Convert 123 to FM3

Understanding 123 and fm3 file formats

123 files are spreadsheet documents created by Lotus 1-2-3, a pioneering spreadsheet application popular in the 1980s and 1990s. These files typically contain data organized in rows and columns, formulas, and sometimes charts. The format is now considered obsolete, but legacy data may still exist in this format.

FM3 files are FileMaker Pro 3 database files. FileMaker Pro is a cross-platform relational database application. FM3 files store structured data, layouts, and scripts, and are used for managing and organizing information in a database format.

How to convert 123 to fm3

Direct conversion from 123 to fm3 is not natively supported by most modern software, as both formats are legacy and belong to different application ecosystems. However, you can achieve the conversion through an intermediate step:

1. Open the 123 file in a compatible spreadsheet application, such as Lotus 1-2-3 (if available) or LibreOffice Calc, which can import some 123 files.
2. Export the data to a common format like CSV using File → Save As or File → Export.
3. Open FileMaker Pro and create a new database or open an existing one.
4. Import the CSV file into FileMaker Pro using File → Import Records → File... and select your CSV file.
5. Save the database in the FM3 format.

Best software for 123 to fm3 conversion

• LibreOffice Calc: Free and open-source, supports opening and exporting Lotus 1-2-3 files to CSV.
• FileMaker Pro: Required for importing CSV and saving as FM3.

There are no direct online converters for 123 to FM3 due to the proprietary and legacy nature of both formats. The manual method described above is the most reliable approach.

Summary

To convert a 123 spreadsheet to a fm3 FileMaker Pro database, export the 123 file to CSV and then import it into FileMaker Pro. This two-step process ensures your data is preserved and accessible in the modern FileMaker environment.