click the field and select Compute Using >  Fix Fields.
14. Change the mark type to Gantt Bar.                                                                                                                 
15. Place Water Fall Width to Size, then then right-click the field and select Compute Using > Fix Fields.
16. Place Labels to Label, then then right-click the field and select Compute Using > Fix Fields.
17. Right-click Fix Fields on Columns, then un-check Show Header.