Pie+Chart

Using Microsoft Office Excel 2007, you can quickly turn your data into a pie chart, and then give that pie chart a spiffy, professional look. After you create a pie chart, you can rotate the slices for different perspectives. You can also focus on specific slices by pulling them out of the pie chart, or by changing the chart type to a pie of pie or bar of pie chart to draw attention to very small slices. In this article
 * [|Learn more about plotting data in a pie chart]
 * [|Create an elaborate pie chart]
 * [|Rotate the slices in a pie chart]
 * [|Pull out slices of a pie chart]
 * [|Draw attention to small slices in a pie of pie or bar of pie chart]
 * [|Save a chart as a template]

Learn more about plotting data in a pie chart
Pie charts show the size of items in one data series (data series: Related data points that are plotted in a chart. Each data series in a chart has a unique color or pattern and is represented in the chart legend. You can plot one or more data series in a chart. Pie charts have only one data series.), proportional to the sum of the items. The data points (data points: Individual values plotted in a chart and represented by bars, columns, lines, pie or doughnut slices, dots, and various other shapes called data markers. Data markers of the same color constitute a data series.) in a pie chart are displayed as a percentage of the whole pie. Because you can plot only one data series in a pie chart, the worksheet data should be arranged in one column or one row. You can also include a column or row of category names, as long as that column or row is the first column or row in the selection. Categories are then presented in the legend of the pie chart. Consider using a pie chart when:
 * You have only one data series that you want to plot.
 * None of the values that you want to plot is negative.
 * None of the values that you want to plot is a zero (0) value.
 * You don't have more than seven categories.
 * The categories represent parts of the whole pie.

When you create a pie chart, you can choose one of the following pie chart subtypes: [|Top of Page]
 * **Pie and pie in 3-D** Pie charts display the contribution of each value to a total in a 2-D or 3-D format. You can pull out slices of a pie chart manually to emphasize the slices. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102144741033 caption="Example of a 2-D and 3-D pie chart"]]
 * **Pie of pie and bar of pie** Pie of pie or bar of pie charts display pie charts with user-defined values that are extracted from the main pie chart and combined into a secondary pie chart or into a stacked bar chart. These chart types are useful when you want to make small slices in the main pie chart easier to distinguish. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102144761033 caption="Example of a pie of pie and bar of pie chart"]]
 * **Exploded pie and exploded pie in 3-D** Exploded pie charts display the contribution of each value to a total while emphasizing individual values. Exploded pie charts can be displayed in 3-D format. You can change the pie explosion setting for all slices and individual slices, but you cannot move the slices of an exploded pie manually. If you want to pull out the slices manually, consider using a pie or pie in 3-D chart instead. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102144751033 caption="Example of a 2-D and 3-D exploded pie chart"]]

Create an elaborate pie chart
So, how did we create this pie chart? The following procedure will help you create a pie chart with similar results. For this chart, we used the example worksheet data. You can copy this data to your worksheet, or you can use your own data. How to copy the example worksheet data Selecting an example from Help
 * 1) Copy the example worksheet data into a blank worksheet, or open the worksheet that contains the data that you want to plot into a pie chart.
 * 1) Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
 * 2) Select the example in the Help topic.
 * Note** Do not select the row or column headers.
 * 1) Press CTRL+C.
 * 2) In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.

