Half-Circle Charts in Excel: Create a Semi-Doughnut

Excel does not have a dedicated half-circle chart button, but you can make one with a doughnut chart: add a final data slice equal to the sum of the visible slices, then hide that slice. The result is a semi-doughnut chart, useful for showing a part-to-whole breakdown or building a simple gauge.

What a half-circle chart means in Excel

A half-circle chart is usually a doughnut chart whose lower or upper half is made invisible. The remaining half displays colored segments around a blank center. People also call this a semi-doughnut chart. It is not a separate chart type in Excel; it is a regular doughnut chart arranged and formatted to look like one.

There are two common uses. A segmented semi-doughnut can show how a total is divided among categories, such as the shares of a project budget. A gauge-style version can show progress toward a target, such as 68 percent of a monthly goal. The first is a part-to-whole chart; the second is a visual indicator. Those uses look similar, but their data and interpretation are different.

A half-circle display is most useful when the audience needs a quick visual summary and there are only a few categories. It is less suitable when readers need to compare many precise values. A horizontal bar chart usually makes those comparisons easier because its values share a straight baseline.

How the hidden half works

A doughnut chart divides a full circle according to the values in its source data. To make half of it disappear, the visible values must account for one half of the total chart value, and an extra slice must account for the other half. Set that extra slice to no fill and no line. Excel still uses it to reserve half the circle, but it no longer appears as a colored segment.

For example, suppose the visible categories are 25, 35, and 40. Their sum is 100, so add a fourth value of 100 named Hidden half. The chart then has 200 units in all: 100 units for the visible categories and 100 for the slice you will conceal. Each group takes half of the full circle. The visible categories occupy half the chart, while the hidden slice provides the blank half.

The hidden value must equal the sum of the visible values, not an arbitrary number such as 50. If the visible values total 240, use 240 for the hidden slice. When the visible values change, update the hidden value too; otherwise the blank area will no longer span exactly half of the circle. A formula can keep it in step, but for a small chart it is also reasonable to update the helper value manually.

Prepare the chart data

In a worksheet, put category labels in one column and numeric values in the next. Include the helper slice as the last row. For the example above, the source table would have Budget categories paired with 25, 35, and 40, followed by Hidden half paired with 100. The category names should be meaningful because they may be used in the chart legend or data labels.

Use actual numeric values, not text that looks like numbers. Keep the hidden row in the same data series as the visible categories. If you are making a progress gauge, a helpful structure is Completed, Remaining, and Hidden half. With a target of 100 and progress of 68, Completed is 68, Remaining is 32, and Hidden half is 100. The visible half therefore represents the whole target, split into completed and remaining portions.

Before charting, check the inputs:

Use nonnegative values. Doughnut charts are not designed to represent negative numbers.
Make sure visible values have a positive total. A series of zeros cannot produce useful segment proportions.
Keep the helper category separate and clearly named so it is not mistaken for a real data category.
Decide whether the chart shows raw amounts, percentages of a total, or progress toward a fixed target. Do not mix those meanings in one chart.

Create the semi-doughnut in Excel

These steps apply to Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows. Start by selecting the category labels and values, including the Hidden half row. Then use the ribbon path Insert > Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart > Doughnut. Excel inserts a full doughnut chart. If the chart is empty or a category is missing, check that the selected range includes both columns and every data row.

Select the chart, then right-click a colored segment and choose Format Data Series. In the Format Data Series pane, find the Series Options section.
Adjust Angle of first slice to rotate the chart. The exact angle that puts the hidden slice on the bottom depends on the order of the rows and the chart’s rotation. Set the angle, then inspect the chart and adjust it until the blank half is where you want it.
Select the Hidden half segment. If selecting it on the chart is difficult, use the chart’s series or point selection controls, or click the segment again after selecting the series. In the formatting pane, set Fill to No fill and Border to No line.
Set the doughnut hole size in Format Data Series. A smaller hole makes the colored band thicker; a larger hole makes it thinner. Choose a size that leaves enough room for any center label without making the segments hard to read.
Remove anything that distracts from the message, such as an unnecessary chart border or legend entry for Hidden half. Add a clear chart title or a text label that explains what the numbers represent.

The chart is still based on the source table. If you change a visible value, Excel updates the visible segment, but it does not automatically know that the helper value should equal the new visible total. Update the Hidden half cell as needed. If the chart is linked to a changing report, consider making the helper value a worksheet formula that sums the visible rows, and verify that the formula range does not include the helper cell itself.

On Excel for Mac, the chart types and formatting options are broadly similar, but ribbon layout and pane labels can vary by release. Use Insert to add a Doughnut chart, then open the chart series formatting options to rotate the first slice and adjust the hole size. Excel for the web supports many standard chart edits, but some detailed formatting controls may be limited compared with the desktop app; if a setting is unavailable, open the workbook in desktop Excel.

Format labels and make the chart readable

Formatting affects whether a half-circle is informative or merely decorative. Use a restrained set of distinct colors, especially when adjacent categories need to be distinguished. Avoid relying on color alone: include category names, values, or a clear legend so the meaning remains available to readers with color-vision differences and in grayscale printouts.

