Point & Click OpenOffice.org

Recognizing OOo Calc's Limitations

While there are things OOo Calc can do that Microsoft Excel can't, such as producing PDF files directly from your work, there are a few limitations to what Calc can do and a few ways in which Excel is not completely compatible with Calc:

• Like Microsoft Excel, Calc supports array formulasbut it doesn't support array formulas with two ranges.

• Array constants are unavailable in OOo. To deal with this problem, you must have constant values in cells on a sheet and refer to them.

• Excel provides some chart types that Calc does not.

• Calc is slower to update than Excel, and it has fewer axis options.

• Some menu settings are different in Calc from what you may be accustomed to in Excel (for example, the printing menu).

However, with a little practice, you will soon learn how to handle these differences, and you will find that they do not lessen Calc's usefulness and functionality as your primary tool for 99% of the spreadsheet work you're likely to do at home or at work.