> 1|| **Lunch Sales** || || > 2|| Sandwiches || 40 || > 3|| Salads || 21 || > 4|| Soup || 15 || > 5|| Beverages || 9 || > 6|| Desserts || 15 || This displays the **Chart Tools**, adding the **Design**, **Layout**, and **Format** tabs. [|Top of Page]
 * 1) Select the data that you want to plot in the pie chart.
 * 2) On the **Insert** tab, in the **Charts** group, click **Pie**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101654341033 caption="Excel Ribbon Image"]]
 * 3) Under **3-D Pie**, select **Pie in 3-D**.
 * 4) Click the plot area  (plot area: In a 2-D chart, the area bounded by the axes, including all data series. In a 3-D chart, the area bounded by the axes, including the data series, category names, tick-mark labels, and axis titles.) of the pie chart.
 * 1) On the **Design** tab, in the **Chart Layouts** group, select the layout that you want to use. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102125491033 caption="Excel Ribbon Image"]]
 * Tip** For our pie chart, we used **Layout 2**.
 * Note** **Layout 2** displays a legend. If your chart has too many legend entries or if the legend entries are not easy to distinguish, you may want to add data labels to the slices of the pie chart instead of displaying a legend (**Layout** tab, **Labels** group, **Data Labels** button).
 * 1) On the **Design** tab, in the **Chart Styles** group, click the chart style that you want to use. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102125501033 caption="Excel Ribbon Image"]]
 * Tip** For our pie chart, we used **Style 2**.
 * 1) On the **Format** tab, in the **Shape Styles** group, click **Shape Effects**, and then click **Bevel**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101653931033 caption="Excel Ribbon Image"]]
 * 2) Click **3-D Options**, and then under **Bevel**, click the **Top** and **Bottom** bevel options that you want to use.
 * Tip** For our pie chart, we used **Circle**.
 * 1) In the **Width** and **Height** boxes for **Top** and **Bottom** bevel options, type the point size that you want.
 * Tip** For our pie chart, we used **512 pt**.
 * 1) Under **Surface**, click **Material**, and then click the material option that you want to use.
 * Tip** For our pie chart, we used **Plastic**.
 * 1) Click **Close**.
 * 2) On the **Format** tab, in the **Shape Styles** group, click **Shape Effects**, and then click **Shadow**.
 * 3) Under **Outer**, **Inner**, or **Perspective**, click the shadow option that you want to use.
 * Tip** For our pie chart, we used **Below** under **Perspective**.
 * 1) To rotate the chart for a better perspective, select the plot area, and then on the **Format** tab in the **Current Selection** group, click **Format Selection**.
 * 2) Under **Angle of first slice**, drag the slider to the degree of rotation that you want, or type a value between 0 (zero) and 360 to specify the angle at which you want the first slice to appear, and then click **Close**.
 * Tip** For our pie chart, we used **350**.
 * 1) Click the chart area of the chart.
 * 2) On the **Format** tab, in the **Shape Styles** group, click **Shape Effects**, and then click **Bevel**.
 * 3) Under **Bevel**, select the bevel option that you want to use.
 * Tip** For our pie chart, we used **Circle**.
 * 1) If you want to use theme colors that are different from the default theme that is applied to your workbook, do the following:
 * 2) On the **Page Layout** tab, in the **Themes** group, click **Themes**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101654451033 caption="Themes group on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * 3) Under **Built-in**, click the theme that you want to use.
 * Tip** For our pie chart, we used the **Origin** theme.

Rotate the slices in a pie chart
The order in which data series (data series: Related data points that are plotted in a chart. Each data series in a chart has a unique color or pattern and is represented in the chart legend. You can plot one or more data series in a chart. Pie charts have only one data series.) in pie charts are plotted in Office Excel 2007 is determined by the order of the data on the worksheet. For a different perspective, you can rotate the pie chart slices within the 360 degrees of the circle of the pie chart. This displays the **Chart Tools**, adding the **Design**, **Layout**, and **Format** tabs. [|Top of Page]
 * 1) In a pie chart, click the data series or a data point, or do the following to select it from a list of chart elements.
 * 2) Click the chart.
 * 1) On the **Format** tab, in the **Current Selection** group, click the arrow next to the **Chart Elements** box, and then click the data series or data point that you want. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101940491033 caption="Excel Ribbon Image"]]
 * 2) On the **Format** tab, in the **Current Selection** group, click **Format Selection**.
 * 3) Under **Angle of first slice** box, drag the slider to the degree of rotation that you want, or type a value between 0 (zero) and 360 to specify the angle at which you want the first slice to appear.

Pull out slices of a pie chart
To emphasize the individual slices of a pie chart, you can use the exploded pie or exploded pie in 3-D chart type when you create the chart. Exploded pie charts display the contribution of each value to a total while emphasizing individual values. You can change the pie explosion setting for all slices or individual slices, but you cannot move the slices of an exploded pie manually. If you want to pull out the slices manually, consider using a pie or pie in 3-D chart instead.

Change the settings of slices in an exploded pie chart
This displays the **Chart Tools**, adding the **Design**, **Layout**, and **Format** tabs.
 * 1) In the exploded pie chart, click the data series or a data point, or do the following to select the data series from a list of chart elements:
 * 2) Click the chart.
 * 1) On the **Format** tab, in the **Current Selection** group, click the arrow next to the **Chart Elements** box, and then click the data series. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101940491033 caption="Excel Ribbon Image"]]
 * 2) On the **Format** tab, in the **Current Selection** group, click **Format Selection**.
 * 3) Under **Pie Explosion**, drag the slider to increase or decrease the percentage of separation, or type the percentage of separation that you want in the percentage box.

Pull out slices of a pie chart manually
Click the pie chart, and then do one of the following:
 * To pull all of the slices out of the pie chart, drag away from the center of the chart.
 * To pull individual slices out of the pie chart, click the slice that you want to pull out, and then drag that slice away from the center of the chart.

