Pie chart

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tom.harrington
tom.harrington Member, ALL USERS, GroupMember, Employee Posts: 5 Occasional Contributor

Pie charts consist of a disk, representing a whole, divided into segments that represent the component parts of the whole. The axis for a pie chart follows the circumference of the circle.

 

To learn how to add a pie chart to a board or worksheet, see 'Add cards to a board' and 'Add cards to a worksheet'.


 

Pie-Chart-Example.png

 

What can I use pie charts for?


Pie charts show the proportions within one category, so they're ideal for explaining the composition of something, such as market share. At their simplest level, pie charts show a percentage breakdown of data.

 

Pie charts are visually simple, and therefore well understood by most people. You can also move segments outwards from the center of a pie chart to emphasize them. However, pie charts shouldn't be used when comparing a large number of values, as this can make the chart hard to read.


 

You can use a pie chart to answer the question:


  • What is Y’s share of the whole?



  • What is the ratio of X to Z?



  • What are the comparative sizes of our business units?



  • What is the composition of website traffic?



  • What is the percentage breakdown of X, Y and Z?


Some drawbacks of using a pie chart:


  • It can be difficult to identify an exact percentage or value from just the shape of a segment.



  • The axis follows the circumference of the circle, meaning you have to hover over a segment to see exact values.



  • If there are too many segments in a pie chart, it can be hard to interpret.



  • It can be hard to discern small differences between segments that are close in value.



  • Multiple charts are required if you wish to portray changes over time.


Use a different type of chart if:
To learn about other types of chart, see Chart types in detail.