Forecast Waterfall Charts help you visualize how your forecast has changed over time and why. The chart compares one week or quarter to the next and breaks down the key events behind the movement, like new deals, lost opportunities, slippage, or changes in deal value. This helps you move beyond just seeing variance numbers to understanding the why behind them, so you can spot trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
What Forecast Waterfall Charts Show
How your forecast changed week-over-week or quarter-over-quarter
Why it changed, broken down by category
The biggest factors driving those changes
The specific deals behind each movement
Insights to guide discussions and help leaders take action faster
Elements of Forecast Waterfall Charts
Each element of the chart helps you understand the full story behind your forecast movement.
Anchor Points
On the left, the chart begins with the forecast value from the previous period’s close.
On the right, it ends with the current projected forecast value.
Movement Buckets
Between these two anchor points, the chart displays the events that caused your forecast to change. Each column shows both the total dollar amount and the number of opportunities represented.
Slipped: Deals pushed to a future quarter, highlighting potential pipeline or forecasting risk.
Lost: Revenue permanently removed from the forecast (closed lost).
New: Net-new pipeline added this period that contributes to the current forecast.
Pulled In / Pushed In: Deals that moved forward or were delayed within the same quarter, showing deal momentum.
Amount Increase / Decrease: Value adjustments to existing opportunities, such as upsells, downsells, or scope changes.
Won: Revenue that successfully closed during the current period.
How to Access Forecast Waterfall Charts
Navigate to your desired forecast.
In the top right corner, select your desired time period (weekly or quarterly).
Click the three dots and select View Waterfall.
How to Use Forecast Waterfalls
Click any column to view the specific deals contributing to that change.
Review details such as account name, opportunity size, close date, and next steps—all in context.
This connection turns the chart into a powerful analytical tool that helps teams move seamlessly from a high-level view to actionable deal insights.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who can access Waterfall Charts?
Waterfall Charts are available to users at the manager level and above in the forecasting hierarchy.
Do Waterfall Charts support all forecast types?
At this time, Waterfall Charts support only opportunity-based forecasts.
Can I filter the Waterfall Chart by custom forecast fields?
Not yet. The view does not currently support filtering by custom forecast fields.
Which time periods are supported for Waterfall Charts?
Currently, only charts for the current quarter are supported.
Need Help?
Reach out to your CSM or email support@people.ai.