[|Top of Page]

Draw attention to small slices in a pie of pie or bar of pie chart
When several data points (data points: Individual values plotted in a chart and represented by bars, columns, lines, pie or doughnut slices, dots, and various other shapes called data markers. Data markers of the same color constitute a data series.) in a pie chart each amount to less than 5% of the pie, it becomes hard to distinguish the slices. To make smaller slices more visible in a pie chart, you can use a pie of pie or bar of pie chart type. Each of these chart types separates the smaller slices from the main pie chart and displays them in a secondary pie or stacked bar chart. The data labels (data label: A label that provides additional information about a data marker, which represents a single data point or value that originates from a datasheet cell.) in the secondary pie chart display the same percentage values as in the regular pie chart. The percentages in the secondary pie chart represent the slices that were separated from the main pie chart, and they do not total 100%. All slices are part of the same data series. When you select the pie of pie or bar of pie chart type, the last third of the data points is moved into the secondary chart by default. For example, if there are seven to nine data points in the chart, the last three points are plotted in the secondary chart. However, you can change how data points are distributed across the main and secondary pie chart, and you can change how they are displayed.

Create a pie of pie or bar of pie chart

 * 1) In the worksheet, select the data that you want to plot in a pie of pie or bar of pie chart.
 * 2) On the **Insert** tab, in the **Charts** group, click **Pie**, and then click **Pie of Pie** or **Bar of Pie**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101654341033 caption="Excel Ribbon Image"]]
 * Notes**
 * The main and secondary charts are always positioned horizontally and adjacent to each other. They cannot be moved independently. The left chart is always the main chart.
 * You cannot select the individual charts or format them separately. Both the main and secondary charts are part of one data series. You can only select the entire data series or its individual data points, and then apply formatting to the selection.
 * Connector lines are automatically added to indicate the association between the main and secondary charts. You can format the connector lines by applying different line styles. You can also remove connector lines.
 * Depending on how many decimal places are specified for percentages on the **Number** tab of the **Format Cells** dialog box (**Home** tab, **Number** group, **Dialog Box Launcher** [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA100985101033 caption="Button image"]]), percentages that are displayed in data labels may be rounded so that they don't add up correctly.

Change the distribution and display of data points
This displays the **Chart Tools**, adding the **Design**, **Layout**, and **Format** tabs. [|Top of Page]
 * 1) In the pie of pie or bar of pie chart, select the data series or a data point, or do the following to select the data series from a list of chart elements:
 * 2) Click the chart.
 * 1) On the **Format** tab, in the **Current Selection** group, click the arrow next to the **Chart Elements** box, and then click the data series. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101940491033 caption="Excel Ribbon Image"]]
 * 2) On the **Format** tab, in the **Current Selection** group, click **Format Selection**.
 * 3) In the **Split Series By** box, click the type of data that you want to display in the secondary chart.
 * 4) To adjust the number of data points that appear in the secondary chart, do the following:
 * If you chose to split the series by position, in the **Second plot contains the last values** box, enter a different number.
 * If you chose to split the series by value or percent value, in the **Second plot contains all values less than** box, type a different number.
 * To change the placement of a selected data point, in the **Point belongs to** box, click **First Plot** or **Second Plot**.
 * 1) To change the space between the slices, under **Pie Explosion** or **Point Explosion**, drag the slider to increase or decrease the percentage of separation, or type the percentage of separation that you want in the percentage box.
 * 2) To change the space between the charts, under **Gap Width**, drag the slider to increase or decrease the number, or type the number that you want in the percentage box.
 * Note** This number represents the gap width as a percentage of the secondary chart width.
 * 1) To change the size of the secondary chart, under **Second Plot Size** box, drag the slider to increase or decrease the number, or type the number that you want to use in the percentage box.
 * Note** This number represents the size as a percentage of the main chart size.

Save a chart as a template
If you want to create another chart like the one that you just created, you can save the chart as a template that you can use as the basis for other similar charts. For more information about how to apply a chart template, see [|Create, apply, or remove a chart template].
 * 1) Click the chart that you want to save as a template.
 * 2) On the **Design** tab, in the **Type** group, click **Save as Template**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101653891033 caption="Type group on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * 3) In the **File name** box, type a name for the template.
 * Tip** Unless you specify a different folder, the template file (.crtx) will be saved in the **Charts** folder, and the template becomes available under **Templates** in both the **Insert Chart** dialog box (**Insert** tab, **Charts** group, Dialog Box Launcher [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA100985101033 caption="Button image"]]) and the **Change Chart Type** dialog box (**Design** tab, **Type** group, **Change Chart Type**).
 * Note** A chart template contains chart formatting and stores the colors that are in use when you save the chart as a template. When you use a chart template to create a chart in another workbook, the new chart uses the colors of the chart template — not the colors of the document theme that is currently applied to the workbook. To use the document theme colors instead of the chart template colors, right-click the chart area (chart area: The entire chart and all its elements.), and then click **Reset to Match Style** on the shortcut menu.