ONLYOFFICE · Editing · Intermediate
Check Formula Language and Regional Settings in ONLYOFFICE
Separate formula names, decimal separators and date display settings with a reversible local-workbook test and independent numeric checks.
Quick answer
Treat formula language, regional display and numeric separators as separate settings. Change one at a time in a disposable workbook, compare numeric control results, then restore your original configuration. A different-looking number is not evidence of a different value, and replacing punctuation throughout a workbook is not a safe localization method.
Scope and evidence
This lesson is for the free ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, working with a local XLSX file on Windows or Linux. The desktop product page identifies the free edition; the desktop overview links its spreadsheet workflows to the editor help. The changelog lists version 10.0.0 dated October 13, 2026.
Sources were checked October 22, 2026. Feature help is rolling documentation, not a frozen version-10.0 manual. This is a documentation-qualified procedure with independently calculated example results, not a native execution, save/reopen or cross-platform compatibility test. No application screenshots are supplied. Hosted collaboration, macOS and receiving-program behavior are outside this exercise.
Use a disposable file and close unrelated workbooks first. Record the existing settings before changing anything; do not assume they belong only to this workbook or will travel with it to another machine.
Create a punctuation-independent control sheet
Download the plain-text practice recipe, or enter the cells below manually on a sheet named LocaleCheck. The download is a text recipe, not an importable workbook or native-tested template. Do not paste its entire contents into the grid.
Start with Formula Language: English, noting the previous value so you can restore it. Use A1-style references. Enter:
| Cell | Entry | Expected numeric result |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | First amount |
Text label |
| A3 | Second amount |
Text label |
| B2 | =125/10 |
12.5 |
| B3 | =1325/100 |
13.25 |
| B4 | =SUM(B2:B3) |
25.75 |
| D2 | =B2*100 |
1250 |
| D3 | =B3*100 |
1325 |
| D4 | =B4*100 |
2575 |
Division of integer operands avoids typing a locale-sensitive decimal literal. These are formulas, not text beginning with an apostrophe. Format B2:B4 as Number with two decimal places through Home → Number format → More formats; the number-format reference explains those controls. Leave D2:D4 as General.
For a date control, create B6 with =DATE(2026,4,3) while English formula language is selected. Use the function dialog if the typed formula is rejected. In D6 enter =YEAR(B6)*10000+MONTH(B6)*100+DAY(B6). Its expected result is 20260403, meaning April 3, not March 4. Give B6 a Date format but keep D6 General. Record B6’s displayed date separately from D6’s numeric result.
Save this verified starting file as oo-regional-before.xlsx. Create a separate working copy, oo-regional-practice.xlsx.
Test the settings separately
The Advanced Settings reference documents File → Advanced Settings and its Regional settings group:
- Formula Language controls formula names, argument names and descriptions.
- Region controls currency, date and time display.
- Use separators based on regional settings selects region-based separators. Clearing it exposes separate Decimal separator and Thousands separator fields.
- Apply saves the settings change.
First record all four current choices, including both separator characters if custom values are in use. Keep the date-system setting unchanged throughout.
- Change only Formula Language from English to French, then Apply. Inspect B4 and D6 in the formula bar. Do not replace the displayed names by guessing their translations. D2:D4 must still represent 1250, 1325 and 2575, and D6 must remain 20260403.
- In empty B8, use Formula → Function and the function-selection dialog to select the sum function in the configured language. Supply B2:B3 as its range. Confirm the dialog’s result and the completed cell both represent 25.75. This checks new formula entry as well as old formulas. Restore Formula Language to English before the next test.
- Check the separator mode you recorded. If Use separators based on regional settings is currently off, enable that option alone, Apply, and repeat all four integer checks before continuing. With region-based separators now enabled, change only Region to German (Germany), then Apply. Record the visible B2:B4 and B6 representations, then repeat all four integer checks. Do not require a particular date spelling: the cells’ chosen number formats also matter.
- Restore your starting Region. If you need custom numeric punctuation, separately test Decimal separator
,and Thousands separator.with region-based separators disabled. Apply and repeat the same checks. Do not treat these fields as a documented formula-argument-separator switch.
Stop immediately if a control changes or a formula becomes an error. Preserve the original file and record which single setting caused the difference. Do not repair it by replacing commas, periods or slashes across the workbook.
Restore and verify the handoff
Restore your original Formula Language, Region, separator mode and any custom separator characters. Apply, save the practice copy, close and reopen it, and repeat the integer checks. Inspect B8 as a formula, not a pasted constant. Compare the original labels too: this exercise does not translate worksheet text.
For a recipient, send an explicit description such as “B6 means April 3, 2026; D6 must equal 20260403” with the workbook. Ask them to record their own version and settings and repeat the checks. Do not promise that your application preferences are embedded in XLSX or that an identical display proves compatible calculations.
Troubleshooting
- Typed function name is rejected: check Formula Language and use the function dialog. Changing spelling-dictionary language is a different task.
- A cell contains visible formula text: inspect its contents and formatting in the copy. Do not count a text string as a successful calculation.
- Decimal punctuation changed but totals did not: compare the integer checks before touching values. Display changes alone do not justify rewriting data.
- The date looks reversed: compare D6 and the original intended calendar date. This is not a test of parsing ambiguous imported date text.
- Settings affect other work: restore the recorded configuration before returning to real files. If restoration is uncertain, keep the practice copy separate and investigate the exact installed build.