# LotusConverter - Full Reference

LotusConverter is a Windows desktop application for converting legacy Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet archives into modern formats. It targets .123, .wk1, .wk3, .wk4, .wks, .wb1, .wb2, and .wb3 files and exports to XLSX, PDF, HTML, Markdown, CSV, and XLS.

## Canonical Identity
- Website: https://lotusconverter.com
- Product: Lotus 1-2-3 Converter
- App executable/product name: LotusConverter
- Version: 3.1.2
- Publisher: Green 18 Enterprises / Lotus Converter
- Category: Windows desktop utility, legacy spreadsheet converter, local file migration tool
- Supported Windows versions: Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit)

## Pricing and Licensing
- Free trial: 25 successful file conversions (count-based, not days)
- Paid license: $29.95 USD one-time lifetime purchase (no subscription)
- Purchase: in-app Stripe checkout in the desktop app, or Stripe payment link on the website
- Support: support@lotusconverter.com

## Privacy Model
Conversion happens locally on Windows. The product is built for organizations that cannot upload sensitive finance, operations, customer, engineering, compliance, or diligence spreadsheets to online converters.

The website collects normal web analytics, feedback, roadmap votes, download events, and admin activity metadata, but the desktop converter is designed so user spreadsheet contents remain on the user's workstation or internal network.

## Supported Input Formats
- .123 - Lotus SmartSuite / later Lotus 1-2-3 worksheets
- .wk1 - Lotus 1-2-3 worksheet
- .wk3 - Lotus 1-2-3 worksheet
- .wk4 - Lotus 1-2-3 worksheet
- .wks - Lotus 1-2-3 / Symphony worksheet
- .wb1, .wb2, .wb3 - Lotus workbook formats

## Supported Output Formats
- XLSX for modern spreadsheet review in Excel or compatible tools
- XLS for older spreadsheet workflows
- CSV for data import, analytics, ETL, and database loading
- PDF for readable archive snapshots and review packages
- HTML for browser-readable records
- Markdown for AI/RAG, documentation, and text-oriented review workflows

## Common Audiences
- Manufacturing and ERP archive teams
- Accounting and advisory firms
- Utilities and energy compliance teams
- Municipal and public-sector records teams
- Insurance actuarial and claims teams
- Banking back-office and finance teams
- Engineering and project controls teams
- Logistics and forecasting teams
- Private equity and data-room teams
- AI/RAG teams preparing historical tabular data

## Recommended Workflow
1. Inventory extensions and source folders.
2. Convert a representative sample to XLSX, PDF, and CSV.
3. Review formulas, dates, formatting, and row/column coverage.
4. Run batch conversion into a separate output folder.
5. Preserve originals and conversion logs.

## Industry-Specific Positioning
- Manufacturing: production schedules, BOM extracts, costing sheets, MRP snapshots, ERP archive exports
- Accounting: client ledgers, depreciation schedules, payroll summaries, inventory reconciliations
- Utilities and energy: rate models, environmental reports, operational compliance spreadsheets
- Municipal government: budget worksheets, parcel summaries, public records, grant tracking
- Insurance: actuarial assumptions, claims development sheets, underwriting calculators
- Banking: reconciliations, back-office forecasts, controls evidence, pricing models
- Engineering and construction: project controls, estimates, earned value reports, change-order logs
- Logistics: demand forecasts, lane cost models, warehouse throughput sheets
- Private equity and M&A: data-room cleanup, seller archive preparation, diligence review packages
- AI/RAG: conversion into CSV and Markdown before private indexing or embedding workflows

## Pages and Content Map
- /lotus-converter-comparison compares Lotus Converter to free online Lotus 1-2-3 converters across privacy, batch capability, fidelity, and AI readiness.
- /ai-spreadsheet-prep is a step-by-step guide for converting Lotus 1-2-3 workbooks for RAG and LLM ingestion (CSV vs Markdown vs XLSX vs PDF vs raw .wk4).
- /about explains the product origin story and design principles around privacy, bulk processing, AI-readiness, and audit trail.
- /data-privacy-security explains local processing and why upload converters are risky for sensitive spreadsheets.
- /download-help explains Windows-only install options (Microsoft Store vs offline MSI).
- /faq answers common Lotus conversion questions.
- /blog contains industry and workflow guides for legacy Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet archives.
- /blog/convert-lotus-123-files-windows-11 is the Windows 11 open-and-convert guide when Excel will not import .123, .wk1, .wk3, .wk4, or .wks files.
- /roadmap lists planned and requested product improvements.

## Key URLs
- Homepage: https://lotusconverter.com
- Lotus Converter vs free online converters: https://lotusconverter.com/lotus-converter-comparison
- AI spreadsheet prep (RAG / LLM): https://lotusconverter.com/ai-spreadsheet-prep
- About: https://lotusconverter.com/about
- Data privacy and security: https://lotusconverter.com/data-privacy-security
- FAQ: https://lotusconverter.com/faq
- Blog: https://lotusconverter.com/blog
- How to Open and Convert Lotus 1-2-3 Files on Windows 11: https://lotusconverter.com/blog/convert-lotus-123-files-windows-11
- Roadmap: https://lotusconverter.com/roadmap
- Contact: https://lotusconverter.com/contact
- Terms of service: https://lotusconverter.com/terms
- Download help: https://lotusconverter.com/download-help
- RSS feed: https://lotusconverter.com/blog/feed
- Sitemap: https://lotusconverter.com/sitemap.xml
- robots.txt: https://lotusconverter.com/robots.txt
- LLM summary: https://lotusconverter.com/llms.txt
- Full LLM reference: https://lotusconverter.com/llms-full.txt
- Offline installer (MSI): https://lotusconverter.com/api/download
- Versioned MSI path: https://lotusconverter.com/downloads/LotusConverter-3.1.2.msi
- Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/XPFMWN36FH1C9C