You can also use column charts, but if your category axis labels are long then you’ll want to stick with bars. My preferred way to visualize this type of data is using a 100% stacked bar chart. Like their namesake they're certainly not slimming they're big, chunky, space hogs:

Doughnut Chartsĭoughnut charts aren’t any better. The other downside of pies when used in multiples is they make it difficult to compare one metric to the next, not that it’s always relevant to do so, but if it was then pies make it hard work.

I need my pies like fast food, ready to consume with one or two clicks. Sure, I could try to make them even smaller, but that’s just more fiddling about and I’m way too busy for that. After all, I don’t need to repeat it in each pie. I even simplified them by extracting the legend and placing it at the top of the charts. Just take a look at the examples below (note: I would normally use colors from the football club logos in my charts, but the red is a bit harsh and the other colors clashed, so I abandoned them. My biggest gripe with pie charts, aside from when used poorly, is that they’re space hogs. That said, recently I’ve relaxed a little and used the occasional 2 or 3 segment (max) pie chart, but in doing so it only reinforces my reasons for disliking them. If you know me then you’ll know that I’m not a fan of pies, unless they contain apple and are edible 😊 We’ll start with the obvious and most favored among data visualization novices the pie chart. Using football as inspiration, let’s look at our options for visualizing parts to a whole data using this standard set of football statistics: To pass the time I often find myself looking at the match statistics posted on the screen.įootball stats typically focus on possession, shots, corners, fouls and other comparisons that often bear no correlation to the outcome of the game, although I’m not complaining as they help to pass the time 😊 When you think of visualizing parts to a whole in Excel charts the first thing that’s likely to come to mind is the pie chart, or if you’re Homer Simpson then you might think of doughnut charts!īeing outnumbered 3:1 by football (soccer) fans in my household, I get to see my fair share of “the beautiful game” on TV. Excel for Customer Service Professionals.

Create pie chart in excel 2016