Blank Bullseye Chart: Make a Target Template in Excel

A blank bullseye chart is an unlabeled target diagram made of concentric circles, ready for you to add scores, priorities, goals, or other labels. Excel for Microsoft 365 does not have a dedicated Bullseye chart type, but you can make a clean, editable template with Insert > Shapes > Oval and save or print it for later use.

What a blank bullseye chart shows

A bullseye chart usually consists of a central circle surrounded by larger circular rings. The center and each ring can stand for a category, level, or distance from a chosen goal. For example, a team might put its most important objective in the center, near-term priorities in the next ring, and longer-term ideas in the outer rings. A teacher might use the same layout for a reflection activity, with a different question assigned to each zone.

There is no single official definition or standard scale for this diagram. In some settings, people use “bullseye chart” to mean a target-shaped worksheet; in others, they use it as a visual metaphor for ranking or alignment. A blank version is simply the unfilled framework. It does not contain preset scores, labels, or conclusions, so the person using it decides what each circle means.

It is also different from a conventional data chart such as a bar or line chart. A blank bullseye is primarily a diagram for organizing information, not a chart that automatically plots a data range. If numerical values are added, explain what the rings mean and how a score is assigned rather than assuming the picture itself defines a measurement.

When a target template is useful

The concentric layout is useful when you want to show a center, a set of surrounding layers, or increasing distance from a focal point. It gives readers an immediate visual cue: items nearer the middle are being treated as closer to the stated goal or more central to the topic. That cue can be helpful in a workshop or planning session, but the meaning should be made explicit on the page.

Goal setting: Put a central goal in the middle and supporting actions or milestones in the surrounding rings.
Prioritization: Assign priorities to zones, such as immediate, next, and later, and add a short written definition for each.
Reflection: Use each ring for a different prompt, such as confident, developing, or needs attention.
Discussion activities: Give participants a blank target to annotate, then compare how they placed ideas and why.
Planning: Show how work relates to a central project or objective without implying that the positions are measured data.

These are adaptable uses, not fixed conventions. A bullseye can suggest that the center is best or most important, which may not suit every exercise. If the diagram is intended to show categories without ranking them, say so in a subtitle or legend.

Build a blank bullseye in Excel

For a reusable worksheet, shapes are usually the simplest approach. They remain editable, can be resized, and do not require you to maintain a data table. The steps below are for Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows.

Choose a suitable area. Open a blank worksheet or select an area of an existing sheet. If you plan to print the diagram, leave room for a title, instructions, and any notes around it.
Insert the largest circle. Select Insert > Shapes > Oval. Drag on the sheet while holding Shift to keep the oval circular rather than elliptical. Make it large enough for the number of rings and labels you expect to use.
Add smaller circles. Choose Insert > Shapes > Oval again and draw a smaller circle inside the first. Repeat for each additional ring and the center. Draw the largest circle first and the smallest last, so each smaller shape sits visually on top of the larger one.
Center the circles precisely. Hold Ctrl and click each circle to select them all. On the Shape Format tab, choose Align > Align Center, then Align > Align Middle. If the Align commands are unavailable or behave unexpectedly, confirm that the shapes are selected and that they are not being aligned relative to the worksheet instead of the selected objects.
Set the appearance. Use Shape Format > Shape Fill and Shape Format > Shape Outline to choose fills and borders. For a simple printable template, use a white fill with visible outlines. For colored zones, use distinct, legible fills and retain borders so the divisions remain clear when printed.
Add a heading or instructions. Use Insert > Text Box to place a title, a short instruction, or a key explaining the rings. Keep the text outside the circles if users need the rings to remain open for writing.
Group the finished diagram. Select the circles and any text boxes that should move together, then use Shape Format > Group > Group. Grouping makes it easier to reposition or resize the complete diagram; ungroup it later if you need to edit an individual shape.

For even spacing, make the circle diameters decrease by a consistent amount. For example, a large circle with a 6-inch diameter, followed by circles of 4.5, 3, and 1.5 inches, creates three evenly spaced bands plus a center. Exact dimensions are optional; consistent visual spacing matters more than those particular measurements. You can inspect or set a selected shape’s size on the Shape Format tab, but the location of size controls can vary with the ribbon layout and window width.

Choose ring labels, colors, and a scale

Before distributing a template, decide whether the circles represent categories, stages, or a scale. A category template might use labels such as “people,” “process,” and “tools.” A staged template might use “now,” “soon,” and “later.” A rating template could define the center as meeting a goal and the outer rings as progressively further from it. Do not mix these interpretations without explaining the rules; otherwise, two people can read the same placement differently.

