How to Make a Pie Chart in Excel

Pie Charts Show the Relationship of Parts to a Whole

Use a Pie Chart when you have one data series and a Doughnut Chart for two or more series of data.

Pie Chart Data

pie chart data excel

Pie Chart

pie chart created in excel

Pie Charts in Excel

To create a Pie chart in Excel, select your data, then click on the Insert tab, then Pie. There are several formats to choose from.

how to make a pie chart in excel

 

After you have created the chart you can add labels for each category.

Consider a Pareto Chart for More Advanced Analysis

Pie charts are popular charts, but if you have too many categories they can become difficult to read. If you look at the chart above: Is there a problem? What is it? What action should you take?

A much better chart to analyze this kind of data is the Pareto Chart. It's hard to create a Pareto Chart in Excel, but its easy using QI Macros add-in for Excel. Just select your data, click on the QI Macros menu on your Excel tool-bar and select Pareto Chart. QI Macros will do all of the math and draw the chart for you.

qimacros pareto

Interpreting the Pareto Charts

QI Macros Pareto chart tells us that TH Void accounted for 16 of the defects which was 25.8% of the total. If we focus on just this category, we will be addressing over 1/4 of the defects. The pareto chart also automatically summarizes the defects with lower quantities into an "Other" category to help keep the chart easy to read.

pareto circuit board defects


Ready to Take the Next Step and Upgrade Your Excel and Data Analysis Skills?

Stop trying to make your spreadsheets easy to read, because nobody wants to read your spreadsheet.
And stop using primitive line, bar and pie charts. Isn't it time to graduate to smart charts:
Control charts, Pareto charts and Histograms?

spreadsheet
Spreadsheets
primitive charts
Primitive Charts
smart charts
Smart Charts

QI Macros add-in for Excel makes creating smart charts a snap. Try it Now!