How to Create a Pie Chart in Excel from a Pivot Table (2 Methods)

What is a Pie Chart?

A Pie Chart is a circular graph where each slice represents a proportionate part of the entire dataset. In Microsoft Excel, creating a chart from a PivotTable is referred to as a PivotChart, although it functions similarly to a regular chart.

Let’s work with the following dataset located in cells B4:D14:

Column B: Item names
Column C: Categories
Column D: Sales (in USD)

Dataset 1

Method 1 – Creating a Pie Chart from Pivot Table in Excel

1. Insert a Pivot Table

Select the dataset and go to Insert > PivotTable.

In the dialog box, check the New Worksheet option and click OK.

Drag the Category field to the Axis (Categories) area and the Sales field to the Values area.

A table will be generated automatically.

2. Format Numeric Values

Right-click on the numeric values and select Field Value Settings.

Click the Number Format button.

Choose the Currency option (we chose 0 decimal places for Sales).

3. Create the Pie Chart

Select any cell in the PivotTable.
Go to PivotChart > Pie (or use Insert > Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart > Pie).

Customize the chart by clicking on Chart Elements.

The results should look like the screenshot below:

Method 2 – Using VBA to Insert a Pie Chart from a Pivot Table

If you frequently create Pie Charts from PivotTables, consider using the following VBA code:

1. Open the Visual Basic Editor

Go to Developer > Visual Basic.

2. Insert the VBA Code

Navigate to Insert > Module and paste the following code:

Option Explicit
Sub CreatePivotTable()
Dim pt As PivotTable
Dim pc As PivotCache
Sheet3.Activate
Set pc = ActiveWorkbook.PivotCaches.Create(xlDatabase, Range("B4").CurrentRegion)
Sheets.Add , Sheets(Sheets.Count)
Set pt = ActiveSheet.PivotTables.Add(pc, Range("B4"), "Sales_Pivot")
pt.PivotFields("Category").Orientation = xlRowField
pt.PivotFields("Sales").Orientation = xlDataField
End Sub

Sub Piechart()
ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddChart2(251, xlPie).Select
ActiveChart.SetSourceData Source:=Range("$B$4:$D$14")
End Sub

Code Breakdown

The code is divided into two sections:

Section 1 – Explanation of CreatePivotTable () sub-routine

The explanation of the VBA code is provided below:

1- Assign a name for the sub-routine.
2- Define the variables.
3- Sheet3 is activated using the Activate method and the memory cache is assigned using the PivotCache object.
Additionally, we insert the PivotTable in a new sheet with the Add method.
4- Position the PivotTable in the B4 cell and give the name Sales_Pivot.
We add the Pivot Fields i.e. the Category in the RowField and Sales in the DataField.

Section 2 – Description of Piechart () sub-routine

In a similar fashion, the VBA code is explained below.

1- In this section, give a name to the sub-routine.
2- The ActiveSheet property inserts the Pie Chart using the Shapes.AddChart2 method.
3- The SourceData property selects the data range for the Pie Chart.