Be careful if you use the rings to imply numerical scores. The bands do not all have equal area: an outer ring covers more space than an inner ring of the same width. As a result, the diagram can make categories look unequal or give outer placements more room for marks. If equal-area comparison is important, a target diagram may not be the right visual. A table, labeled scale, or bar chart can communicate measured values more clearly.

Color is optional. If you use it, select colors that remain distinguishable for readers with color-vision differences and in grayscale printing. Do not rely on color alone to communicate meaning; include words, numbers, or patterns where appropriate. For a worksheet that people will fill in by hand, pale fills or white rings with clear outlines generally leave more room for writing.

Shapes versus a doughnut chart

Excel’s built-in doughnut chart is a data visualization, while a bullseye worksheet is often a static diagram. A doughnut chart is useful when you have categories and values to compare as parts of a whole. It can update when its source data changes, and its chart elements can be formatted through the chart tools. But it is not automatically a blank, labeled target template, and its slices can imply proportions that are not intended in an activity sheet.

Shapes are better suited when the goal is a clean, empty target that people can annotate, or when the rings need custom labels and spacing. They are not connected to a data range, so they will not recalculate or update from new values. If you need both a target-like appearance and data-driven updating, consider whether a chart is genuinely appropriate, then test the result with sample values and make the scale and meaning clear to readers.

In short, choose shapes for a reusable blank handout or planning diagram, and choose a doughnut chart when you specifically need to visualize data as portions of a whole. Neither option should be called a measured bullseye score unless you have defined a scoring method.

Print, share, and reuse the template

To prepare a worksheet for printing, select the cells or area containing the diagram and choose Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area. Use Page Layout > Orientation > Landscape if the layout needs more horizontal space. Check the result in File > Print before distributing it; print preview can reveal clipped shapes, small labels, or margins that waste the page. A one-page print setting can shrink a diagram, so check that the final rings remain large enough to write in.

Save the editable source as an Excel workbook, such as an .xlsx file, if recipients may change the shapes. If you want to share a fixed layout for printing, export or save a separate PDF after checking the page. Keeping an editable workbook and a print-ready copy can prevent accidental changes to the version used as the master template.

Excel for the web supports many common shape and formatting tasks, but menus and available controls can differ from the Windows desktop app. If a shape-alignment or grouping command is not available in the web interface you are using, open the workbook in the desktop version. On a Mac, the same general method applies, although ribbon placement and keyboard shortcuts differ; use the Shape Format tab and the visible Align and Group commands rather than relying on Windows shortcut keys.

Common problems and practical fixes

The circles look oval. Hold Shift while drawing, or adjust the selected shape’s height and width to the same value.
The circles are slightly off-center. Select all of them and use Shape Format > Align > Align Center and Align Middle. Zoom in if you need to check the borders afterward.
The inner circle hides the outer rings. A smaller shape placed on top should cover only the center of the larger shape, leaving the larger shape’s visible border and surrounding area around it. If fills obscure too much, change them to white or use lighter fills and clear outlines.
Labels collide with the boundaries. Put short labels in the bands, use text boxes outside the target with connector lines, or number the rings and provide a legend.
The printed version is hard to write on. Remove dark fills, enlarge the target, and check the printed scale. A diagram that looks spacious on a monitor may be too small on paper.
Readers disagree about what a position means. Add a definition, scale, or example placement. A visual metaphor is not a scoring rubric unless the instructions make it one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Excel have a built-in bullseye chart?
No dedicated Bullseye chart type is included in Excel for Microsoft 365. You can create the appearance with concentric oval shapes, or use a doughnut chart when you need a data chart and its proportions are appropriate.

How many rings should a blank bullseye have?
There is no required number. Three or four zones are often easier to label and use than a target with many narrow bands. Choose the number based on the distinctions your activity needs, and make sure each band has enough space for its intended labels or notes.

Can I use a bullseye chart as a rating scale?
Yes, if you define what each ring means and how people should assign a rating. State whether the center represents the highest score, the closest match, or something else. Do not treat the visual distances as precise measurements unless the scoring system supports that interpretation.

How do I make the circles the same shape and centered?
Hold Shift while drawing each oval to constrain it to a circle. Select all the circles, then use Shape Format > Align > Align Center and Align Middle to line them up. The circles can still have different diameters while sharing the same center.

Can I print a blank bullseye chart from Excel?
Yes. Set a print area around the diagram, check File > Print for clipping and scale, and print the sheet. For a layout that should not be edited, you can also create a PDF copy after checking the preview.

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