Letting a computer program create and insert a chart in a document can save time and offer a visual way to represent information, but there are other types of charts that are not available as quick-click options. Microsoft Word's chart functions don't include the concentric circle chart, a graph that shows dichotomy by layering different sized circles on top of each other by their middles, with the diameters making all the difference. With Word's shape tools, though, you can create a concentric circle chart of your own with complete control of size, position and colours.

  • Letting a computer program create and insert a chart in a document can save time and offer a visual way to represent information, but there are other types of charts that are not available as quick-click options.
  • With Word's shape tools, though, you can create a concentric circle chart of your own with complete control of size, position and colours.

Open Microsoft Word. Click the "View" tab. Click a check in both the "Ruler" and "Gridlines" boxes on the "Show" section of the ribbon.

Click the "Insert" tab. Click the "Shapes" button. Click the oval shape. When the cursor changes to a plus sign, position the cursor on the grid, hold down the "Shift" key and draw a circle large enough to hold all of the other circles -- this will be the biggest/outer circle.

Click the border of the circle to open the orange "Drawing Tools" tab. Click the "Shape Fill" button on the ribbon and choose a colour for the circle. Click the "Shape Fill" button and choose a border colour -- for a solid circle, choose the same colours. Right-click the circle and select "Format AutoShape." Slide the "Transparency" bar to "50%" and click "OK." This is so you can see the grid beneath to position the other circles.

  • Click the border of the circle to open the orange "Drawing Tools" tab.
  • Click the "Shape Fill" button and choose a border colour -- for a solid circle, choose the same colours.

Right-click the circle and select "Copy." Right-click anywhere on the grid and press "Ctrl" and "V" to paste in the copy. Click once on the new circle to highlight it. Press and hold down the "Shift" key. Drag a corner of the circle's border in towards its middle to shrink it slightly smaller than the original circle.

Select a new colour and border for this new circle using the "Drawing Tools," "Shape Fill" and "Shape Outline" buttons.

  • Select a new colour and border for this new circle using the "Drawing Tools," "Shape Fill" and "Shape Outline" buttons.

Drag the circle into the direct middle -- use the boxes in the grid and rulers at the top and left of the Word page as a guide -- of the other circle.

Press the "Ctrl" and "V" keys again and another copy of the original circle appears. Repeat the resizing and recoloring process. Drag that circle into the middle of the second circle. Repeat until as many circles as desired are in place.

Right-click the middle circle. Select "Format AutoShape." Slide the "Transparency" bar back up to "100%." Repeat for each circle.

Turn off the grid clicking the "View" tab and unchecking the "Gridlines" box.