A spreadsheet made with Calc, a spreadsheet application that comes with the Apache OpenOffice and LibreOffice suites, is known as an ODS file. ODS files can be opened, edited, saved, and converted by a number of applications, including Microsoft Excel and the Calc applications found in the LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice suites. Both LibreOffice Calc and OpenOffice Calc can open an ODS file. Because Calc fully supports the formatting of OpenDocument spreadsheets, it’s the best choice for opening ODS files. ODS files can be opened and edited by a number of different spreadsheet programs, however their formatting may not be fully supported. Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel are two substitute programs. ODS files are compatible with a number of spreadsheet programs, such as Microsoft Excel and OpenOffice Calc. For example, OpenOffice Calc can convert ODS files to many file types, including the following formats:
- .OTS: Spreadsheet Template for Open Documentation
- .XLS: Legacy Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet
- .XLT: Microsoft Excel Template (Outdated)
- "Comma-Separated Values" (CSV)
- Data Interchange Format, or DIF
- The Portable Document Format, or PDF
- Uniform Office Spreadsheet, or UOS
- Excel Pocket File, or PXL
- StarOffice Calc Spreadsheet, or SXC
- .STC: Spreadsheet Template for StarOffice Calc
Examining an ODS File
Let’s examine what an ODS file is and how to open one. A document containing the most likely an OpenDocument spreadsheet with the ODS file extension includes standard spreadsheet elements like text, images, formulas, charts, and numbers enclosed in a cell-filled sheet. The free Calc application included in the OpenOffice suite can be used to open OpenDocument spreadsheet files. Two other suites that are comparable to OpenOffice and can open ODS files are LibreOffice (the Calc section) and Calligra. Even Microsoft Excel is functional, but it costs money. Installing the ODT, ODP, and ODS Viewer extension on Chrome allows users to open online ODS files without first downloading them. Regardless of your operating system, you can store the file online and preview it in your browser by uploading it to Google Sheets. From there, you can download it in a different format. An ODS file can be converted by OpenOffice Calc into a variety of related file formats, including XLS, PDF, CSV, OTS, HTML, and XML.
Opening an ODS File without Excel
ODS files do not need to be converted in order for Excel to open them. Before you can edit the ODS file in Excel for Mac, you must save it as an XSLX file. If you would rather convert the file beforehand, CloudConvert is a free file conversion website that you can use. Launch Excel. Open Office files, including ODS spreadsheets, can be opened by Microsoft Office applications. SELECT > OPEN FILE. You’ll need to press the BROWSE button on Windows. GO DIRECTLY TO YOUR FILE. Locate your ODS file by using the browse window. ACCESS THE FILES. Excel will open the ODS file. Due to differences between the two programs, you might notice some formatting differences between the version of the document that was opened in Excel and the original version of the document.
Converting an ODS File to an Excel File
Select ODS files from your gadget. From the list of target formats, click or tap on XLS. Once MConverter has completed processing your XLS files, download them. Yes, MConverter allows you to convert multiple ODS files at once into XLS files in batch. Yes, you can convert large ODS files—up to two gigabytes each—with MConverter Pro. Yes, we employ industry standards to encrypt your connection. You are the only one with access to your ODS files, too. After the conversion is finished, they are automatically removed from MConverter’s servers after 4 hours.
Opening ODS Files with Google Sheets
Spreadsheets saved in ODS format are produced by the OpenOffice Calc program, which is a free and open-source substitute for Microsoft Excel. The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards created the OpenDocument Spreadsheet (ODS) file format (OASIS). ODS files resemble Microsoft Excel (XLS and XLSX) files, but Excel is unable to support the additional formatting and calculations that ODS files contain. Microsoft Excel is the program that is most frequently used to open ODS files. ODS files can be opened by Excel, but in order to access all of the formatting and calculations, you must save the file as an Excel file. The Document Foundation’s LibreOffice, a free and open-source office suite, can open ODS files even if you don’t have Microsoft Excel. Calc, the spreadsheet program included with LibreOffice, is capable of opening and editing ODS files without any issues. ODS files can be opened with Google Sheets, a free online spreadsheet tool from Google.