Mastering Excel: Create Double Donut Charts in a Snap

Ever found yourself wishing you could visualize your data in a more engaging way? A double donut chart in Excel could be just the ticket! This chart type allows you to compare two sets of data by placing one donut inside another, making it an excellent choice for showing part-to-whole relationships. Let's dive into how to create one.

Before we start, ensure you have Excel 2016 or later, as this feature is not available in earlier versions. Also, make sure your data is structured correctly, with the outer ring's data in the first column and the inner ring's data in the second column. Now, let's get started!

Preparing Your Data

For a double donut chart to work, your data needs to be arranged in a specific way. You'll need two columns of data, with the outer ring's data in the first column and the inner ring's data in the second column.

For example, if you're comparing sales by region (outer ring) and by product category (inner ring), your data might look like this:

Creating the Pivot Table

Before we can create the chart, we need to turn our data into a pivot table. This will allow us to group our data in the way we want. Select your data and go to Insert > PivotTable. Choose where you want to place the pivot table and click OK.

Now, drag your 'Region' field to Rows and your 'Product Category' field to Columns. Your pivot table should now look something like this:

Creating the Double Donut Chart

Now that we have our pivot table, we can create our double donut chart. Select any cell in the pivot table and go to Insert > Recommended Charts. In the Insert Chart dialog box, look for the 'All Charts' tab and scroll down to find the 'Doughnut' chart type. Click on it to insert the chart.

By default, Excel will create a standard doughnut chart. To turn it into a double donut chart, we need to format it. Right-click on the chart and select 'Format Selection'. In the Format Selection pane, look for the 'Series' section and click on the 'Add' icon to add a new series. Select the inner ring's data (in our case, the 'Product Category' column) and click OK.

Formatting Your Chart

Now that we have our double donut chart, it's time to make it look great! Let's start by changing the colors of the rings. Select the outer ring and click on the 'Fill' icon in the 'Format Selection' pane. Choose the color you want for the outer ring.

Next, select the inner ring and repeat the process to change its color. You can also add a title to your chart by clicking on 'Add Chart Element' in the 'Design' tab and selecting 'Chart Title'.

Adding Data Labels

Data labels can help make your chart more informative. To add data labels, right-click on the chart and select 'Add Data Labels'. You can then format the data labels to make them more readable.

You can also add a legend to your chart by clicking on 'Add Chart Element' in the 'Design' tab and selecting 'Legend'. This can help viewers understand what each color represents.

And there you have it! You've created a stunning double donut chart in Excel. Now you can impress your colleagues with your newfound charting skills. Happy charting!