Multi Level Pie Chart

Initially, I thought it could only be possible with shapes and smartart, but that is simply not doable, especially when your values change. So I then started to play with the different available options within Excel and the next best thing came along: doughnut charts. With the use of two or more standard doughnut charts and synchronizing them with clever Excel values and formulas, you can do a lot.

Excel can't create a multi level pie chart where everything is "automatically" taken care of for you, but you have to find a way around to make the solution workable.

For instance, if you have several parts of something, you can demonstrate each item in one pie chart. But sometimes you want to demonstrate the changes in those parts, and the doughnut chart will help you do this.

Look at the following table:

multi level pie table

You can draw a multilevel pie chart for this data.

To do the same, first of all, create a basic table in Excel as shown below or something similar to it. Then select the data you want to show in the chart, including labels, by dragging the mouse across the cells.

doughnut select table

Go to the Insert tab and select from other charts. Select the Doughnut chart.

excel ribbon Multi Level Pie Chart

It will display such circular chart. I have further 'add data labels' by right-clicking on each of the doughnuts separately, and manually labeled each product category name by inserting shapes.

To change the appearance of the chart from a regular donut chart to a multi-level circular design, increase the width of the layers. The easiest way to do this in Excel is to reduce the Donut Hole Size.

Click on the chart and from the menu on the right select Format Data Series> Series Options. In the Doughnut Hole Size box, decrease significantly. I chose 20%.

decrease doughnut hole size

It will make allow to create a multi-layer design chart.

example doughnut chart

It consists of not one, but three separate doughnut charts, precisely aligned over each other. Similarly using the same methodology, you can make as many layers as you want to.