# Pie Plume: every field and setting explained

> Each field well and each Format pane setting of Pie Plume: what it does, its possible values and its default value, premium features included.

- Language: English
- Web page: https://plumevisuals.com/en/tutorials/pie-plume-champs-et-reglages
- 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).

This page describes everything Pie Plume offers: the field wells, then each card of the Format pane, in the order they appear. The default value of each setting is in **bold**, premium features carry a ★. For a first guided visual, see [getting started](/en/tutorials/pie-plume-prise-en-main).

## The fields of the visual

| Field | Required? | How many | What you drop | What it is for | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legend (categories) | Yes, unless measures only | 1 to 6 | Columns | One slice per value; several fields make a drillable hierarchy | `Sales[Region]` |
| Details (sub-category) | No | 1 | A column | Splits every slice, or feeds the breakdown ★ | `Sales[Category]` |
| Values | Yes | 1 with a Legend, 12 without | A measure (or several without Legend) | The size of the slices | `Total revenue` |
| Radius (rose) ★ | No | 1 | A measure | Rose: the angle follows Values, the radius follows this measure | `Margin rate` |
| Center value | No | 1 | A measure | The figure written in the center of the donut | `Customers (all)` |
| Previous period ★ | No | 1 | A measure | Ring of the former shares, change in the center and in the tooltip | `Revenue 2024` |
| Small multiples | No | 1 | A column | One chart per value | `Sales[Year]` |
| Play axis ★ | No | 1 | A date, year or ordered category column | Slices move from one value to the next | `Sales[Year]` |
| Tooltips | No | 5 at most | Measures | Added to the tooltip of each slice | `Margin rate` |
| Dynamic format | No | Several | Measures named `card.setting` | Drive a Format pane setting with DAX ([dynamic formatting](/en/tutorials/formats-dynamiques)) | `center.text` |

**Legend.** With two fields or more (Country, Region), Power BI's drill arrows go down one level; *Expand all* joins the levels in the label ("France Brittany"). Without a Legend, each measure in **Values** becomes a slice (budget by item, for instance) and selection works by measure.

**Values.** Only positive values are drawn; negative, zero or empty values are counted and reported in edit mode. Above 240 slices, the smallest are gathered into "Others" (with no watermark: it is a readability limit).

**Center value.** Power BI computes the measure for each slice: write it with `CALCULATE ( …, ALLSELECTED () )` so it is the same everywhere. If the values differ, the visual adds them up.

**Previous period ★.** The same measure over the period before (year, month). The total of the thin ring is compared with the total of the slices.

**Play axis ★.** One value at a time (watermark without a license as soon as the field contains data): numbers and dates are sorted, texts keep Power BI's order. The last value shows when the report opens.

## The Format pane settings

The cards shared by every Plume visual (Plume Studio License, Style, Tooltips, Title, Source note, Frame, Language and numbers) and the two basic settings of the Interactions card are described in [the common basics](/en/tutorials/bien-demarrer-visuels-plume). Here are the cards specific to Pie Plume, in the order of the pane. Color and text settings have the **fx** button: a measure or a rule can drive them.

### Layout

The overall shape of the chart: donut, pie or rose, hole size, rotation and opening (half donut). Together with the **Slices** card, it replaces the former "Shape" card (existing reports keep their settings).

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Rose: every slice gets the same angle (or the angle of its value) and its radius shows the value. With a “Radius” field, the angle follows Values and the radius follows Radius. | **Donut (ring)** · Full pie · Nightingale rose ★ |
| Inner radius (% of radius) | Size of the hole of the donut (the « Spacing › Inner radius » of the native donut chart). (shown when Shape ≠ *Full pie*) | **58** (5 to 92) |
| Rose radius | Area proportional: a value twice as large covers twice the surface (the honest choice). (shown when Shape = *Nightingale rose*) | **Area proportional (Nightingale)** · Radius proportional |
| Rose slice angles | (shown when Shape = *Nightingale rose*) | **Equal (one slice per category)** · By value |
| Rose guide circles | (shown when Shape = *Nightingale rose*) | **on** |
| Rotation (start angle, °) | 0 = the first slice starts at 12 o'clock; 90 = at 3 o'clock. | **0** (-360 to 360) |
| Opening (°, 180 = half circle) | Less than 360°: half donut, gauge-like arc (premium). With 180° and a rotation of -90°, the half circle stands on its base. | **360** (60 to 360) |
| Clockwise | — | **on** |

### Data colors

Right after Layout: the color of the slices. In *Palette* mode, one line per category lets you pick its color (or a rule with the fx button).

