Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 25, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
You probably already know that Excel will easily open a wide variety of spreadsheets stored in other formats. One that it will open is spreadsheets originally created in Lotus 1-2-3. If you have some old 1-2-3 files and you want to make sure that they are treated, in Excel, according to Lotus 1-2-3 "rules," there are a couple of settings you need to pay attention to. These settings are available from the Options dialog box. (See Figure 1.) Choose Options from the Tools menu to display this dialog box.
Figure 1. The Transition tab of the Options dialog box.
Make sure the Transition tab is displayed. Notice the two options under Sheet Options; these are what you need to work with:
Make your settings, as desired, then close the Options dialog box. Open the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet and Excel should process the file according to the settings you made.
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2021-12-21 10:58:37
Mike
Just to let everyone know..In more current versions of the Excel..you will find what used to be called Transition in the instructions here:
click on File->Options->Advanced->scroll to bottom->look for "Lotus compatibility" and "Lotus compatibility Settings for:"
2019-07-28 11:54:20
Shanaya
Hello we have data stored in lotus 123 but we want to convert it into other software except excel as the data is humongous and excel won't be able To store it. Which other software we should use?
2019-03-08 14:26:49
Fred Spielmann
Trying to convert Lotus 123 spreadsheet, with commands to Excel. Went to option and clicked Transition navigation keys and transition formula evaluation and still doesn't work. Command problems are "/C name" and "+ctrl/pageup enter ctrl/r enter. /C name move the row of cells to whichever sheet I want it on and +ctrl/pageup enter ctrl/r enter, moves a cell value and row from one sheet to a cell with everything o to the right on another sheet.
What am I doing wrong?
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