Convert CSV to ODS

Convert CSV to ODS to turn a plain export into a ready table for LibreOffice Calc. The file opens with a double click, with no questions about separators or encoding.

What happens when you convert CSV to ODS

CSV holds lines of text with commas, and every program parses them its own way, which is where merged columns and import dialogs come from. In ODS the structure is already fixed, the values sit in cells, and the workbook opens the same way for everyone.

From there the table behaves like any other: formulas, sorting and filters, column widths and headers. None of that exists in a CSV, and none of it can.

• Rows and columns of the export land in workbook cells.
• The file opens in LibreOffice Calc without an import dialog.
• Formatting is set in the workbook, since the source had none.

How to convert CSV to ODS

1. Upload your file in CSV.
2. Select ODS as the result format.
3. Start the conversion.
4. Open the workbook and check that the columns split as expected.

Who needs a workbook instead of an export

• Send a report to a colleague who works in LibreOffice rather than Excel.
• Bring exports from different systems into one readable format.
• Prepare the data for formulas and a pivot table.
• Deliver a table where ODS is requested as the open format.
• Store an export in a document archive so nobody has to parse it again.

Other options for CSV files

• For work in Excel, use the CSV to Excel (XLSX) converter.
• A table for printing or sending comes from the CSV to PDF converter.
• When a plain export is needed again, use the ODS to CSV converter.

FAQ

Will the ODS open in Excel?

Yes, current Excel versions read ODS. If your version does not, choose XLSX instead.

What happens to the header row?

It stays the first row of the workbook. Freezing it as a header is done in the spreadsheet editor.

Are leading zeros in codes and article numbers kept?

Check such columns after opening: spreadsheets often read values like 007 as numbers. Set those columns to text format in the workbook if needed.