How to Make a Sunburst Chart in Excel for Nested Categories

A sunburst chart in Excel shows nested categories as rings: the inner ring is the top level, such as Region, and each outer ring breaks it down further, such as Category and then Product. You make one by arranging the levels in columns from left to right and choosing Insert > Insert Hierarchy Chart > Sunburst. This guide is for anyone who needs to show how a total splits across two or three levels, and it covers the layout, the clicks, and how to prepare raw data with SUMIFS.

What a sunburst chart shows#

A sunburst chart is a set of rings. The centre ring holds the top level, and every slice in the next ring sits right outside its parent. The size of each slice shows its share of the total.

Use a sunburst when the hierarchy itself is the point: "Which region sells most, and what is that made of?" For one level only, a pie chart is simpler. To compare exact values, a bar chart is easier to read, because people judge lengths better than angles. The chart basics guide explains how to match the chart to the question.

Sunburst charts were added in Excel 2016 and are in every later version, including Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac. Excel 2013 and earlier don't have them.

Step 1: Arrange the data for a sunburst chart#

A sunburst needs label columns from the highest level on the left to the lowest on the right, and one column of numbers last. This sales table is ready to chart:

Check three things first:

• One header row, with a short name for each column.
• Real, positive numbers in the value column. Zero and negative values are skipped, and numbers stored as text are left out.
• One row per combination. If the same Region, Category and Product appear on two rows, total them first (see the SUMIFS section below).

Not every branch needs the same depth. If Services has no products, leave the Product cell empty for that row and the slice stops at the Category ring.

Step 2: Insert the sunburst chart#

With the data ready, it takes three clicks:

1. Select A1:D8, headers included.
2. Go to Insert > Insert Hierarchy Chart (the icon with coloured rectangles) and choose Sunburst. On a Mac, the same icon is on the Insert tab.
3. Move and resize the chart.

You can also use Insert > Recommended Charts > All Charts > Sunburst. On this data the inner ring shows North (60,000) and South (55,000). The middle ring splits North into Hardware (42,000) and Software (18,000), and the outer ring shows each product.

Step 3: Make the labels readable#

The default labels show category names only, and small slices often hide their text. To improve them:

• Add values: click the chart, then + (Chart Elements) or Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Data Labels > More Options, and tick Value next to Category Name.
• Change colours: Chart Design > Change Colors. Each top-level item gets its own colour, and its children use shades of it.
• Write a title that states the point, such as "Laptops drive both regions", not just "Sales".

If labels still overlap, the chart has too many small slices. Group the smallest items into "Other" in your data, or make the chart larger.

How to total raw data with SUMIFS before charting#

When your data has one row per sale, total it first so each combination appears once. SUMIFS adds the values in rows that match several conditions:

=SUMIFS(D2:D8,A2:A8,"South",B2:B8,"Software")

The result is 24,000 (15,000 + 9,000), the size of the South / Software slice. The range to add comes first, then pairs of range and condition. The SUMIFS function guide explains each argument.

For a full chart table, list each unique combination in F2:H8 (Region, Category, Product) and type this in I2:

=SUMIFS($D$2:$D$100,$A$2:$A$100,F2,$B$2:$B$100,G2,$C$2:$C$100,H2)

Fill it down. The $ signs keep the raw data ranges fixed while the criteria cells move. Then chart F1:I8. In Excel 2021 or Microsoft 365, =UNIQUE(A2:C100) lists each combination once for you. Turning raw rows into one-row-per-group totals is the core skill in a pivot-style summary, and the guide to SUMIF in Excel covers the one-condition version.

Can you make a sunburst from a PivotTable?#

No: a sunburst can't be a PivotChart. If you pick a PivotTable cell and open the chart menu, Sunburst isn't offered. You have two options:

1. Copy the PivotTable and paste values (Home > Paste > Values) into a normal range, then chart that. It won't update when the PivotTable does.
2. Build the summary with SUMIFS, as above. It updates whenever the raw data changes.

Other newer chart types behave the same way. A waterfall chart also has to be built from a normal range.

Sunburst vs treemap vs pie chart#

All three show parts of a whole, but they suit different questions:

A sunburst is the best of these for two or three levels. Beyond three levels, or past about 20 outer slices, it gets hard to read, so cut the detail or split it into two charts.

Practise it#

The chart takes three clicks; the summary table behind it is where people slip. Practise building a pivot-style summary in a live spreadsheet, then practise SUMIF and conditional totals: you type the formula and it checks it instantly. Or try the exercise on this page and total the South / Software slice.