4 Methods You Should Know To Convert ODS to PDF Easily

An ODS (OpenDocument Spreadsheet) is an XML-based format that stores data into organized cells and rows. It's just like in Excel. And just like Excel files, ODS is not a great format for presentation. So our advice is to convert ODS to PDF format.

How? Various recommended methods exist to convert ODS to PDF. You have to choose which you think works best for you. In this article, we'll walk you through four methods you should know to do this type of conversion.

What Is ODS? & How To Open ODS Files?

ODS is a file format that stands for OpenDocument Spreadsheet. This format uses ZIP- compressed XML files and is one of the several subtypes in the Open Document Formats (ODF) family.

ODS files are used in making graphs and charts, making the whole tendency more direct and concise. Additionally, ODS files can be the best way to sort large amounts of data. For example, you can sort your data in ascending/descending order or alphabetically. It can also easily calculate budgets by setting a correct formula. Furthermore, ODS files can minimize your workload through simple operations.

You can open an ODS file with various spreadsheet applications, including OpenOffice Calc (cross-platform), Microsoft Excel (cross-platform), LibreOffice (cross-platform), and Google Sheets (Web, iOS, Android, Chrome OS).

Kindly note that you may lose some file formatting when you open an ODS file in a program other than OpenOffice or LibreOffice. Likewise, converting an ODS file to another spreadsheet form may result in some formatting loss.

Method 1. Convert ODS to PDF Using Wondershare PDFelement

PDFelement ProPDFelement Pro is a fast and powerful PDF solution for editing, creating, protecting, and signing PDFs across all devices. In addition, one of its tools, the PDF Converter, is the best solution to convert ODS to PDF without losing the original format of your file.

Its complete Convert PDF Solution enables you to convert PDF documents to and from any Microsoft Office format, image, web page, and more. That said, with PDFelement, converting ODS files to PDF is possible. Besides supporting more than 20 formats, PDFelement also offers high-quality and fast file conversion. And the best thing is that it works on any device, including Windows, Mac, and iOS.

Here are the steps on how to convert ODS to PDF with PDFelement:

iOS 14.0 or later

Android 7.0 and up

Step 1. Install and run Wondershare PDFelement on your Desktop.

Step 2. Click "Create PDF"> "From File"and import your ODS file.

Step 3. Wait for PDFelement to process your file.

Step 4. Preview your file and click"Edit" to make the necessary changes.

Step 5. Then, Click "Save"> "Continue."

Step 6. Finally, modify the file name and click"Save."

iOS 14.0 or later

Android 7.0 and up

Method 2. Save ODS Files in PDF Format With Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel is the next method you can use to convert ODS to PDF. Using Excel for PDF conversion is one of the most commonly used techniques for converting spreadsheets to PDFs. You might have used this method already. However, this method might not maintain the original formatting of your file.

Step 1. First, open your ODS file and click "File"> "Save As."

Step 2. Choose the desired location of your file.

Step 3. Choose the location where you want to save your file.

Step 4. Modify the file name and choose "PDF" as a file type. Then, click"Save."

Method 3. ODS to PDF Format Online Converters

Your third option is to convert your ODS file using an online converter. Many online tools are available, such as CloudConvert, an online software designed for converting online documents and spreadsheets. As it is cloud-based, you don't need any installation to use CloudConvert.

CloudConvert supports 200 formats, including PDF, XLS, CSV, and ODS. Moreover, it uses high-quality conversion through its API. Additionally, CloudConvert ensures data security by allowing you to save your file as PDF/A and add a password to your converted file. The converted file also gets deleted after a few hours.

The best part? You can use CloudConvert for free!

Here are the steps on how to convert ODS to PDF using CloudConvert:

Step 1. Go to CloudConvert using your browser and set "convert ODS to PDF."

Step 2. Click "Select File" to import files from your device or upload them from Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. You can also paste the URL of your file.

Step 3. Optionally, click the "Settings" button to open the "Options" dialog box. Set the pages you want to convert, set a password, or choose to create a PDF/A version of the file. Then click "Okay."

Step 4. Then, click "Convert."

Step 5. Preview your file and click"Download."

Method 4. Change ODS to PDF With Google Sheets

You can upload an ODS file directly to your Google Drive and then convert it into a Google spreadsheet in a few steps. Because Google Drive and Google Sheet are parts of the Google Workspace, it is free to use.

Here's how to convert ODF to PDF using Google Sheets:

Step 1. Navigate to your Google Drive homepage and click "New"> "File Upload."

Step 2. Select the ODS file that you want to upload from your device and click "Open."

Step 3. Wait for the file to finish uploading to Google Drive.

Step 4. Open your file in"Google Sheets."

Step 5. Click "File" > "Download>PDF."

Step 6. Finally, customize your file setting before clicking"Export."

Comparison of The 4 Methods

Now that you have learned the various methods to convert ODS to PDF, it's time to decide which method will work best for you. To help you decide, we provided a comparison of the 4 methods and our criteria for the best PDF converter.

With the tutorials provided above, it is without a doubt that all four methods mentioned are easy-to-use for any user.

Among the four (4) methods, only Google Sheets needs another software (Google Drive) to upload your ODS file before conversion. This method is best recommended when converting files with large sizes.

Of course, choosing a converter that will keep your file's formatting even after the conversion is also important. Unfortunately, since Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets use a default format, both are incapable of retaining the file format once it is converted to PDF.

It would be best if you also considered the convenience. Wondershare PDFelement and Microsoft Excel can convert files to PDF even without an internet connection which makes the first and second methods best for users who wish to convert files even if they are offline. On the other hand, online tools do not require installation. So it's up to you which is more convenient for you.

Lastly, consider if your chosen method allows you to edit the PDF result. Editing helps you correct mistakes and add other elements, such as an e-sign. Wondershare PDFElement is the only tool that permits this function.

Conclusion

There are instances when you need to convert your ODS files to PDF, and there are various methods to deal with it. You can use online tools such as Google Sheets and an online converter or use offline tools such as Microsoft Excel or Wondershare PDFelement.

Although all methods are proven easy to use, converting your ODS file to PDF using Wondershare PDFelement is the best choice. PDFelement does not need an internet connection, maintains the original format of your file, and allows editing of the PDF before saving the output.