Pie Chart Shows Incorrect Percentage Value in Excel (214033)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Office Excel 2003
Microsoft Excel 2002
Microsoft Excel 2001 for Mac
Microsoft Excel 2000
Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
Microsoft Excel X for Mac
Microsoft Graph 2002
Microsoft Graph 2000
Microsoft Graph 97

This article was previously published under Q214033

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Graph, when you display percentages in a pie chart, an incorrect percentage may be displayed for the largest number in the series.

CAUSE

Because of the way Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Graph round numbers, the percentages often add up to 101 percent instead of 100 percent. When this happens, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Graph subtract 1 percent from the largest number to force the total percentage to equal 100 percent.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

Create a pie chart in Microsoft Excel.
On the Chart menu, click Chart Options.
On the Data Labels tab, click Show percent, and then click OK.
Back in the chart, click any label.
On the Format menu, click Selected Data Labels.
Click the Number tab. In the Decimal places box, type 2, and then click OK.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Incorrect percentages can also occur when you use percentages in your data (even when your percentages equal 100.00 percent). The sample data in the range A1:B10 that follows produces an incorrect data label. The value 34.2 percent is displayed as 33.2 percent when the data label is set to Show percent (step 3 of 4 in the Chart Wizard) or Show label and percent. When the data label is set to Show value, the value appears correctly.

   A1: Name       B1: Sales
   A2: Ford       B2: 24.7%
   A3: GM         B3: 34.2%
   A4: VW         B4:  0.6%
   A5: Chrysler   B5: 13.3%
   A6: Toyota     B6:  8.0%
   A7: Honda      B7:  6.0%
   A8: Other      B8:  6.0%
   A9: Mazda      B9:  2.6%
  A10: Nissan    B10:  4.6%

Modification Type:	Minor	Last Reviewed:	9/22/2004
Keywords:	kbchart kbbug kbpending KB214033