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Pie Charts

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Displaying values

If you are using Excel in your everyday office work, you will probably be using the program for data inputs, calculations and such like but not everyone is aware of how to go about displaying the entered data graphically in the form of a pie chart for example.

Here is a quick guide to creating a pie chart from the data in your spreadsheet:

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To create a pie chart you first need to have a set of data values, this means that if for example we were looking at a class of 40 children and their Chocolate preferences you would have data that looks something like this:

sample-chocolates

 

  • To create you pie chart highlight the cells which contain your data; select Insert from the tabs in the Excel toolbar.
  • Select Chart... from the drop down menu, you will see a dialog box with the title ‘Chart Wizard – Step 1 of 4 – Chart Type’.
  • This dialog will have a scroll menu with Chart Type options and a box on the right of that with Chart Subtype.
  • Select pie chart from the Chart Type list, you will notice that the box on the right changes to show the various chart subtypes that you get for a pie chart these are:
    • pie: displays the contribution of each value to a total
    • exploding pie chart: displays the contribution of each value to a total while emphasizing individual values
    • pie chart with 3-D visual effect
    • pie of pie: with user defined values extracted and combined into a second pie
    • exploded pie with a 3-D visual effect
    • bar of pie: with user defined values extracted and combined into a stacked barFor the purpose of this exercise select the first pie chart subtype
  • Click and hold the button at the bottom of the dialog box that says ‘Press and hold to view sample’ to see a preview of how your pie chart will look.
    • Click Next
    • The title of the dialog box will now read ‘Chart Wizard – Step 2 of 4 – Chart Source Data’. Here is where you make sure that you have selected the right data that you wish to make into a pie chart. If you have not selected the right data the button that is next to the Data range form box, this will allow you to reselect the correct information.
    • Under the Data range option there is Series in: where you have to select Rows or Columns; depending on how you type your information.
    • Click Next
    • The title of the dialog box will now read ‘Chart Wizard – Step 3 of 4 – Chart Options’ here you will have 3 tabs that you can use to optimize your pie chart.
    • Titles: here you will be able to give your pie chart a title, eg. Class of 40 students chocolate preferences.
    • Legend: Here you can select where in relation to the pie chart you would like to have the legend displayed; top, bottom, left or right.
    • Data labels, this tab allows you to select whether or not you would (in this example) prefer the names of the chocolates to be displayed, the values, ie the number of children and the percentages displayed.
    • Click Next
    • The title of the dialog box will now read ‘Chart Wizard – Step 3 of 4 – Chart Location’ this dialog box enables you to decide whether you want the pie chart to be entered as a new worksheet or as an object in an existing sheet.
  • Click Finish
  • Your pie chart will now be displayed either in a new spreadsheet or as an object in an existing spreadsheet.

Always keep in mind that when you change the values of the data that correlates with the pie chart the values in the pie chart will automatically change. For more information and training on pie charts and Excel contact Miricle Solutions today.