Pie Chart Shows Incorrect Percentage Value in Excel

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.

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.

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

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

This behavior is by design.

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.