CEILING Function (OpenOffice Calc)
The CEILING function in OpenOffice Calc rounds a number up to the nearest multiple of a specified significance. Learn syntax, examples, rounding rules, common errors, and best practices.
Verification status: Consult the documentation, examples and any stated test scope below. How formula examples are checked
Availability and version history
- Introduced: Documented by Apache OpenOffice 4.1.16; original introduction not established.
- Availability: Supported in Apache OpenOffice 4.1.16, verified against its function registry. This identifies a supported release, not a final working version.
- Scope: Desktop Calc, using the English function name. Availability in other spreadsheet applications is separate.
- Checked: 2026-10-14 — function reference; versioned support. Documentation/source check; not a new native test. Existing example-specific test claims below retain their stated scope.
The CEILING function in OpenOffice Calc rounds a number up to the nearest multiple of a specified significance. It is essential for financial calculations, inventory rounding, packaging, engineering tolerances, and any scenario where values must be rounded upward to a defined increment.
What the CEILING Function Does
- Rounds numbers upward
- Rounds to a specified multiple (significance)
- Works with positive and negative numbers
- Useful for finance, manufacturing, and quantity rounding
- Ensures values never round down
CEILING is ideal when you must round up to the next allowed increment.
Syntax
CEILING(number; significance)
Arguments:
- number — The value to round
- significance — The multiple to round up to
Rounding Rules
- CEILING always rounds up, away from zero
- Significance defines the rounding increment
- Works with decimals and whole numbers
Examples:
CEILING(7.2; 1)→ 8CEILING(7.2; 0.5)→ 7.5CEILING(-7.2; 1)→ -7 (upward = toward zero)
Basic Examples
Round up to the nearest whole number
=CEILING(7.1; 1)
Result: 8
Round up to the nearest 10
=CEILING(123; 10)
Result: 130
Round up to the nearest 0.25
=CEILING(5.13; 0.25)
Result: 5.25
Round up using a cell reference
=CEILING(A1; B1)
If B1 contains 0.5, A1 is rounded up to the nearest half.
Advanced Examples
CEILING for financial rounding
Round up to the nearest cent:
=CEILING(A1; 0.01)
CEILING for packaging or inventory
Round up to full boxes of 12:
=CEILING(A1; 12)
CEILING for time rounding
Round up to the nearest 15 minutes:
=CEILING(A1; 15/1440)
(1440 minutes in a day.)
CEILING across sheets
=CEILING(Sheet1.A1; 5)
CEILING with negative numbers
=CEILING(-7.8; 1)
Result: -7
CEILING with fractional significance
=CEILING(2.37; 0.1)
Result: 2.4
CEILING for engineering tolerances
Round up to nearest 0.005:
=CEILING(A1; 0.005)
Common Errors and Fixes
CEILING returns Err:502 (Invalid argument)
Occurs when:
- Significance is 0
- Significance is negative (not allowed in OpenOffice)
- A malformed reference is used
CEILING returns unexpected values
Possible causes:
- Misunderstanding “round up” vs “round away from zero”
- Significance not matching expected increment
- Negative numbers rounding toward zero
CEILING includes values you expected it to ignore
CEILING includes:
- Dates
- Times
- Numeric results of formulas
CEILING excludes values you expected it to include
CEILING ignores:
- Text numbers (
"123") - Empty cells
- Logical values (TRUE/FALSE)
- Errors
Err:508 — Missing parenthesis
Usually caused by:
- Missing
) - Using commas instead of semicolons
Best Practices
- Use CEILING when rounding must go upward
- Use FLOOR when rounding downward
- Use ROUND for symmetric rounding
- Use CEILING for packaging, billing, and time rounding
- Convert imported text numbers to real numbers
- Use named ranges for cleaner formulas
minutes / 1440