How to make a pie chart in Excel

This Excel pie chart tutorial guides you through creating and customizing pie charts. Learn to build effective pie charts, avoiding common pitfalls.

Pie charts, also called circular graphs, visually represent proportions of a whole. Each slice represents a percentage of the total. While popular, they can be misinterpreted due to the difficulty in accurately comparing angles. This tutorial shows you how to create and refine them in Excel.

Creating a pie chart in Excel is straightforward. Proper data organization is key.

1. Prepare your data: Excel pie charts need data in a single column or row, representing one data series. A separate column or row for category names is beneficial for labels and legends. Ideal pie charts have:

• One data series.
• All values greater than zero.
• No empty rows or columns.
• 7-9 data categories maximum (avoid clutter).

Example data:

2. Insert the chart: Select your data, go to the "Insert" tab, and choose your desired pie chart type (explained below). This example uses a 2-D pie chart:

Including column/row headings in the selection adds them to the chart title.

3. Choose a style (optional): Explore different styles under the "Design" tab > "Chart Styles" group for visual enhancements.

Pie Chart Types:

• 2-D Pie Chart: The standard and most frequently used type.

• 3-D Pie Chart: Adds depth for a different perspective. Offers 3-D rotation and perspective controls.

• Pie of Pie/Bar of Pie: Useful for charts with numerous small slices. Small slices are displayed on a secondary pie or bar chart. You can manually select which categories to move to the secondary chart using the "Format Data Series" options, specifying a percentage threshold or custom selection.

• Doughnut Chart: Suitable for multiple data series related to the whole. The hole size is customizable via "Format Data Series".

Customizing your Pie Chart:

• Data Labels: Add labels for clarity. Choose label location (inside, outside, etc.) and include category names and values/percentages.

• Exploding Slices: Emphasize individual slices by moving them away from the center. Control explosion amount via "Format Data Series".

• Rotation: Rotate the chart for better visual appeal, especially to bring smaller slices to the front. Use "Format Data Series" to adjust the angle. 3-D charts offer additional rotation controls.

• Sorting: Sort slices by size (largest to smallest) for improved readability. Use a PivotTable for easy sorting without altering source data.

• Color: Change the color theme or individual slice colors for visual appeal and clarity.

• Formatting: Enhance the chart's appearance using shadow, glow, and soft edges under "Format Data Series". Additional formatting options are available on the "Format" tab.

Key Tips:

• Sort slices by size.
• Group or grey out small slices.
• Rotate for optimal viewing.
• Limit data categories (7-9 max).
• Consider direct labeling instead of a legend.
• Use 3-D effects sparingly.

Mastering these techniques will enable you to create clear, informative, and visually appealing pie charts in Excel.

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