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Coloring | — | **Palette (one color per slice)** · Shades of a single color ★ · Gradient by value ★ · Highlight one slice ★ |
| Color | The base color (shown when Coloring = *Shades of a single color*) | color; **empty** |
| *Name of each category* | One line per slice (shown when Coloring = *Palette (one color per slice)*); fx button for a rule | color; **the palette one** |
| Highlighted slice | — | **The largest** · The smallest · By its name |
| Slice name | — | text; **empty** |
| Highlighted slice color (empty = accent) | — | color; **empty** |
| Other slices color (empty = gray) | — | color; **empty** |

### Slices

The look of the slices, like the "Slices" card of the native pie chart: gap between slices, corners, outline, patterns and exploded slices.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Gap between slices (°) | — | **0.8** (0 to 10) |
| Corner radius (px) | — | **2** (0 to 30) |
| Outline | — | **on** |
| Outline width | (shown when Outline = on) | **1** (0.5 to 6) |
| Outline color (empty = background) | (shown when Outline = on) | color; **empty** |
| Patterns (hatching, dots) ★ | A different pattern on each slice: readable in black and white prints and without colors. | **off** |
| Explode | — | No slice · **The selected slice** · The largest slice ★ · A slice chosen by name ★ |
| Slice name (separated by ;) | (shown when Explode = *A slice chosen by name*) | text; **empty** |
| Distance (px) | (shown when Explode ≠ *No slice*) | **8** (0 to 40) |

### Donut center

The text written in the hole of the donut. Without a hole (full pie), it does not show.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Text in the hole of the donut (and of the rose when it has a hole). | **on** |
| Value | Center value field: write the measure with CALCULATE ( [Measure], ALLSELECTED () ) so it is the same for every slice. | **Total of the slices** · “Center value” field · Free text · Number of slices · None (caption only) |
| Free text | Placeholders: `{total}`, `{count}`, `{measure}`. Also driven by DAX with the fx button. (shown when Value = *Free text*) | text; **empty** |
| Caption under the value | — | text; **empty** |
| Show the hovered or selected slice ★ | Hovering or selecting a slice writes its name, value and share in the center. | **off** |
| Value size (0 = automatic) | — | **0** (0 to 96) |
| Value color (empty = text) | — | color; **empty** |
| Caption size | — | **11** (6 to 30) |
| Caption color (empty = secondary) | — | color; **empty** |
| Change from the previous period | With a “Previous period” field: ▲ / ▼ and the change of the total under the value. | **on** |

### Data labels

The data labels of each slice. Outside, they are arranged in two columns and never overlap; when room is short, the smallest slices lose theirs first.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | — | **on** |
| Content | — | **Category and %** · Category · Value · % of total · Category and value · Value and % · Category, value and % |
| Position | — | **Outside** · Automatic (inside when all fits) · Inside |
| Leader lines | — | **on** |
| Outside labels | Columns: labels are spread vertically so they never overlap, with a leader line to their slice. | **Aligned in columns left and right** · Around the slices |
| Hide below (% of total) | — | **0** (0 to 20) |
| Decimals of % | — | **0** (0 to 3) |
| Long names on two lines | — | **on** |
| Background | A box behind each label (like the background of the native detail labels). | **off** |
| Background color (empty = background) | (shown when Background = on) | color; **empty** |
| Background transparency (%) | (shown when Background = on) | **10** (0 to 100) |
| Size | — | **10** (6 to 24) |
| Color (empty = automatic) | Automatic: readable color depending on the background (inside bars: white or dark). | color; **empty** |
| Bold | — | **off** |
| Text halo | — | **on** |
| Hide overlapping labels | — | **on** |
| Display units | — | **Auto** · None · Thousands · Millions · Billions |
| Decimals (-1 = auto) | — | **-1** (-1 to 6) |
| Prefix | — | text; **empty** |
| Suffix (e.g. €) | — | text; **empty** |

### Legend

The legend, hidden by default (labels name the slices). It shows by itself with small multiples and with one color per sub-category.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Shown when the chart has several series. | **off** |
| Position | — | Top · Bottom · **Right** · Left |
| Alignment | (shown when Position = *Top* or *Bottom*) | **Start** · Center · End |
| Legend title | — | **off** |
| Title text | (shown when Legend title = on) | text; **empty** |
| Size | — | **9** (6 to 24) |
| Color (empty = secondary text) | — | color; **empty** |
| Click = select the series | — | **on** |

### Sort

The order of the slices and the grouping of small slices into "Others".

