Create Pie chart

Everything you need to know to create the chart you want.

Overview

Pie charts display parts of a whole as slices around a circle. They’re best for showing simple composition where there are few categories and a clear story.

When to use it

• Illustrating percentage breakdowns with ≤5 slices.

• Highlighting a dominant slice versus the rest.

• Presenting categorical distribution in executive summaries.

Avoid pie charts for detailed comparisons, many categories, or values that don’t sum to a meaningful whole. Consider bar or stacked charts instead.

Data requirements

• One series of positive values.

• Categories should represent mutually exclusive segments.

• Ideally, values sum to 100% (but not strictly required).

Style options available

Group	Control	Input type	Options	Description
Colors	Color palette	palette	—	Palette applied to series; sets the default colours for the chart.
General → Pie	Start angle, deg	number	—	Angle where circular charts begin drawing, in degrees.
General → Pie	End angle, deg	number	—	Angle at which circular charts (pie, donut, gauge) stop drawing, measured in degrees.
General → Pie	Margin between slices	number	—	Gap between adjacent pie or donut slices.
General → Pie	Enable sorting	boolean	—	Automatically sorts points by value before plotting.
General → Data labels	Show data labels	boolean	—	Shows numeric labels directly on data points.
General → Data labels	Distance from pie, %	text	—	How far a slice is pulled out from the centre as a percentage of radius.
General → Data labels	Show name of series	boolean	—	Shows series names alongside values (used in waterfall totals).
General → Data labels	Allow labels to overlap	boolean	—	Allows labels to render even if they collide instead of hiding them automatically.
General → Data labels	Font name	text	—	Font family used for titles, labels, or legend text.
General → Data labels	Font style	text	—	Font weight or style (e.g., bold, italic).
General → Data labels	Font size	number	—	Font size in pixels for the selected text element.
General → Data labels	Font color	color	—	Colour of the text shown for this element.
Legend → Main	Show legend	boolean	—	Shows or hides the legend box.
Legend → Main	Horizontal align	select	left, center, right	Horizontal alignment for the legend box (left, centre, right).
Legend → Main	Vertical align	select	top, middle, bottom	Vertical alignment for the legend box (top, middle, bottom).
Legend → Main	Layout	select	horizontal, vertical, proximate	Orientation of the legend items (horizontal row, vertical column, or proximate).
Legend → Additional	Margin for legend	number	—	Outer margin around the legend box.
Legend → Additional	Margin top for items	number	—	Top padding inside the legend between items.
Legend → Additional	Margin bottom for items	number	—	Bottom padding inside the legend between items.
Legend → Additional	Distance between items	number	—	Horizontal spacing between legend entries.
Legend → Style	Font name	text	—	Font family used for titles, labels, or legend text.
Legend → Style	Font style	text	—	Font weight or style (e.g., bold, italic).
Legend → Style	Font size	number	—	Font size in pixels for the selected text element.
Legend → Style	Font color	color	—	Colour of the text shown for this element.
Title → Chart title	Font name	text	—	Font family used for titles, labels, or legend text.
Title → Chart title	Font style	text	—	Font weight or style (e.g., bold, italic).
Title → Chart title	Font size	number	—	Font size in pixels for the selected text element.
Title → Chart title	Font color	color	—	Colour of the text shown for this element.
Title → Chart title	Margin bottom	number	—	Extra space below chart titles or subtitles in pixels.
Title → Chart subtitle	Font name	text	—	Font family used for titles, labels, or legend text.
Title → Chart subtitle	Font style	text	—	Font weight or style (e.g., bold, italic).
Title → Chart subtitle	Font size	number	—	Font size in pixels for the selected text element.
Title → Chart subtitle	Font color	color	—	Colour of the text shown for this element.

🍰 Tip: Sort slices from largest to smallest (clockwise) so the story is easy to grasp at a glance.

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