BITAND in Calligra Sheets: Find which permission bits two numbers share
Learn the BITAND function in Calligra Sheets with sample cells, a reproducible formula, expected results, troubleshooting and the official reference.
Reference checked: Examples have not been run in this spreadsheet application. How we verify guides
Quick answer: Find which permission bits two numbers share. Two systems store permissions as bit flags. You need to know which flags are set in both a requested access level and an approved access level.
The syntax below follows Calligra Sheets documentation. Recreate the small dataset to understand the output before applying the formula to your own sheet.
When to use BITAND
Two systems store permissions as bit flags. You need to know which flags are set in both a requested access level and an approved access level. The calculation can then be repeated across additional rows while retaining the source values for review.
Syntax and argument order
=BITAND(value; value)
The spelling and argument order come from the official Calligra Sheets function reference. Calligra’s official function handbook displays semicolons between arguments. Verify separators against the locale in your installed Calligra version.
Reproduce the example
Create a small worksheet with the following cells. Treat the labels as context; the formula references the specified ranges.
| Cell | Value | Binary |
|---|---|---|
| A2 (requested) | 12 | 1100 |
| B2 (approved) | 10 | 1010 |
Place the following formula in an empty cell outside the sample range:
=BITAND(A2;B2)
Expected result: 8 (binary 1000).
Why it works: Only the leftmost 8-bit position is 1 in both 12 (1100) and 10 (1010). The result is 8, not the arithmetic sum or the number of bits.
If your result differs, compare the sample values, quotation marks, argument separators, and cell references against the formula shown.
A second example
=BITAND(14;7)
Expected result: 6. Use the second result as a separate check with changed inputs.
Troubleshooting and practical cautions
Use integer bit masks, not decimal fractions. AND is not a replacement for logical AND applied to TRUE/FALSE tests; these are different operations.
This is useful for flag fields imported from scripts or hardware measurements. Keep a small table of what each bit position means.
Compatibility and version notes
Do not assume the function name or argument order matches another spreadsheet. For example, Calligra REGEXP extracts text and REGEXPRE replaces it; PlanMaker and LibreOffice may use different names or behavior.
Verification status: KDE’s published Sheets handbook includes older material and may not describe every interface detail of the current build. This is a documentation-checked formula guide, not a native-application test. No application screenshot is presented as genuine here. Independently calculated expectations are not native-application execution in Calligra Sheets.
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Documentation: Calligra Sheets reference for BITAND.