Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Exploded Pie Chart Sections.

Exploded Pie Chart Sections

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 14, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Gloria asked if there was a way, in a 3-D pie chart, to "explode" groups of slices, instead of individual slices. When you pick an exploded pie chart as your chart type, all the slices of the pie are "pushed back," away from the center of the pie. Gloria was looking for a way to have different slices grouped together in the view.

There is no way to group individual slices of the pie prior to exploding, nor does Excel provide a way to push selected slices together. There are, however, a couple of workarounds that can be tried.

The first approach is to make a chart for every grouping in your original data. Each chart is based on the entire original data table, but you set the colors for the group to be represented by the particular chart, and then make the other groups "invisible" by turning off their borders and colors. You can then overlay the charts to get the desired effect. This approach obviously would require some experimentation to get exactly the right look, but it is a great approach if the data that underlies the table will change periodically.

Another approach is to treat your pie chart as a drawing object. This gives you a great deal of flexibility, and is most appropriate for "one up" charts that won't be later changed. Follow these general steps:

  1. Create an exploded pie chart based on your data, formatting the chart as desired. (Each slice should be exploded.)
  2. Select the chart by clicking on it.
  3. Hold down the Shift key as you select the Edit menu. (This affects the choices shown in the menu.)
  4. Choose Copy Picture from the menu. Excel displays the Copy Picture dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  5. Figure 1. The Copy Picture dialog box.

  6. Make sure the As Shown When Printed option is selected, then click on OK. The picture is now on the Clipboard.
  7. Display a blank worksheet.
  8. Press Ctrl+V. The chart is now displayed as a picture in the worksheet.
  9. Right-click on the picture. Excel displays a Context menu for the image.
  10. Choose Grouping, then Ungroup. Excel asks if you want to convert the picture to a Microsoft Office drawing object.
  11. Click on Yes. The image is converted, and every item in the chart is now selected.
  12. Individually select and delete any items you don't want kept.
  13. Select and move the various parts of the pie chart, as desired. (Excel considers each panel of a 3-D slice to be an object. Thus, if you want to move a slice, you need to select the top and sides and move them together.)

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2825) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Exploded Pie Chart Sections.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Changing Orientation of a Text Box

Want to change how a text box is oriented on the page? You can't do it, but you can adjust the dimensions of the box ...

Discover More

Store Common Addresses in Building Blocks

Do you write letters to lots of different people? One good place to keep those addresses is in Building Blocks. They are ...

Discover More

Dealing with Small Time Values

It is no secret that you can store time values in an Excel worksheet. But do you really know how small of a time value ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Rotating a Drawing Object

Add a new shape or drawing object to your worksheet, and there it sits—ram-rod straight and ready to enhance your ...

Discover More

Changing the Axis Scale

When creating a chart, you may want to adjust the default scaling that Excel applies to an axis. This is relatively easy ...

Discover More

Pasting a Graphic to Multiple Worksheets

Do you need to add a logo or other graphic to a bunch of worksheets? Here are a couple of short macros that can make ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is seven more than 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.