How to prevent OpenOffice/LibreOffice Calc from changing what you input (data, numbers,…)

Question

Basically, I want LibreOffice Calc to do what I tell it, not what it wants.

For example:

• when I input 1.1.12, I want to have 1.1.12 in that cell, not 01.

Answer 1

I initially arrived at this page with a very similar (but not identical) problem. I am posting the solution here for the benefit of those who might be visiting with the same issue.

Every time I would save, close, and then re-open my .XSLX spreadsheet in OpenOffice, it would delete the spaces I had entered in between text. For example:

• "Did not attend" would become "Didnotattend".
• "John DOE" would become "JohnDOE", etc.

Specifying "text" (@) as the format (as recommended above) did not help me, unfortunately.

What ultimately did solve it was saving it as an .ODS file instead of .XSLX .

Answer 2

When you are importing, you're given a bunch of options. Select "Quoted field as text" so any text inside quotes is treated as text which is interpreted by LibreOffice as sacred and they do not modify it in the way they they modify something that they identify as number

Answer 3

When you have your data in the clipboard click Edit -> Paste as... in main menu. In next window choose "Paste as text". All your data will be pasted as is.

Answer 4

My issue was currency, properly formatted would change to a much larger number if the numbers entered could represent a date; such as 4.22 becoming $42,482. I discovered that adding a trailing zero solved the problem.

Answer 5

just simply put character ' before the text, '0.1.16 and calc will interprate it as text data

Answer 6

If you want your input to be interpreted as text and preventing Calc to do fancy (and annoying) things with your input, you have to change the format before entering any value.

• Select the cells/columns/rows.
• Right-click 'Format Cells...'
• Select the tab 'Numbers'
• In the list 'Category', select 'Text' (the last option)
• Select the format '@' (it is the only one in this category)
• Click on 'Ok'

You may need to tweak the 'autocorrect' options as well. Go to 'Tools > Auotcorrect Options...'. Here is a link that may help: https://help.libreoffice.org/Calc/Deactivating_Automatic_Changes