How to Fix Curly Brackets in Excel Formulas Downloaded from Google Sheets
Question details
User needs to correct formulas that display curly brackets after a Google Sheets workbook is downloaded and opened in WPS Spreadsheets or Microsoft Excel.
- Product
- WPS Spreadsheets
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A Google Sheets file is exported or downloaded, then opened in WPS Spreadsheets or Excel, and formulas show curly brackets.
- Observed behavior
- Curly brackets around formulas in the formula bar indicate the workbook is being treated as a legacy array formula, which may not calculate as a normal formula.
Make a copy of the workbook before changing formulas, and click each affected cell to check the formula bar for a leading and trailing curly bracket.
Delete unnecessary curly brackets from legacy array formulas
Use this when the formula does not need to return a fixed array range and should work as a standard formula.
In WPS Spreadsheets, click the cell that displays a curly-bracketed formula.
Click inside the formula bar, then delete the opening { and closing } characters around the formula.
Press Enter to re-enter the formula without array entry and check the result.
If the array formula covers multiple cells, select the entire range, press Delete, click the first cell, type the formula without braces, and press Enter.
Re-enter required array formulas with Ctrl+Shift+Enter
Use this when the formula must stay an array formula and your WPS or Excel version requires legacy array entry.
Fix curly-bracket array formulas in WPS Spreadsheets
Open the Google Sheets export in WPS Spreadsheets, identify legacy array formulas, and convert them to normal formulas or re-enter them with Ctrl+Shift+Enter so the workbook calculates correctly without switching to Microsoft Excel.
- 1. Open the exported file: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open the .xlsx workbook downloaded from Google Sheets.
- 2. Inspect the formula bar: Click a cell that shows curly brackets and view the formula in the formula bar.
- 3. Convert or re-enter the formula: If the formula does not need array output, delete the braces and press Enter. If it must return multiple results, press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
- 4. Verify results in a copy: Use a copy of the workbook to compare results after converting or re-entering formulas.
- 5. Save the file: Save the workbook as .xlsx to keep Microsoft Excel compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do formulas from Google Sheets show curly brackets in Excel or WPS Spreadsheets?
Curly brackets around a formula usually mean the workbook is using a legacy array formula. When Google Sheets exports an array calculation to .xlsx, the file may keep that behavior, so WPS Spreadsheets or Excel displays or treats it as an array formula.
Can I simply delete the curly brackets from the formula?
Yes, if the calculation does not need to return a fixed array range. Select the cell, click in the formula bar, remove the leading and trailing braces, and press Enter. If the formula must return multiple values, use Ctrl+Shift+Enter instead.
How do I enter an array formula in WPS Spreadsheets?
Select the output cell or range, type the formula without curly braces, and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. WPS Spreadsheets then adds curly braces in the formula bar to show it is an array formula.
How do I remove curly-bracket formulas from multiple cells at once?
Select the affected range, press Delete to clear the current array formulas, then re-enter the regular formula in the first cell and press Enter. Work in a copy of the workbook so you can verify the results before saving.
Does WPS Spreadsheets support .xlsx workbooks exported from Google Sheets?
Yes. WPS Spreadsheets can open, edit, and save .xlsx files from Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel, and it supports common formulas, functions, and array formula entry.
