diff --git a/odsfile.sty b/odsfile.sty
index 781a406..183f41b 100644
--- a/odsfile.sty
+++ b/odsfile.sty
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ rowseparator=[[\\n]]
   \luaexec{odssave="\luatexluaescapestring{#1}"}%
 }
 
+\define@key{includespread}{debug}{% use either true or false
+  \luaexec{odsdebug=\luatexluaescapestring{#1}}%
+}
+
 \define@key{includespread}{coltypes}{%
   \luaexec{coltypes="\luatexluaescapestring{\unexpanded{#1}}"}%
 }
@@ -70,6 +74,8 @@ columns = split(s,",")
   \luaexec{odslastnl="\luatexluaescapestring{\unexpanded{#1}}"}%
 }
 
+
+
 % Variable initialization and helper functions
 \begin{luacode*}
 odsreader   = require("odsfile")
@@ -80,6 +86,7 @@ columns     = nil
 templates   = {}
 row         = {}
 odssave     = nil
+odsdebug    = nil
 body        = nil
 odsfilename = ""
 currenttemplate = nil
@@ -126,6 +133,7 @@ odslastnl   = "\\OdsLastNl"
     columns=nil
     currenttemplate = nil 
     odssave = nil
+    odsdebug = false
     rowtemplate = nil
     celltpl = "-{value}"
     columnbreak = "\\linebreak{}"
@@ -224,7 +232,9 @@ odslastnl   = "\\OdsLastNl"
       end
       content = table.concat(content, odsnl .. " " ..rowseparator) .. odslastnl
       local result = odsreader.interp(templates[currenttemplate],{content=content,coltypes=coltypes,colheading=colheading,rowsep=rowseparator})
-      print(result)
+      if odsdebug then
+        print(result)
+      end
       if odssave then
         odsreader.save(odssave, result)
       else
@@ -238,7 +248,9 @@ odslastnl   = "\\OdsLastNl"
       end
       content = table.concat(content,rowseparator) 
       local result = odsreader.interp(templates[currenttemplate],{content=content,coltypes=coltypes,colheading=colheading,rowsep=rowseparator})
-      print(result)
+      if odsdebug then
+        print(result)
+      end
       if odssave then
         odsreader.save(odssave, result)
       else
diff --git a/odsfile.tex b/odsfile.tex
index be7f3b8..98e9365 100644
--- a/odsfile.tex
+++ b/odsfile.tex
@@ -241,9 +241,14 @@ \subsection{Saving the generated table to a file}
 
 \begin{LTXexample}
 There should be no table listed
-\includespread[sheet=List1,columns=head,escape=false,save=save-test.tex]
+\includespread[sheet=List1,columns=head,escape=false,save=save-test.tex,debug=true]
 \end{LTXexample}
 
+\subsection{Debugging}
+
+You can print the generated table to the terminal output of \LaTeX\ using the \texttt{debug} option. Possible values are 
+\texttt{true} and \texttt{false}.
+
 
 \section{Templates}\label{sec:tpl}
 
@@ -422,7 +427,7 @@ \section{Changes}
 \begin{description}
   \item [devel]
     \begin{itemize}
-      \item added the \texttt{save} option
+      \item added the \texttt{save} and \texttt{debug }options
       \item added support for multiple ranges in the \texttt{range} option
       \item added \texttt{newline} and \texttt{lastnewline} options
     \end{itemize}