How to Create Sunburst Chart in Excel - Practical Guide

Learn to create a sunburst chart in Excel to visualize hierarchical data in an interactive, circular format. Sunburst charts display multi-level categorical data with concentric rings, ideal for showing organizational structures, budget breakdowns, or market segments with clear parent-child relationships.

Why This Matters

Sunburst charts effectively communicate complex hierarchical relationships in a compact, visually engaging format. They're essential for executive dashboards, market analysis, and organizational reporting.

Prerequisites

•Hierarchical data organized in columns (Category, Subcategory, Values)
•Basic understanding of Excel chart creation
•Excel 2016 or later version

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare your hierarchical data

Organize data with columns for each hierarchy level and a final column for values. Example: Column A = Category, Column B = Subcategory, Column C = Values. Include headers and ensure no blank cells within data range.

Select your data range

Highlight all data including headers from the first level through the values column. Click cell A1 and drag to the last cell with data, or use Ctrl+Shift+End to select automatically.

Insert the sunburst chart

Go to Insert > Charts > Insert Hierarchy Chart (or Chart icon) > Sunburst. Excel will automatically generate the sunburst chart with your hierarchical structure.

Customize the chart appearance

Right-click the chart to access Chart Design and Format tabs. Modify colors, legend position, data labels, and title via Design > Quick Layouts or Format > Chart Elements.

Add title and finalize

Click Chart Elements (green plus icon) > Chart Title to add a descriptive title. Adjust font size, legend, and labels for clarity, then click outside the chart to deselect and finish.

Alternative Methods

Use Recommended Charts

Select data and go to Insert > Recommended Charts. Excel suggests chart types including sunburst if your data structure is hierarchical, simplifying the selection process.

Create from 3D Sunburst template

In Excel 365, use File > New > search 'sunburst' to find pre-built templates with sample hierarchical data you can replace with your own.

Tips & Tricks

✓Ensure your data has consistent hierarchy levels; missing levels cause charting errors.
✓Use descriptive names for categories and subcategories for better chart readability.
✓Limit sunburst depth to 3-4 levels for optimal visual clarity and usability.
✓Click chart segments to drill down and explore nested hierarchies interactively.

Pro Tips

★Use conditional formatting on your source data to identify outliers before charting, improving chart interpretation.
★Combine sunburst charts with slicers (Insert > Slicer) to create interactive dashboards filtering by hierarchy level.
★Export sunburst charts as SVG for web use to maintain interactivity and scalability across devices.

Troubleshooting

Sunburst chart not appearing in Insert > Charts menu

Verify Excel version is 2016 or later. In older versions, use Insert > Other Charts > Hierarchy. Alternatively, update Excel through Microsoft 365.

Chart shows incorrect hierarchy or missing segments

Check that all rows have complete data for every hierarchy level with no blanks. Add 'Unspecified' for empty cells or restructure data to match the hierarchy.

Sunburst segments are too small to read labels

Right-click chart > Format Data Labels and enable 'Show Percent' instead of value names. Alternatively, increase chart size or reduce hierarchy depth.

Cannot click to drill down into nested levels

Ensure interactivity is enabled: Select chart, go to Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Interaction and verify drill-down is active. Some Excel versions require explicit enablement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What data structure does a sunburst chart require?

Sunburst charts require hierarchical data organized in columns where each column represents a hierarchy level, with a final column containing numerical values. For example: Region > Country > City > Sales.

Can I create a sunburst chart with more than 4 hierarchy levels?

Yes, technically you can add unlimited levels, but readability decreases beyond 4-5 levels. For deep hierarchies, consider filtering data or using multiple smaller sunburst charts per top-level category.

How do I update the sunburst chart when source data changes?

The chart updates automatically if you modify data within the original selected range. For new data, select the expanded range and insert a new chart, or use Edit Data > Select Data to update the existing chart's range.

Can I export a sunburst chart to PowerPoint or Word?

Yes, click the chart, press Ctrl+C to copy, then paste into PowerPoint or Word. In PowerPoint, the chart remains linked to Excel for live updates if needed.

What's the difference between sunburst and treemap charts?

Sunburst charts display hierarchies in concentric rings for radial visualization, while treemaps use nested rectangles. Choose sunburst for showing proportions across deep hierarchies; use treemaps for compact space-efficient displays.