# Pie Plume: 9 use cases for pie charts that speak > Step by step: a measure in the center, custom order ★, "Others", half donut, sub-categories in colors, pie of pie, previous year, small multiples, animation. - Language: English - Web page: https://plumevisuals.com/en/tutorials/pie-plume-cas-pratiques - Published: 2026-10-21 - Visual: Pie Plume, technical reference: https://plumevisuals.com/ai/visuals/pie-chart.md - If an option name in this tutorial differs from the technical reference, the reference is right (it is generated from the visual's code). These recipes start from a Pie Plume already in place. If that is not the case, begin with [getting started](/en/tutorials/pie-plume-prise-en-main): the examples reuse its `Sales` table, with a `Year` column added. Features marked ★ are premium: they work without a license, with a watermark. ## How do I show another measure in the center of the donut? The total of the slices is not enough: you want the number of customers, or a rate, in the middle of the donut. 1. Create the measure with `ALLSELECTED`, so it gives the same value for every slice: ```dax Customers (all) = CALCULATE ( DISTINCTCOUNT ( Sales[Customer] ), ALLSELECTED () ) -- ignores the slice, keeps the page filters ``` 2. Drop it into the **Center value** field. 3. **Format › Donut center › Value** = *“Center value” field*. The measure name is written under it; change it in **Caption under the value**. Result: the number of customers in the center, whatever slice is hovered. ★ With **Show the hovered or selected slice**, hovering writes the slice in the center, then the center comes back to your measure. ## How do I write a sentence in the center? 1. **Format › Donut center › Value** = *Free text*. 2. In **Free text**, type for instance `{count} regions`; in **Caption under the value**, `Total {total}`. `{total}` is replaced by the formatted total, `{count}` by the number of slices, `{measure}` by the value of the "Center value" field. The text can also be driven by DAX with the **fx** button. ## How do I force the order of the slices? ★ Channels must always appear in the same order, whatever their size. 1. **Format › Sort › Slice order** = *Custom*. 2. In **Custom order (separated by ;)**, type `Store; Web; Phone`. Slices follow the list; a category missing from the list comes next, in data order. Without a license, the custom order applies with the watermark. Free: *Data order (Sort by column)* follows the sort defined in the model (Column tools › Sort by column), and *Name (A → Z)* keeps the same order from one chart to the next. ## How do I group small slices into "Others"? ★ 1. **Format › Sort › Group small slices into “Others”** = *Keep the N largest*, then **N** = 5. Or choose *Slices under a threshold (%)* and a **Threshold** of 3. 2. Optional: rename the slice in **“Others” label**. Result: a gray "Others" slice, always last; its tooltip gives the number of grouped categories, and a click selects them all. ## How do I make a half donut? ★ 1. **Format › Layout › Rotation (start angle, °)** = -90. 2. **Opening (°, 180 = half circle)** = 180. The half circle stands on its base, uses the full width of the visual, and the total is written in the visible part of the hole. With 240° and a rotation of -120°, you get a gauge-like arc. ## How do I give a product the same color in every slice? ★ Each region is split by category, and you want to spot lighting at a glance in every region. 1. Drop `Sales[Category]` into **Details**. 2. **Format › Sub-categories (Details) › Sub-part colors** = *One color per sub-category (same in every slice)*. The legend of categories shows by itself; clicking an entry selects that category in every region. Variants: *Continuous gradient in the slice* ★, or **Cut** = *In layers, from the center outward* ★ (the surface of each layer follows its share). ## How do I detail a slice next to the donut (pie of pie, bar of pie)? ★ 1. Keep `Sales[Category]` in **Details** (or use an "Others" slice). 2. **Format › Slice breakdown › Show** = *Bar of pie* (or *Pie of pie*, or *Outer ring*). 3. **When** = *On click on a slice*: click a region, its detail appears, linked to it by two lines; click an empty area to remove it. Or *Always shown*, with **Detailed slice (always shown)** = *The largest*, *“Others”* or *By its name*. With *Outer ring* and *All (outer ring only)*, every slice gets its detail ring: a two-level chart. ## How do I compare with the previous year? ★ 1. Create both measures: ```dax Revenue 2025 = CALCULATE ( [Total revenue], Sales[Year] = 2025 ) Revenue 2024 = CALCULATE ( [Total revenue], Sales[Year] = 2024 ) ``` 2. `Revenue 2025` in **Values**, `Revenue 2024` in **Previous period ★**. Result: a thin ring around the chart shows the 2024 shares; the center adds ▲ or ▼ and the change of the total; the tooltip gives the change of each slice in share points (or in % with **Format › Comparison › Change in the tooltip**). ## How do I draw a Nightingale rose? ★ You want to compare regions by the length of their petal, or show two measures at once: the angle for one, the radius for the other. 1. **Format › Layout › Shape** = *Nightingale rose*: every region gets the same angle and the length of its petal shows its revenue. Guide circles (**Rose guide circles**) help read the lengths. 2. Keep **Rose radius** = *Area proportional (Nightingale)*: a value twice as large covers twice the surface. *Radius proportional* exaggerates large values. 3. For a second measure, create it and drop it in the **Radius (rose) ★** field: ```dax Number of sales = COUNTROWS ( Sales ) -- one row of the table = one sale ``` Result: the angle of each petal follows revenue (**Values** field), its length follows the number of sales. Without the Radius field, choose **Rose slice angles** = *By value* so that the angle also follows the value. ## How do I see the breakdown year by year? 1. Drop `Sales[Year]` into **Small multiples**: one donut per year, with the total in the title of each panel and a shared legend. 2. ★ Or drop `Sales[Year]` into **Play axis ★**: a play bar appears; press ▶ and the slices glide from one year to the next, the total counts up in the center. ★ With **Format › Small multiples › Chart size** = *Proportional to the panel total*, the surface of each donut follows its total: a stronger year also shows by its size. > **Tip:** "Reduce motion" (Format › Style › Animations, or the Windows setting) is always respected: the play axis then moves from one year to the next with no transition.