Excel MCP Server: community server for Claude, Cursor and Codex

• Shows a workbook's sheets, names and settings at a glance

  Gives an overview of a workbook: its sheets and how much is on each, defined names, properties and calculation settings. It is the usual first step before reading or editing.

  Try: “What's in budget-2026.xlsx?”

  Read · describe_workbook

• Shows everything on a sheet: tables, charts, PivotTables, notes and rules

  Describes one sheet in detail: the used range, frozen panes, merged cells and every object on it, such as tables, charts, PivotTables, slicers, images, notes, links, validation and conditional formats.

  Try: “What charts and tables are on the Summary sheet?”

  Read · describe_sheet

• Reads cell values from a sheet, page by page for big sheets

  Reads the values in a block of cells as rows, with dates in a standard format, and returns large sheets in pages. Formulas that have no saved result are calculated for you where possible.

  Try: “Read the first 50 rows of the Sales sheet”

  Read · read_range

• Finds cells that contain a word or value

  Searches a workbook for cells whose value contains or equals what you ask for and lists them by sheet.

  Try: “Find every cell that mentions Acme Corp”

  Read · find_cells

• Lists the Excel files in a folder

  Lists the Excel files in a folder you name, with their sizes.

  Try: “Which Excel files are in my reports folder?”

  Files · list_workbooks

• Shows which cells a formula depends on, to find why a number is wrong

  Audits a formula: it shows the cells, names and tables it uses or that use it, across sheets, and can evaluate it step by step like Excel's Evaluate Formula.

  Try: “Why is the total in Summary!F20 wrong? Trace where it comes from”

  Read · trace_formula

• Shows the macro code inside an .xlsm workbook

  Shows the VBA macro code in an .xlsm or .xltm workbook, module by module. The code is only read, never run.

  Try: “Show me the macros in tracker.xlsm and explain what they do”

  Read · read_vba

• Creates a new, empty Excel workbook

  Creates a new, empty Excel file at the path you give.

  Try: “Create a new workbook called q4-forecast.xlsx”

  Write · create_workbook

• Writes values or formulas into cells

  Writes values or formulas into a block of cells, replacing what was there. Formulas are checked for unsafe functions before they are saved.

  Try: “Put these 12 monthly totals in column B of the Sales sheet”

  Write · write_range

• Adds a chart, from simple bars to waterfall and treemap

  Adds or replaces a chart built from a range of cells. It supports column, bar, line, pie, scatter and other common types, plus newer ones such as waterfall, histogram, treemap and funnel.

  Try: “Make a line chart of monthly revenue from Sales!A1:B13”

  Write · create_chart

• Builds a PivotTable that Excel can refresh

  Adds a real PivotTable that summarizes a block of data, with totals already filled in, which Excel can refresh later.

  Try: “Create a PivotTable of revenue by region and month”

  Write · create_pivot_table

• Turns a range into an Excel table, or changes one

  Creates a formatted Excel table from a range, or changes an existing one: its options, calculated columns, totals row and size.

  Try: “Turn A1:F200 on the Orders sheet into a table with a totals row”

  Write · set_table

• Changes fonts, colors, borders and number formats

  Changes how a range looks: font, fill color, borders, alignment and number format, plus whether cells are locked once the sheet is protected.

  Try: “Make the header row bold with a gray fill and format column C as currency”

  Write · format_range

• Adds color rules like data bars, color scales or highlights

  Adds a conditional formatting rule to a range, such as color scales, data bars, icon sets, top or bottom values, duplicates, or text and date rules.

  Try: “Highlight any value in column D below zero in red”

  Write · add_conditional_format

• Adds dropdowns or limits on what can be typed into cells

  Restricts what can be entered in a range, for example a dropdown list, number or date limits, or text length, with an optional message and error alert.

  Try: “Add a dropdown with Open, In progress and Done to column E”

  Write · add_data_validation

• Sorts rows by one or more columns

  Sorts the rows of a range by one or more columns, like Data, Sort in Excel. Whole rows move together.

  Try: “Sort the Orders sheet by date, newest first”

  Write · sort_range

• Removes duplicates, splits text into columns or fills series

  Cleans up a range: removes duplicate rows, splits text into columns, or fills values down, right or as a series, like Excel's Data and Fill commands.

  Try: “Remove duplicate rows from the Contacts sheet”

  Write · transform_range

• Finds and replaces text across cells

  Replaces text in cells, like Excel's Replace All, and reports how many cells changed. Results are retyped as Excel would, so numbers become numbers.

  Try: “Replace 'N/A' with blank everywhere on the Data sheet”

  Write · replace_cells

• Copies and pastes a block of cells

  Copies a range and pastes it somewhere else, overwriting the destination, with formula references shifting as in Excel.

  Try: “Copy A1:D10 from January to the February sheet”

  Write · copy_range

• Finds the input value that makes a formula hit a target

  Changes one input cell until a formula reaches the value you want, like Excel's Goal Seek, and saves the answer if it finds one.

  Try: “What price in B2 makes the profit in B10 reach 50,000?”

  Write · goal_seek

• Merges or unmerges cells

  Merges a range into one cell, keeping the top-left value, or splits merged cells apart again.

  Try: “Merge A1:F1 for the report title”

  Write · merge_cells

• Sets column widths, frozen panes, filters, print setup and protection

  Changes a sheet's layout: column widths, row heights, hidden or grouped rows, frozen panes, auto filter, tab color, print setup and sheet protection.

  Try: “Freeze the top row and turn on filters on the Orders sheet”

  Write · set_sheet_layout

• Adds tiny in-cell trend charts

  Adds sparklines, small line, column or win/loss charts inside cells, one per row of data.

