Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Working with Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheets.
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.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3057) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Working with Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheets.
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2016-08-08 12:01:16
John Weaver
Is there any way to lock only specific cells in excel and have them locked while using excel so that a formula is not deleted accidentally as seems to happen occasionally
Thanks
John Weaver
2013-06-24 10:53:03
awyatt
Wilbart,
This tip (as it says) is for Excel 97 through Excel 2003. If you are using a later version of Excel, click the link at the end of the tip that leads to a version for later versions of Excel.
-Allen
2013-06-24 09:39:53
Wilbart
Excel 2013 does NOT support opening 123 files of any vintage.
I checked the boxes just to be sure.
Nothing?
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: 
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