Pie charts

A pie chart (also known as a pie graph) allows you to visualize data as “slices of pie,” or proportions of a whole.

Data Format

Your data should be contained in two columns of your spreadsheet; the first column contains a label, and the second column contains a numeric value representing that label. In the Charts tab of the Charts Editor dialog, you can switch between the 2D and 3D versions of the pie chart, or turn a pie chart into a donut chart.

2D Pie Chart

2D pie chart or pie graph

3D Pie chart

3D pie chart or pie graph

Donut chart

donut pie chart

Customization options

In addition to the regular customization options available for Google Charts, the pie chart allows you to select the labels you’d like to see for each pie slice. To do this, click on the Customize tab, scroll down to Slice, and select an option:

  • Percentage shows each slice as a calculated percentage of the total
  • Value displays the number associated with each slice (from the right-hand column in your data table)
  • Label shows the name of each slice (from the left-hand column in your data table)
  • None allows you to leave the slices blank and rely solely on the color-coded legend

As you select each of these options, you can also change the font size and text color associated with the option to the right of the Slice drop-down menu.

You can also add legend labels to each pie slice instead of keeping your legend to the right or above the pie itself. To do this:

  1. Open the chart editing dialog.
  2. Click the Customize tab.
  3. Go to the Legend option and select Labeled.

donut chart


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