How do I open or convert a Microsoft Works .XLR spreadsheet to an Excel compatible format?

Question

I have been sent a Microsoft Works XLR spreadsheet and Excel will not open it.

• Is there any way of opening an XLR file directly in Excel?
• Can anyone recommend a (free) tool for converting to an Excel compatible format, ideally XLS?
• Can any other spreadsheet apps (e.g., OpenOffice, Google Spreadsheets) open XLR?

Answer 1

Try to change the file's extension from xlr to xls.
This method used to work fine in the past.

Answer 2

Sometimes the standalone Excel viewer will open xlr files that Excel cannot, if viewing the spreadsheet is helpful to you.

Otherwise, the only option that I am aware of is to open the file in Works and Export it as an old type of Excel file that Excel will open.

Here is a rather dated page on Microsoft's site giving the formats to use.