  Try: “Add a sparkline for each product's monthly sales in column N”

  Write · add_sparklines

• Adds a slicer or timeline to filter a table or PivotTable

  Adds a slicer, or a date timeline, that filters a table or PivotTable, and can preselect items as clicking would.

  Try: “Add a region slicer to the sales PivotTable”

  Write · add_slicer

• Adds a new, empty sheet

  Adds an empty worksheet to the workbook.

  Try: “Add a sheet called Notes”

  Write · create_sheet

• Renames a sheet and updates references to it

  Renames a worksheet; formulas that point to it are updated as in Excel.

  Try: “Rename Sheet1 to Raw data”

  Write · rename_sheet

• Duplicates a sheet with everything on it

  Copies a worksheet, with its tables, charts and other objects, to a new sheet at the end, as Excel does.

  Try: “Duplicate the January sheet for February”

  Write · copy_sheet

• Inserts empty rows or columns

  Inserts empty rows or columns, and moves every reference to the cells after them, as Excel does.

  Try: “Insert 3 rows above row 10 on the Budget sheet”

  Write · insert_rows_or_columns

• Creates a named range or constant for formulas

  Creates a defined name for a range or constant that formulas can use, such as =SUM(Sales), replacing one with the same name.

  Try: “Name the range B2:B13 'MonthlyRevenue'”

  Write · set_defined_name

• Adds a note to a cell

  Adds a note to a cell, replacing any note already there.

  Try: “Add a note to C5 saying 'Estimate, confirm with finance'”

  Write · set_note

• Places an image on a sheet

  Places an image at a cell, sized in centimeters.

  Try: “Put the company logo at A1 on the Cover sheet”

  Write · insert_image

• Sets document properties, calculation options and protection

  Sets workbook properties, calculation options and structure protection. Protection discourages changes in Excel but is not real security.

  Try: “Set the workbook title to 'Q4 forecast' and turn on manual calculation”

  Write · set_workbook_settings

• Imports a CSV file into a sheet

  Reads a CSV or TSV file into a sheet starting at a cell, overwriting cells there, and types numbers, booleans and dates as Excel would.

  Try: “Import orders.csv into a new sheet called Orders”

  Write · import_csv

• Saves a range as a CSV file

  Writes a range's values to a CSV file, like Save As CSV, protecting text that looks like a formula.

  Try: “Export the Summary sheet to summary.csv”

  Write · export_csv

• Uploads a workbook to the server for remote editing

  Uploads a workbook to the server when it runs remotely, removing unsafe links and refusing external connections.

  Try: “Upload this workbook so you can edit it”

  Write · import_workbook

• Sends a finished workbook back to you from a remote server

  Returns the workbook file to your client when the server runs remotely, so you can download the result.

  Try: “Send me the finished report.xlsx”

  Read · export_workbook

• Clears values, formatting or rules from cells

  Clears the values, formatting or rules in a range without moving cells.

  Try: “Clear everything in A2:F100 on the Draft sheet”

  Delete · clear_range

• Deletes rows or columns

  Deletes rows or columns; references to deleted cells become #REF! as in Excel.

  Try: “Delete columns G to J on the Orders sheet”

  Delete · delete_rows_or_columns

• Deletes a sheet and everything on it

  Deletes a worksheet and everything on it.

  Try: “Delete the Scratch sheet”

  Delete · delete_sheet

• Removes a chart, keeping its data

  Removes a chart from a sheet; the data stays.

  Try: “Delete the old revenue chart”

  Delete · delete_chart

• Removes a PivotTable, keeping its source data

  Removes a PivotTable and clears its cells; the source data stays.

  Try: “Remove the PivotTable on the Analysis sheet”

  Delete · delete_pivot_table

• Removes a slicer or timeline

  Removes a slicer or timeline; tables and PivotTables stay filtered as they were.

  Try: “Remove the region slicer”

  Delete · delete_slicer

• Removes sparklines from cells

  Removes the sparklines in a range.

  Try: “Remove the sparklines in column N”

  Delete · delete_sparklines

• Deletes a named range

  Deletes a defined name; formulas that use it show #NAME? afterwards.

  Try: “Delete the name 'OldRevenue'”

  Delete · delete_defined_name

• Removes a note from a cell

  Removes the note from a cell.

  Try: “Remove the note on C5”

  Delete · delete_note

• Removes an image from a sheet

  Removes an image from a sheet.

  Try: “Remove the logo from the Cover sheet”

  Delete · delete_image

• Writes macro code into an .xlsm workbook, only if you turn it on

  Sets the VBA code of a module in an .xlsm or .xltm workbook. It is only offered when the server starts with --allow-vba-write; the code is stored, never run, but runs once you enable macros in Excel.

  Try: “Add a macro to tracker.xlsm that clears the Input sheet”

  Write · write_vba_module

• Deletes a macro module, only if you turn it on

  Deletes a standard or class VBA module from a workbook. It is only offered when the server starts with --allow-vba-write.

  Try: “Delete the old Module2 macros from tracker.xlsm”

  Delete · delete_vba_module

Watch out for

• It can open any Excel file unless you limit it

  Without a folder setting, any full path to an Excel file works. Add --allow-dir with the one folder it should use. github.com

• Many security fixes landed in 2026

  Over 20 advisories were published this year, and all are fixed by version 2.2.5. Stay on the latest release. github.com

• Workbooks can hide instructions

  Cells and notes in a file from someone else can try to steer the assistant. Check what it changes when you work on files you did not make. github.com

• Macro writing is risky if you turn it on

  With macro writing on, it can save VBA code that runs once you enable macros in Excel. Read the code before you enable them. github.com

• HTTP mode needs a token before you share it

  It only listens on your own computer by default. Set EXCEL_MCP_AUTH_TOKEN before opening it to other machines, and put HTTPS in front. github.com

Security advisories

In their words