Convert ODS to ODF

Understanding ODS and ODF file formats

ODS (OpenDocument Spreadsheet) is a spreadsheet file format used by applications like LibreOffice Calc and Apache OpenOffice Calc. It is part of the OpenDocument Format (ODF) family, specifically designed for storing spreadsheet data, including formulas, charts, and formatting.

ODF (Open Document Format) is a broader file format standard for office documents, including text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. The term ODF is often used to refer to the standard itself, while specific file types like ODS (spreadsheets), ODT (text), and ODP (presentations) are implementations of this standard.

Why convert ODS to ODF?

Converting an ODS file to a generic ODF format is typically done to ensure compatibility with software that requires a more general OpenDocument file or to change the document type (for example, from a spreadsheet to a text document). However, it's important to note that ODS is already an ODF-compliant format, so conversion usually means changing the file type within the ODF family, such as converting a spreadsheet (ODS) to a text document (ODT).

How to convert ODS to ODF

The most reliable way to convert an ODS file to another ODF format (such as ODT) is by using office suite software that supports the OpenDocument standard. LibreOffice is highly recommended for this purpose.

Using LibreOffice for conversion

1. Open your ODS file in LibreOffice Calc.
2. Select the content you want to convert (if you wish to convert only part of the spreadsheet).
3. Copy the content (Edit → Copy).
4. Open LibreOffice Writer (for ODT) or another LibreOffice application for the desired ODF type.
5. Paste the content (Edit → Paste).
6. Save the new document using File → Save As and select the appropriate ODF format (e.g., ODT for text documents).

Best software for ODS to ODF conversion

• LibreOffice (free, open-source, cross-platform)
• Apache OpenOffice (free, open-source, cross-platform)

Both of these office suites natively support all ODF file types and provide robust conversion features.

Online converters

There are also online tools such as Zamzar and CloudConvert that can convert ODS files to other ODF formats. However, for best results and data privacy, using desktop software like LibreOffice is recommended.