Pie Chart in Power BI

What it is

A pie chart shows data as slices of a circle. Each slice represents a part of the whole, and the entire circle always equals 100%.

When to use

• To show proportions or percentage share of categories in a dataset.
• Best when you have few categories (2–6 max) so it stays easy to read.
• Example: Showing the share of total sales by product category.

When not to use

• Avoid when there are too many categories (it becomes cluttered).
• Not good for comparing small differences between categories—bar or column charts work better for that.

✅ Quick Guide

• Use pie charts for clear percentage contributions.
• Keep categories small and distinct.
• Great for quick visuals, but not for detailed comparisons.

Doughnut Chart

Purpose

Show parts‑of‑whole (percent contribution) with a central space that can carry a KPI.

Use when

• You have a small number of categories (ideally 2–6).
• Stakeholders care about shares, not precise magnitudes.

Avoid when

• Many small categories; differences are subtle; totals matter more than shares.

Power BI fields

• Legend (category)
• Values (measure)
• Tooltips (extra measures)

Tips

• Sort descending by value.
• Keep labels outside with % values; hide categories <3–5% or group them as “Other”.
• Consider showing Total Sales in a separate Card next to it.

Finance example

Share of total OPEX by category (Payroll, Rent, Utilities, Other).

Here’s the Doughnut Chart showing the OPEX breakdown by category (Payroll, Rent, Utilities, Other).

• Each slice represents the share of total expenses.
• The center displays the total OPEX.