Contact
12 programs
Explore the site

FIXED Function (LibreOffice Calc)

Text Beginner LibreOffice Calc LibreOffice 3.0

The FIXED function in LibreOffice Calc formats a number as text with a specified number of decimal places and optional thousands separators. It is ideal for financial labels, reports, and consistent numeric presentation.

Verification status: Consult the documentation and examples below. Native application testing has not been documented for this guide. How formula examples are checked

The **FIXED** function formats a number as text with a specified number of decimal places and optional thousands separators in LibreOffice Calc. It is simpler than TEXT but perfect for financial labels, reports, and consistent numeric presentation.

What the FIXED Function Does

  • Formats a number as text
  • Controls decimal places
  • Optionally includes thousands separators
  • Useful for financial reporting and labels
  • Output is always text, not numeric

It is designed to be simple, predictable, and formatting‑focused.

Syntax

FIXED(number; decimals; [no_thousands])

Arguments

  • number:
    The number to format.

  • decimals:
    Number of decimal places.

  • no_thousands: (optional)
    TRUE → do not use thousands separators
    FALSE or omitted → include thousands separators

Basic Examples

Format with two decimals

=FIXED(1234.567; 2)

Returns "1,234.57".

Format with no decimals

=FIXED(1234.567; 0)

Returns "1,235".

Format without thousands separators

=FIXED(1234.567; 2; TRUE)

Returns "1234.57".

Format negative numbers

=FIXED(-42.5; 1)

Returns "-42.5".

Advanced Examples

Build a financial label

=CONCAT("Total: "; FIXED(A1; 2))

Format a percentage manually

=FIXED(A1 * 100; 2) & "%"

Format a number for CSV export

=FIXED(A1; 3; TRUE)

Format with dynamic decimals

=FIXED(A1; B1)

Format a column of values for display

=TEXTJOIN(", "; TRUE; FIXED(A1:A10; 2))

Format with conditional logic

=IF(A1<0; "(" & FIXED(ABS(A1); 2) & ")"; FIXED(A1; 2))

Format a number with padded decimals

=FIXED(A1; 4)

Format a number without rounding (truncate first)

=FIXED(TRUNC(A1; 2); 2)

Format a number for alignment

=FIXED(A1; 2; TRUE)

(Useful for monospaced output.)

Edge Cases and Behavior Details

FIXED always returns text

=TYPE(FIXED(42; 2)) → 2 (text)

FIXED rounds the number

=FIXED(1.2345; 3) → "1.235"

decimals < 0 → rounds to left of decimal

=FIXED(1234.567; -1) → "1,230"

no_thousands defaults to FALSE

=FIXED(1000; 2) → "1,000.00"

no_thousands = TRUE removes separators

=FIXED(1000; 2; TRUE) → "1000.00"

FIXED of an error propagates the error

=FIXED(#N/A; 2) → #N/A

FIXED respects locale settings

Decimal and thousands separators follow system locale.

FIXED does not accept ranges

Use array formulas or TEXTJOIN.

FIXED converts numbers only

Text input returns Err:502.

Common Errors and Fixes

Err:502 — Invalid argument

Occurs when:

  • number is text
  • decimals is non-numeric
  • no_thousands is invalid

FIXED returns unexpected separators

Cause:

  • Locale mismatch
  • no_thousands argument misused

FIXED returns unexpected rounding

Cause:

  • decimals too small
  • negative decimals

Best Practices

  • Use FIXED for simple, consistent numeric formatting
  • Use TEXT for advanced formatting (dates, times, custom codes)
  • Use VALUE to convert FIXED output back to numbers
  • Use TRIM and CLEAN before concatenation
  • Use FIXED with CONCAT/TEXTJOIN for labels and reports
  • Use negative decimals for rounding to tens/hundreds
FIXED is your quick‑formatting tool — perfect for financial labels, clean numeric output, and consistent decimal control without the complexity of TEXT.
  • Use TEXT for custom formatting
  • Use VALUE to convert formatted text back to numbers
  • Use ROUND, TRUNC, INT for numeric manipulation
  • Use CONCAT, TEXTJOIN for assembly
  • Use SUBSTITUTE and REPLACE for editing

By mastering FIXED and its companion functions, you can build clean, readable, and consistent numeric‑presentation workflows in LibreOffice Calc.