How to combine data (categories) when making a pie chart?

[davidc2012]

Hi,

I have an Excel spreadsheet with several lines of everyday expenses, and I would like to use a pie chart (that represents spending by categories) for my monthly expenses as I go along. But for some reason, the categories (Food, Shopping, Gas/Fuel, etc) didn't combine and this is what I have got:

Capture1.JPG

And also, is there any formula or function that can automatically calculate the total expenses in each categories as I add new data (new expenses) onto the spreadsheet?

Attached is a copy of the Excel spreadsheet.

Thank you for your help in advance.

[Ace_XL]

Make a pivot table of the data and then use this pivot table as the underlying chart data.

See attached

[davidc2012]

Make a pivot table of the data and then use this pivot table as the underlying chart data.

See attached

Thank you for your help, Ace_XL. But can you please explain to me what I should do next if I want the pie chart and the newly created table to be automatically refreshed (so it reflects the new info) every time I input some new data?

[Ace_XL]

You need to ensure that the pivot tables covers all rows of your data.

Then as you add on more data to your pivot table range, you only need to refresh the pivot table and the pie chart will automatically populate.

Some reading here too
www.cpearson.com/excel/pivots.htm

[davidc2012]

You need to ensure that the pivot tables covers all rows of your data.

Then as you add on more data to your pivot table range, you only need to refresh the pivot table and the pie chart will automatically populate.

Some reading here too
www.cpearson.com/excel/pivots.htm

Alright, once again thank you for your help! And may I ask, do I have to click on the "PivotTable Tools" tab at the top of the screen and then click on the "Refresh" bottom every time I want to refresh the table and chart? Is there anyway I can keep the Refresh function active all the time?