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ROUND Function (OpenOffice Calc)

Math Beginner OpenOffice Calc OpenOffice.org 3.0

The ROUND function in OpenOffice Calc rounds a number to a specified number of decimal places. Learn syntax, examples, rounding rules, common errors, and best practices.

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

The ROUND function in OpenOffice Calc rounds a number to a specified number of decimal places. It is one of the most frequently used numeric functions, essential for financial calculations, scientific measurements, reporting, and any scenario where controlled precision is required.

What the ROUND Function Does

  • Rounds numbers to a specified number of decimal places
  • Supports rounding to the left or right of the decimal
  • Uses standard rounding rules (5 rounds up)
  • Works with positive, negative, and zero decimal places
  • Handles large datasets efficiently
  • Ideal for financial, statistical, and engineering calculations

ROUND is the foundation of precision control in spreadsheets.

Syntax

ROUND(number; decimals)

Arguments:

  • number — The value to round
  • decimals — The number of decimal places to round to
Use positive decimals to round to the right of the decimal point,
zero to round to whole numbers,
and negative decimals to round to tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.

Rounding Rules

OpenOffice Calc uses standard rounding:

  • If the next digit is 5 or greater, round up
  • If the next digit is 4 or less, round down

Examples:

  • ROUND(2.45; 1) → 2.5
  • ROUND(2.44; 1) → 2.4

Basic Examples

Round to 2 decimal places

=ROUND(3.14159; 2)

Result: 3.14

Round to the nearest whole number

=ROUND(7.8; 0)

Result: 8

Round to the nearest 10

=ROUND(123; -1)

Result: 120

Round to the nearest 100

=ROUND(987; -2)

Result: 1000

Round a negative number

=ROUND(-7.25; 1)

Result: -7.3

Advanced Examples

Round values in a range (array formula)

=ROUND(A1:A10; 2)

Confirm with Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

Round currency values

=ROUND(A1; 2)

Round time values

=ROUND(A1; 4)

(Time values are stored as fractions of a day.)

Round using a cell reference for decimals

=ROUND(A1; B1)

If B1 contains 3, the number is rounded to 3 decimals.

Round to the nearest thousand

=ROUND(A1; -3)

Round scientific measurements

=ROUND(A1; -1)

Useful for significant‑figure style rounding.

Round before aggregation

=SUM(ROUND(A1:A10; 2))

Confirm with Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

Common Errors and Fixes

ROUND returns unexpected values

Possible causes:

  • Negative decimals misunderstood
  • Text numbers not converted to numeric
  • Floating‑point precision issues

ROUND returns Err:502 (Invalid argument)

Occurs when:

  • decimals is not numeric
  • A malformed reference is used

ROUND returns Err:508 (Missing parenthesis)

Usually caused by:

  • Missing )
  • Using commas instead of semicolons

Rounding appears inconsistent

This is usually due to:

  • Cell formatting showing fewer decimals than the actual value
  • Floating‑point binary representation

Fix:
Use Tools → Options → OpenOffice Calc → Calculate to adjust precision settings.

Best Practices

  • Use ROUND for financial calculations to avoid floating‑point errors
  • Use negative decimals to round to tens, hundreds, thousands
  • Use ROUNDUP or ROUNDDOWN for directional rounding
  • Avoid relying on cell formatting alone for precision
  • Use named ranges for cleaner formulas
  • Round before summing when precision matters
If you need to round up or down consistently, use ROUNDUP or ROUNDDOWN instead of ROUND.