Quick Jump
ToggleBuilding a one-column pie chart that accurately accounts for multiple occurrences of the same value in a data set is a pretty challenging task for newbies.
Excel Pie Chart from a Single Column Template – Free Download
But not if you’re armed with the technique you’re about to learn about today. Stick around to find out how to build this one-column pie chart in less than 60 seconds – even if your list contains thousands of items.
![How to create a pie chart from a single column in Excel](https://spreadsheetdaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/how-to-create-a-pie-chart-from-a-single-column-in-excel.png)
Sample Data
In order to show you the ropes, we’re going to use the following list of female baby names where some of them are repeated multiple times:
![List of female names](https://spreadsheetdaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/list-of-female-names.png)
Let’s delve right in.
Step 1. Set up a Pivot Table
The first step is to create a simple pivot table based on our column of data:
- Highlight the entire column with your data (A1:A14).
- Switch to the Insert tab.
- Click “PivotTable.”
![Create a pivot table](https://spreadsheetdaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/create-a-pivot-table.png)
In the “Create PivotTable” dialog box, build your pivot table by following these simple steps:
- For “Select a table or range,” highlight the entire column (A1:A14).
- Select “Existing Worksheet” and pick any empty cell near your column (C1).
- Click “OK.”
![Map out the pivot table](https://spreadsheetdaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/map-out-the-pivot-table.png)
In the PivotTable Fields task pane that appears, do the following to map out the structure of your pie chart:
- Drag “Name” to “Rows.”
- Drag “Name” to “Values.”
![shift the columns around](https://spreadsheetdaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/shift-the-columns-around.png)
Having rearranged the values, your pivot table should look like this:
![pivot table based on one column](https://spreadsheetdaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pivot-table-based-on-one-column.png)
Step 2. Create a Pie Chart from the Pivot Table
With everything we need in place, it’s time to create a pie chart Excel using the pivot table you just built.
- Select any cell in your pivot table (C1:D12).
- Navigate to the Insert tab.
- Hit the “Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart” button.
- Under “2-D Pie,” click “Pie.”
![Create a pie chart](https://spreadsheetdaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/create-a-pie-chart.png)
Once you do that, Excel will automatically plot a pie graph using your pivot table.
![one-column pie chart free template](https://spreadsheetdaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/one-column-pie-chart.png)
Step 3. Clean up Your Pie Chart
Before calling it a day, let’s remove the field buttons related to our pivot table to make the graph look like a regular pie chart.
- Right-click on any of the field buttons – either “Count of Names” or “Names.”
- Select “Hide All Field Buttons on Chart.”
![Hide all buttons on chart](https://spreadsheetdaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/hide-all-buttons-on-chart.png)
Rewrite the default chart title, and you’re good to go!