.WKS File Extension
Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheet
| Developer | IBM |
| Popularity |
2.9 | 18 Votes |
What is a WKS file?
A WKS file is a spreadsheet created by Lotus 1-2-3, a spreadsheet application developed by IBM. It stores data in a grid of cells, which may contain formulas, alphanumeric text, or number values organized by rows and columns.
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Lotus Software released Lotus 1-2-3 in 1983 to wide acclaim among business and home users and became one of the most used spreadsheet applications in the 1980s. However, it declined in usage in the 1990s and 2000s due to stiff competition from other applications, most notably, Microsoft Excel. IBM eventually ceased developing Lotus 1-2-3 in 2013.
When creating and saving spreadsheets with version 1 of Lotus 1-2-3, the application created WKS files to store the spreadsheet's contents. Version 2 of Lotus 1-2-3 used .WK1 files to store spreadsheets, by default, version 3 used .WK3 files, and version 4 used .WK4 files.
The WKS file type is a working file, which means you can save the spreadsheet, close it, then re-open it for further editing. You can save various types of spreadsheets as WKS files with Lotus 1-2-3, including corporate budgets, retirement finances, and company profits.
How to open a WKS file
You can open WKS files with Lotus 1-2-3, but IBM no longer develops the software. Other third-party applications that support WKS files include Corel Quattro Pro (Windows), OpenOffice Calc (multiplatform), Planamesa NeoOffice (macOS), and Gnumeric (Linux).
NOTE: Microsoft Excel 2003 and earlier can open WKS files, but Microsoft removed support for the WKS format when it released Excel 2007.
Programs that open WKS files
Works Spreadsheet
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Popularity |
2.2 | 13 Votes |
A WKS file may also be a spreadsheet created by versions 4.x and 2000 of Microsoft Works Spreadsheet, an application included with the Works suite used to create spreadsheets. It contains data organized in rows and columns and may also store formulas, charts, graphs, and other information.
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Microsoft Works (also "MS Works") is an office productivity suite that was eventually replaced by Microsoft Office and discontinued in 2009. The suite includes a word processor, spreadsheet, database, and calendar application.
The Works Spreadsheet application included with the suite creates and saves spreadsheets as WKS files similarly to how Microsoft Excel creates and saves .XLSX files. In addition, the WKS file is a working file, which means you can save the spreadsheet, close it, then re-open it for further editing.
How to open a WKS file
You can open WKS files with Microsoft Works, but Microsoft no longer develops the software.
Microsoft Excel 2003 and earlier can open WKS files, but Microsoft removed support for the WKS format when it released Excel 2007.