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Document format

ODS converter

An .ods file is an OpenDocument spreadsheet, the workbook format LibreOffice Calc saves by default. Like its .odt sibling it is XML in a ZIP, but its content.xml describes tables of typed cells rather than paragraphs of prose.

Private for supported formats — processed in your browser

Convert supported files

Runs on your device

Drop ODS files here

Batch files can each use a different output. Nothing uploads for local conversions.

Working inputs include camera RAW, browser-local audio/video, PDF, CBZ/CBR comics, office documents, ebooks, markup, 3D models, structured text, images, and archives.

Where ODS comes from

Spreadsheets were part of the OpenDocument 1.0 specification OASIS approved in 2005, inheriting their structure from StarOffice and OpenOffice.org Calc XML. ODF 1.2 in 2011 added OpenFormula, finally giving spreadsheet formulas a formally specified grammar.

How ODS works

  • Cells carry both a typed raw value attribute (office:value) and a formatted display string, so extractors can choose machine or human output.
  • Runs of identical cells and rows are collapsed with number-columns-repeated attributes, keeping sparse sheets small.
  • Formulas follow the OpenFormula (ODFF) specification introduced with ODF 1.2.
  • Packaging follows the common ODF rules, so any ZIP utility can crack one open.

When to use ODS

  • Native saves from LibreOffice and OpenOffice Calc.
  • Government data publishing — the UK government has required ODS for spreadsheet releases since 2014.
  • Open-source and Linux-first workflows avoiding Microsoft formats.
  • Archiving tabular records under a vendor-neutral ISO standard.

Strengths and limitations

Strengths

  • Open ISO 26300 standard with several independent implementations.
  • Dual raw-plus-display cell values make reliable data extraction easier.
  • Mandated by multiple public administrations, guaranteeing longevity.

Limitations

  • Excel reads and writes it, but pivot tables and advanced styling can degrade.
  • Rarely requested in business exchanges, so recipients may be unfamiliar with it.
  • Some Excel-only features (Power Query connections, certain functions) do not round-trip.

Compatibility

LibreOffice and OpenOffice treat .ods as native, Excel has supported it since Office 2007 SP2, and Google Sheets imports and exports it. Because the container is standard ZIP with XML inside, browser-side text extraction works the same way it does for .xlsx.

meta.xml records the creator, timestamps, and table and cell statistics alongside the document.

Convert ODS to another format

Convert other formats to ODS