How to make a simple pie chart in excel

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1
Open Microsoft Excel. It resembles a white "E" on a green background.
- If you would rather make a chart from data you already have, double-click the Excel document that contains the data to open it and proceed to the next section.
2
Click Blank workbook (PC) or Excel Workbook (Mac). It's in the top-left side of the "Template" window.
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3
Add a name to the chart. To do so, click the B1 cell and then type in the chart's name.
- For example, if you're making a chart about your budget, the B1 cell should say something like "2017 Budget".
- You can also type in a clarifying label--e.g., "Budget Allocation"--in the A1 cell.
4
Add your data to the chart. You'll place prospective pie chart sections' labels in the A column and those sections' values in the B column.
- For the budget example above, you might write "Car Expenses" in A2 and then put "$1000" in B2.
- The pie chart template will automatically determine percentages for you.
5
Finish adding your data. Once you've completed this process, you're ready to create a pie chart using your data.

1
Select all of your data. To do so, click the A1 cell, hold down ⇧ Shift, and then click the bottom value in the B column. This will select all of your data.
- If your chart uses different column letters, numbers, and so on, simply remember to click the top-left cell in your data group and then click the bottom-right while holding ⇧ Shift.
2
Click the Insert tab. It's at the top of the Excel window, just right of the Home tab.
3
Click the "Pie Chart" icon. This is a circular button in the "Charts" group of options, which is below and to the right of the Insert tab. You'll see several options appear in a drop-down menu:
- 2-D Pie - Create a simple pie chart that displays color-coded sections of your data.
- 3-D Pie - Uses a three-dimensional pie chart that displays color-coded data.
4
Click an option. Doing so will create a pie chart with your data applied to it; you should see color-coded tabs at the bottom of the chart that correspond to the colored sections of the chart itself.
- You can preview options here by hovering your mouse over the different chart templates.
5
Customize your chart's appearance. To do so, click the Design tab near the top of the "Excel" window, then click on an option in the "Chart Styles" group. This will change the way your graph looks, including the color schemes used, the text allocation, and whether or not percentages are displayed.
- To view the Design tab, your chart must be selected. You can select a chart by clicking it.

Sample Pie Charts

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Question
How do I create a pie chart without percentages?

You'll have to make percentages. A pie chart by definition is 100%. If your data is not in percent, then Excel will create percentages for you.
Question
How do I change the color of the pie chart?

Once you have the pie chart on the board, there are different shades next to it that says "change color"; click on that.
Question
What am I doing wrong if I tried this method and the pie chart didn't show up?

You might have entered information wrongly and it can't process. Try re-entering your data.

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You can copy your chart and paste it into other Microsoft Office products (e.g., Word or PowerPoint).
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If you want to create charts for multiple sets of data, repeat this process for each set. Once the chart appears, click and drag it away from the center of the Excel document to prevent it from covering up your first chart.
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About This Article

Article SummaryX

1. Open Excel.
2. Enter your data.
3. Select all of your data.
4. Click the Insert tab.
5. Click the "Pie Chart" icon.
6. Click a pie chart template.

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How do I create a simple chart in Excel?

Create a chart.

Select the data for which you want to create a chart..

Click INSERT > Recommended Charts..

On the Recommended Charts tab, scroll through the list of charts that Excel recommends for your data, and click any chart to see how your data will look. ... .

When you find the chart you like, click it > OK..

make simple pie chart excel