CONVERT Function (LibreOffice Calc)
The CONVERT function converts a numeric value from one unit of measurement to another. It supports SI units, metric prefixes, and many engineering, physics, and scientific unit systems.
Compatibility
▾| Excel | ✔ |
| Gnumeric | ✔ |
| Google_sheets | ✔ |
| Libreoffice | ✔ |
| Numbers | ✔ |
| Onlyoffice | ✔ |
| Openoffice | ✔ |
| Wps | ✔ |
| Zoho | ✔ |
What the CONVERT Function Does ▾
- Converts a number from one unit to another
- Supports metric, imperial, SI prefixes, and scientific units
- Handles temperature, distance, mass, pressure, energy, force, power, and more
- Essential for engineering, physics, and scientific modeling
Syntax ▾
CONVERT(number; from_unit; to_unit)
Arguments
-
number:
The numeric value to convert. -
from_unit:
A text code representing the original unit. -
to_unit:
A text code representing the target unit.
Basic Examples ▾
Convert meters to feet
=CONVERT(1; "m"; "ft")
→ 3.28084
Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit
=CONVERT(100; "C"; "F")
→ 212
Convert grams to kilograms
=CONVERT(500; "g"; "kg")
→ 0.5
Convert miles to kilometers
=CONVERT(1; "mi"; "km")
→ 1.609344
Advanced Examples ▾
Convert Newtons to pound‑force
=CONVERT(10; "N"; "lbf")
Convert Joules to calories
=CONVERT(1000; "J"; "cal")
Convert PSI to Pascals
=CONVERT(1; "psi"; "Pa")
Convert watts to horsepower
=CONVERT(1000; "W"; "HP")
Convert liters to cubic meters
=CONVERT(500; "L"; "m3")
Convert radians to degrees
=CONVERT(PI(); "rad"; "deg")
Convert hertz to radians per second
=CONVERT(60; "Hz"; "rad/s")
Supported Unit Categories ▾
Length
"m","km","ft","in","yd","mi","nmi"
Mass
"g","kg","lbm","oz"
Time
"sec","min","hr","day"
Temperature
"C","F","K","Rank"
Pressure
"Pa","psi","atm","mmHg"
Energy
"J","cal","BTU"
Power
"W","HP"
Force
"N","dyn","lbf"
Volume
"L","m3","tsp","tbsp","cup","gal"
Speed
"m/s","km/h","mph"
Angle
"rad","deg"
SI Prefixes
"k"(kilo),"M"(mega),"G"(giga),"m"(milli),"u"(micro),"n"(nano)
Edge Cases and Behavior Details ▾
CONVERT returns a number
Behavior details
- Units must be compatible (e.g., length → length)
- Incompatible units → Err:502
- Unit codes are case‑sensitive
- Temperature conversions use nonlinear formulas
- SI prefixes can be combined (e.g.,
"km"= kilometers)
CONVERT of an error → error propagates
Common Errors and Fixes ▾
Err:502 — Invalid argument
Cause:
- Unsupported unit
- Incompatible unit categories
- Misspelled unit code
Fix:
- Verify unit codes
- Ensure both units belong to the same category
Wrong temperature result
Cause:
- Using linear scaling for nonlinear conversions
Fix:
- Always use
"C","F","K"directly with CONVERT
Best Practices ▾
- Use CONVERT for all engineering and scientific unit changes
- Keep unit codes in separate cells for readability
- Use data validation to prevent invalid unit inputs
- Combine with ROUND for presentation formatting
- Use SI prefixes to simplify scaling
CONVERT is essential for engineering‑grade spreadsheets — it ensures consistent, accurate unit handling across your entire model.
Related Patterns and Alternatives ▾
- CONVERT_BIN / CONVERT_HEX / CONVERT_OCT — base conversions
- IM* functions — complex arithmetic
- ROUND / TEXT — formatting converted values
By mastering CONVERT, you can build precise, unit‑aware engineering and scientific models in LibreOffice Calc.