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A pie chart helps visualize the sizes of items in a data set, relative to the total. Data points in a pie chart are shown as percentages of the entire pie. If your data is arranged in a column or row on a spreadsheet, you can easily create a pie chart in Excel.
Below is a detailed guide on how to create a pie chart in Excel. Feel free to follow along.
Step 1: Open the Excel file containing the data you want to use for the pie chart.
Note on data for drawing pie charts:
- First, select the data area you want to plot on the pie chart, including the header columns for chart legends and chart naming.
Step 2: Select the Insert tab and choose the pie chart icon and doughnut hole chart (Pie & Doughnut) and select the type of pie chart you want. Excel supports the following chart types: 2-D Pie (2D pie chart), 3-D Pie (3D pie chart), Doughnut (doughnut hole chart).
If there is more than one data string and you still want to draw a pie chart, you can choose a Doughnut chart.
1. 2-D Pie Chart.
To create a conventional 2D pie chart, choose the chart in the 2-D Pie section.
In the 2D chart, in addition to the regular pie chart, you will have pie of pie chart and bar of pie chart types. These pie chart types are used when your chart has too many small parts, which will be displayed outside the main pie chart.
Note: When using these two types of charts, the last three data points in the data table will appear in the auxiliary chart, so you need to arrange the data properly.
2. 3-D Pie Chart.
If you want a 3D pie chart (three-dimensional block), choose the pie chart type in the 3-D Pie section.
3. Doughnut Chart.
If you have more than one type of data and still want to draw a pie chart, you can use the Doughnut chart. Just choose the chart type in the Doughnut section.
However, typically if you have multiple data series, you should use horizontal or vertical bar charts to easily compare the proportions of different data types.
Step 3: Customize the Pie Chart.
After completing the pie chart, you need to make some customizations to make your chart stand out, scientific, and impressive.
1. Edit the title of the pie chart.
Double-click on the title and edit the title to fit the pie chart.
2. Move and Resize the Pie Chart.
Left-click and hold on the pie chart, then drag it to the position you want to move the chart to.
To resize the pie chart, place the cursor on the 8 handle buttons around the chart border, arrows will appear, left-click and hold and adjust the size as desired.
3. Add Data Labels to the Pie Chart.
Click on the plus icon next to the pie chart, then check the box next to Data Labels, so the data labels will appear.
To change the display position for the data labels, select the black triangle icon next to Data Labels and choose the display position for the labels.
If you want to display category data for the labels, click on the blue plus icon next to the chart, then select the black triangle icon next to Data Labels and choose More Options.
The Format Data Labels section will appear on the right, select the Label Options tab and check the box next to Category Name.
4. Add a Legend to the Pie Chart.
To add a legend to the chart, click on the green plus icon on the right side of the chart, then check the box next to Legend. To customize the legend position on the chart, click on the black triangle icon next to Legend and choose the legend display position.
5. Change the Style and Color for the Pie Chart
Select the paintbrush icon (Chart Styles) on the right side of the chart, here you can choose a chart style in the Style section.
Change the color for the chart in the Color section.
6. Filter the Pie Chart (Chart Filters)
Select the funnel icon next to the chart, here you can remove any component in the pie chart by unchecking the box next to that component and click Apply to apply the changes.
Alternatively, you can choose Select Data and reselect the data range to plot the chart.
7. Change the Layout for the Pie Chart.
Select Chart -> Design -> Quick Layout -> choose layout for the chart.
8. Detach the Entire Pie Chart.
Left-click on each part in the chart and drag to separate the parts from the chart.
Alternatively, right-click on any part in the chart and select Format Data Series.
In the Format Data Series section on the right, choose Series Options, then in the Pie Explosion section, drag the slider to increase/decrease the distance between the parts in the chart.
9. Detach a Single Slice from the Pie Chart.
Click on the slice you want to detach from the chart and drag it to the desired position.
Alternatively, double-click to select the slice you want to detach and right-click and choose Format Data Point.
In Format Data Point, in the Series Options section, drag the slider in the Point Explosion section to increase/decrease the distance of the selected slice from the pie chart.
10. Rotate the Pie Chart
Right-click on the parts of the chart and choose Format Data Series.
In the Format Data Series section on the right, drag the slider in the Angle of first slice section to rotate the chart.
For 3D charts, you can use the 3D-rotation feature by right-clicking on the chart section and selecting 3-D Rotation.
In the Format Chart Area section, customize in the 3D Rotations: X Rotation (rotation around the horizontal axis), Y Rotation (rotation around the vertical axis), Perspective (tilt of the chart).
11. Arrange the Pie Chart by Size
The simplest way is to arrange the source data before drawing the chart. Alternatively, you can create a PivotTable from the source data, and you will get a new data table as follows:
Click on the triangle icon next to Row Labels -> More Sort Options.
In the Sort dialog box, choose the data sorting method: Ascending (A to Z) – sort in ascending order, Descending (Z to A) – sort in descending order. Then select the sorting in the data column and click OK to sort.
Finally, select PivotTable and draw pie charts step by step from the beginning.
12. Display Percentage on the Pie Chart
Click on the plus icon next to the chart, select the black triangle next to Data Labels -> More Options.
In the Label Options of Format Data Labels section, check the box next to Percentage to display the percentage of each part.
Thus, the article has provided detailed guidance on how to create pie charts in Excel. Refer to it and create scientifically and visually appealing pie charts suitable for the data of the problems you need to solve. Wish you success!
