How to Show Percentage in Legend in Excel Pie Chart (with Easy Steps)

The pie chart represents numerical data of analysis through slices that form a circular graph. It is challenging to draw pie charts because they present data as a percentage or as a value in a circular graph. Excel has made it easier and more popular to analyze pie charts graphically. If you are looking for some special tricks to show the percentage in legend in an Excel pie chart, you’ve come to the right place. This article will discuss every step of showing the percentage in legend in an Excel pie chart. Let’s follow the complete guide to learn all of this.

How to Show Percentage in Legend in Excel Pie Chart: Step-by-Step Procedures

In the following section, we will use one effective and tricky method to show percentages in legend in an Excel pie chart. To create a more understandable pie chart, at first, we organize our dataset, then create a pie chart, and finally, customize the graph by adding graph elements and editing the graph layout. This section provides extensive details on this method. You should learn and apply these to improve your thinking capability and Excel knowledge. We use the Microsoft Office 365 version here, but you can utilize any other version according to your preference.

Step 1: Prepare Dataset

Here, we will demonstrate how to make a pie chart. At first, we have to prepare a dataset containing monthly total sales in different months as shown below. Variables on the X-axis are represented by row headers, while variables on the Y-axis are represented by column headers.

Input the name of the first 6 months in the range of cells B5:B10 and total sales of the corresponding month in the range of cells C5:C10.

Step 2: Insert Pie Chart

Now, we are going to insert a pie chart for our dataset. Through this chart, we can easily show the percentage in legend. Here, we will use the TEXT function along with the ampersand to create the Legend. Here, we also use the SUM function. Let’s walk through the steps to insert a pie chart.

First of all, we will create an extra column Legend for the purpose of creating a pie chart. We will use the following formula in the cell C5:

=B5&", "&TEXT((D5/SUM($D$5:$D$10)),"0.00 %")

Press Enter.

Next, drag the Fill Handle icon to fill the other cells with the formula.
As a consequence, you will get the following Legend column.

Then, select the range of the cells C5:D10.
Now, in the Insert tab, click on the drop-down arrow of the Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart from the Charts group.
Then, choose the 3-D pie from the 3-D Pie section.

As a consequence, you will get the following pie chart.

🔎 How Does the Formula Work?

TEXT((D5/SUM($D$5:$D$10)),”0.00 %”)

Here, (D5/SUM($D$5:$D$10) will return the value of the percentage in the decimal format for the January month. Then, you have to input “0.00%” in the second argument. It will multiply the selected number or decimals defined by the first argument by 100 and add a percentage (%) symbol at the end.

B5&”, “&TEXT((D5/SUM($D$5:$D$10)),”0.00 %”)

The above formula with ampersand will combine cell B5 with the TEXT function value.

Step 3: Show Percentage in Legend

Now, we will demonstrate how to add graph elements and then show the percentage in the legend. In Quick Elements, some elements are already added or removed. But you can manually edit the graph to add or remove any elements of the chart by using the Add Chart Element option.

After clicking on the Add Chart Element, you will see a list of elements.
Next, you have to click on them one by one to add, remove or edit.

Alternatively, you can find the list of chart elements by clicking the Plus (+) icon from the right corner of the chart.
Here, you have to mark the elements to add or unmark the elements to remove.
You will find an arrow on the element, where you will find other options to edit the elements.

Then, click on the Chart Elements icon and select the Data Labels option.
Then, we are going to show the percentage in legend. To do this, you have to click on the Chart Elements icon, select the Legend option, and finally select the Right option.

As a consequence, you will get the following pie chart showing the percentage in legend.

Step 4: Finalize Pie Chart

This is the result you will get after applying some text formatting and outline formatting.

To modify the chart style, select Chart Design and then, select your desired Style 7 option from the Chart Styles group.

As a consequence, you will get the month’s name with the percentage.
Finally, you will get the following pie chart showing the percentage in legend.

Similarly, can also show the percentage in legend in the Excel Doughnut chart. For that, in the Insert tab, choose the Doughnut chart option from the drop-down of the Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart located in the Chart group. The rest of the procedure is similar to the pie chart.

💬 Things to Remember

✎ Before inserting a pie chart, you must select anywhere in the dataset. The rows and columns will need to be manually added otherwise.

✎ When working with a large dataset, avoid pie charts since they will create confusing graph information.

✎ If you want to switch rows and columns remember that before switching rows and columns, make sure they are all selected.

Download Practice Workbook

Showing Percentage in Legend.xlsx

Conclusion

That’s the end of today’s session. I firmly believe that from now you may be able to show the percentage in legend in the Excel pie chart. If you have any queries or recommendations, please share them in the comments section below.

Don’t forget to check our website Exceldemy for various Excel-related problems and solutions. Keep learning new methods and keep growing!

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