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Slice order | — | **Value descending** · Value ascending · Name (A → Z) · Name (Z → A) · Data order (Sort by column) · Custom ★ |
| Custom order (separated by ;) | (shown when Slice order = *Custom*) | text; **empty** |
| Group small slices into “Others” | — | **No** · Keep the N largest ★ · Slices under a threshold (%) ★ |
| N | (shown when Group small slices into “Others” = *Keep the N largest*) | **6** (1 to 50) |
| Threshold (% of total) | (shown when Group small slices into “Others” = *Slices under a threshold (%)*) | **3** (0.1 to 30) |
| “Others” label | (shown when Group small slices into “Others” ≠ *No*) | text; **empty** |

### Sub-categories (Details)

Shown when a field is in **Details**: how every slice is split by the sub-category.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-part colors | With a field in “Details”, every slice is cut into sub-parts. One color per sub-category: compare the same product across regions at a glance. | **Shades of the slice color** · One color per sub-category (same in every slice) ★ · Continuous gradient in the slice ★ |
| Cut | — | **Side by side within the slice angle** · In layers, from the center outward ★ |
| Lines between sub-parts | — | **on** |
| The legend shows | Automatic: the sub-categories with one color per sub-category, the slices otherwise. | **Automatic** · The slices · The sub-categories |

### Slice breakdown

Shown with a field in **Details** or an "Others" slice: the detail of one slice, drawn next to it.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Shows the detail of one slice (its “Details” sub-categories, or the members of “Others”): around the slice, or in a second pie or a bar linked to it. | **No (slices split in place)** · Outer ring ★ · Pie of pie ★ · Bar of pie ★ |
| When | (shown when Show ≠ *No (slices split in place)*) | **On click on a slice** · Always shown |
| Detailed slice (always shown) | (shown when Show ≠ *No (slices split in place)*) | **The largest** · “Others” · By its name · All (outer ring only) |
| Slice name | (shown when Show ≠ *No (slices split in place)*) | text; **empty** |
| Detail size (% of width) | (shown when Show ≠ *No (slices split in place)*) | **42** (20 to 80) |
| Connector lines | (shown when Show ≠ *No (slices split in place)*) | **on** |

### Comparison

Shown with a field in **Previous period ★**: the thin ring of the former shares.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Previous period ring | — | **on** |
| Position | — | **Around the chart** · In the hole |
| Width (px) | — | **5** (2 to 20) |
| Change in the tooltip | — | **In share points** · In % of the value |

### Small multiples

Shown with a field in **Small multiples**: the grid of charts.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Columns (0 = automatic) | — | **0** (0 to 12) |
| Minimum panel height (px) | Below that, the grid scrolls vertically. | **110** (50 to 600) |
| Spacing (px) | — | **14** (0 to 60) |
| Chart size | Proportional: the surface of each pie follows its total, so panels compare in size as well as in shares. | **Same size** · Proportional to the panel total ★ |
| Panel border | — | **off** |
| Title of each panel | — | **on** |
| Text size | (shown when Title of each panel = on) | **10** (6 to 24) |
| Color (empty = text) | (shown when Title of each panel = on) | color; **empty** |
| Total in the title | (shown when Title of each panel = on) | **on** |

### Playback ★

Shown with a field in **Play axis ★**: the player shared by every Plume visual (“Playback ★” card).

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Frame shown on opening | — | **The last one (most recent)** · The first one |
| Duration of a frame (ms) | At speed ×1; the speed button of the play bar multiplies it (×0.5 to ×4) for the session. | **1000** (100 to 10000) |
| Loop | — | **off** |
| Play automatically on opening | Once, from the first frame. Not when animations are reduced (Style › Animations or the system) nor on a dashboard tile. | **off** |
| Animated transitions | Values, positions and colors move smoothly from one frame to the next. | **on** |
| Play bar | — | **on** |
| Bar position | (shown when Play bar = on) | **Bottom** · Top |
| Tick marks | (shown when Play bar = on) | **Automatic** · Every frame · None |
| Tick labels | (shown when Play bar = on) | **on** |
| Start and end buttons | (shown when Play bar = on) | **on** |
| Speed button | (shown when Play bar = on) | **on** |
| Current value in large type | — | **on** |
| Large value size | (shown when Current value in large type = on) | **44** (12 to 160) |
| Large value position | (shown when Current value in large type = on) | **Bottom right** · Top right · Top left · Bottom left · Center |

## Premium features ★

| Feature | Where to set it |
|---|---|
| Play axis: slices move from one period to the next | **Play axis ★** field, **Playback ★** card |
| Nightingale rose | **Format › Layout › Shape** = *Nightingale rose*; **Radius (rose) ★** field |
| Half donut and arcs (opening under 360°) | **Format › Layout › Opening (°, 180 = half circle)** |
| Exploded slices: the largest, by name | **Format › Slices › Explode** |
| Patterns | **Format › Slices › Patterns (hatching, dots)** |
| “Others”: N largest or threshold; custom order | **Format › Sort** |
| Hovered or selected slice written in the center | **Format › Donut center › Show the hovered or selected slice** |
| One color per sub-category, gradient, layers | **Format › Sub-categories (Details)** |
| Breakdown: outer ring, pie of pie, bar of pie | **Format › Slice breakdown** |
| Previous period ring and change | **Previous period ★** field, **Comparison** card |
| Charts sized by their total | **Format › Small multiples › Chart size** |
| Shades of a single color, gradient by value, highlight one slice | **Format › Data colors › Coloring** |
| 17 styles, palettes, JSON theme | **Format › Style** |