Data Preparation Guide - WaterfallBridge

Why Data Format Matters

WaterfallBridge analyzes your spreadsheet automatically. To do this reliably, it needs the data in a flat, one-dimensional table — the same format used by databases, pivot tables, and BI tools. Think of it as "one column = one field, one row = one record."

Each column represents a single field (e.g. Month, Product, Revenue).
Each row represents one record at the chosen granularity.
No merged cells, no cross-row references, no stray data outside the table.

Use a Flat (One-Dimensional) Table

Each column must contain one type of data only. Values of the same field should run vertically down the rows, not horizontally across columns. This is the "tidy data" layout that databases and analysis tools expect.

✗ Incorrect — Crosstab / Pivot Layout

Product	Jan	Feb	Mar
Widget A	100	120	90
Widget B	200	180	210

Months are spread across columns. Each column mixes "month" and "revenue" concepts, making automated parsing impossible.

✓ Correct — Flat / Database Layout

Month	Product	Revenue
Jan	Widget A	100
Feb	Widget A	120
Mar	Widget A	90
Jan	Widget B	200
Feb	Widget B	180
Mar	Widget B	210

One column per field, one row per record. Every cell in a column is the same data type.

Tip: If your data currently looks like a pivot table, use Excel's Unpivot feature (Power Query > Transform > Unpivot Columns) to convert it into a flat layout quickly.

No Merged Cells

Merged cells look tidy to humans but break machine reading. When cells are merged, many rows lose their value and the program cannot determine which data belongs to which record. Every cell must hold its own value.

✗ Incorrect — Merged Cells

Region	Product	Revenue
East	Widget A	500
	Widget B	300
	Widget C	450

"East" spans three rows. The program sees only one value for the first row; the other two rows appear blank.

✓ Correct — Repeat Values

Region	Product	Revenue
East	Widget A	500
East	Widget B	300
East	Widget C	450

Each row explicitly states its Region. No ambiguity, and the program reads every record correctly.

Tip: To unmerge quickly, select the merged area → Home > Merge & Center (click to unmerge) → select the blank cells → type = and point to the cell above → press Ctrl+D to fill down.

Formulas: Same-Row Only, Basic Arithmetic

You can use formulas within a row to derive new columns (e.g. =D3*E3 for Quantity × Price). However, do not reference other rows or other sheets. Only the basic operators + − * / ( ) are supported.

✗ Incorrect — Cross-Row / Cross-Sheet References

	B	C	D (Revenue)
Row 3	Widget A	100	=C3+C4
Row 4	Widget B	200	=Sheet2!D4

=C3+C4 references another row; =Sheet2!D4 references another sheet. Both will cause errors.

✓ Correct — Same-Row Arithmetic

	B (Qty)	C (Price)	D (Revenue)
Row 3	50	10	=B3*C3
Row 4	80	12	=B4*C4

Each formula only references cells in its own row and uses basic arithmetic. This is safe and reliable.

Allowed operators: + - * / ( ) — no SUM(), no VLOOKUP(), no named ranges, no cross-sheet references.

Keep the Sheet Clean — No Stray Data

Do not place comments, totals, notes, or any other content in columns or rows that are outside the main data table. The program scans every non-empty cell; stray data will be misinterpreted as part of the dataset.

✗ Incorrect — Extra Data Outside the Table

Month	Product	Revenue	← Note
Jan	Widget A	100	top seller!
Feb	Widget A	120
Grand Total		220

Column D contains a personal note; the last row is a manual total. Both confuse the parser.

✓ Correct — Data Only

Month	Product	Revenue
Jan	Widget A	100
Feb	Widget A	120

Only the defined columns and data rows remain. No extra text, no summary rows.

Tip: If you need notes, keep them on a separate sheet. The Data sheet should contain only the data table — nothing more.

Consistent Data Types Within Each Column

Every value in a column should be the same type — all numbers, all text, or all dates. Mixing types (e.g. numbers and text in the same column) can lead to misclassification or calculation errors.

✗ Incorrect — Mixed Types

Month	Product	Revenue
Jan	Widget A	100
Feb	Widget A	N/A
Mar	Widget A	see note

"N/A" and "see note" are text in a numeric column. The program cannot calculate with these values.

✓ Correct — Uniform Types

Month	Product	Revenue
Jan	Widget A	100
Feb	Widget A	0
Mar	Widget A	90

Use 0 for zero revenue, or leave the cell empty. Never substitute text for a numeric value.

Tip: If a value is missing, leave the cell blank or enter 0 (for numeric fields). Avoid placeholders like "N/A", "TBD", or "-".

Start Data from the Designated Rows

WaterfallBridge expects the data to begin in a specific layout: Row 1 for Data Types, Row 2 for Field Names, and Row 3 onward for data records. Do not insert blank rows, title rows, or instructions above the table.

✗ Incorrect — Extra Header Rows

Month	Product	Revenue
Sales Report Q1 2025
(all figures in USD)
Jan	Widget A	100

Two extra rows above the actual header shift the data layout and confuse the program.

✓ Correct — Standard Layout

Row 1 (Type)	Dimension	Dimension	SumY
Row 2 (Name)	Month	Product	Revenue
Row 3+ (Data)	Jan	Widget A	100

Row 1 = data types, Row 2 = field names, Row 3 onward = data. No extra titles or blank rows.

Tip: Use the "New Bridge File" button to generate a correctly formatted template. Then fill in your data starting from Row 3.

Quick Checklist Before You Analyze

☑ Data is in a flat table — one column per field, one row per record.
☑ No merged cells anywhere in the data area.
☑ Formulas use same-row references only with + - * / ( ).
☑ No stray text, notes, or summary rows outside the table.
☑ Each column has a consistent data type (all numbers, all text, etc.).
☑ Data starts at Row 1 (types) / Row 2 (names) / Row 3 (data).