To add labels, select the chart and use Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Data Labels. The available label positions depend on the chart and Excel version. You can then use the formatting options to choose which information appears, such as category name or value. For a small semicircle, labels placed outside the ring may collide; a legend or a separate data table can be clearer. Do not show both a long category name and a detailed value on every segment if the chart becomes crowded.

Keep the chart’s scale and description explicit. A semicircle divided into three categories shows relative shares of the total, but the ring itself does not communicate the units. A title such as Monthly spending by category is more helpful than a vague title such as Results. For a gauge, include the target or units, for example 68 of 100 tasks complete, rather than presenting an unlabeled arc that readers must guess how to interpret.

Turn it into a simple gauge

A half-doughnut can act as a basic progress gauge by splitting the visible half into Completed and Remaining and hiding the other half. If progress is 68 percent, use 68 for Completed, 32 for Remaining, and 100 for Hidden half. Give the completed segment a strong color and the remaining segment a pale neutral color. Add a text box over the center with the value and a short label if that improves clarity.

This arrangement is a visual treatment, not a specialized gauge feature. Excel does not automatically add a needle, set a maximum, or validate that progress stays within a target. If the measured value may exceed the goal, decide how to handle that case before charting. For example, you might cap the displayed completion at 100 percent while showing the actual amount in a separate label. Otherwise values greater than the target can distort the proportions or make the intended message confusing.

A needle gauge can be made with more elaborate chart construction, often involving an additional series, but it adds setup and maintenance. For most status reports, a semi-doughnut with a prominent number is simpler. If readers need to track small changes over time, a line chart or a bar showing actual against target is usually more informative.

Common problems and how to fix them

The chart is a full doughnut. The helper slice may be missing, may not equal the visible total, or may still have a fill color. Confirm the source values and set the helper point to No fill and No line.
The blank half is at the top. The chart is rotated in the wrong direction for your layout. Change Angle of first slice until the hidden slice sits where intended. The right setting can depend on the row order, so judge by the chart rather than relying on one angle for every workbook.
The chart has one large colored area. Check that all intended categories are in the selected range and that the values are numeric. Also confirm that you are formatting a single data point rather than changing the entire series.
The proportions look wrong after editing data. Recalculate the helper value so it again equals the sum of all visible values. A fixed helper number becomes incorrect when the source total changes.
The labels overlap or disappear. Reduce the number of labels, widen the chart, use a legend, or show the values in adjacent worksheet cells. Small slices often cannot accommodate long labels clearly.
The chart suggests more precision than the data supports. A small angular difference is difficult to estimate by eye. Put exact values beside the chart and do not ask readers to infer precise measurements from arc lengths.

When to choose another chart

A half-circle chart is visually distinctive, but it is not automatically the best choice. Use it when the chart has a small number of categories, the total has a clear meaning, and a compact status or composition view is useful. A progress gauge can work well as a dashboard accent when the displayed value is also written as text.

Choose a bar chart when comparing categories precisely, especially if there are many categories or values close together. Bars make it easier to see which value is larger because readers compare lengths from a shared baseline. Choose a full doughnut or pie chart when showing a whole is important and there is no reason to remove half the display. For change over time, use a line chart or column chart; a semicircle is not designed to show trends.

Another common misconception is that a half-circle automatically means 50 percent. It does not. The blank slice is a construction aid, not a measured category. In a gauge, 68 of 100 may be meaningful because the visible data is defined against a target. In a category breakdown, the visible segments show the relative shares of the categories, while the hidden segment should not be included in the explanation of the real-world total.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Excel have a built-in half-doughnut chart?
No. Excel offers a Doughnut chart, and you create the half-circle appearance by adding a helper slice equal to the visible total and formatting that slice with no fill and no line.

What value should the hidden half use?
Use the sum of all the visible values. If the visible segments add to 240, the helper slice should be 240, making the visible and hidden portions equal halves of the complete chart.

Can I change which half is hidden?
Yes. Use Angle of first slice in the data series formatting options to rotate the chart. You can also change the order of the data points, then rotate as needed. Check the result visually because the desired angle depends on the order and orientation.

Can a semi-doughnut show progress toward a goal?
Yes. Use completed and remaining amounts as the two visible values, and add a hidden value equal to their total. For a 100-point goal with 68 points completed, use 68, 32, and a hidden value of 100. Label the chart so the target and units are clear.

Why does my half-circle change when I update the data?
The chart recalculates its slices, but a manually entered helper value may no longer equal the visible total. Update that value or use a sum formula for the helper cell, taking care not to include the helper cell in its own sum.

Is a half-circle chart better than a gauge or bar chart?
It depends on the task. A semi-doughnut can make a compact progress display, but a bar is usually easier for accurate comparisons, and a line chart is better for trends. Use the format that makes the underlying data easiest to understand.

Try it: the Percentage Formula Generator: percent of, percent change, increase and decrease, with the formula.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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