Excel Spreadsheet Workflows

Use this skill when the deliverable is an .xlsx workbook or when spreadsheet structure matters.

Current MCP Reality

Excel MCP tooling is host-dependent. In GitHub Copilot, Excel actions may appear as grouped Office tools. In Codex or Claude, those tools may be absent entirely. Treat the included Python script as the reliable fallback.

Activation Conditions

• Creating or updating workbooks
• Converting CSV data into structured Excel output
• Applying formulas, formatting, charts, or pivots
• Producing spreadsheet deliverables when layout matters

Practical Workflow

1. Confirm whether the client exposes spreadsheet MCP tools.
2. If yes, inspect the actual tool names before assuming a wrapper exists.
3. If no, use the local converter or author the workbook with openpyxl.
4. Validate formulas and chart ranges before claiming the workbook is ready.

Workbook Checklist

• Sheets are named clearly
• Headers are formatted consistently
• Formulas are used instead of hardcoded derived values
• Charts reference the correct ranges
• Frozen panes or filters are applied where useful

References & Resources

Documentation

• Excel Formulas Reference - Formula patterns, lookup guidance, and Power Query notes

Scripts

• CSV to XLSX Converter - Local fallback for generating formatted Excel workbooks from CSV input

Examples

• Excel Workbook Examples - Example workbook structures and automation patterns

Cross-Client Portability

This skill is written to stay usable across GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini CLI.

• GitHub Copilot: keep the folder in a Copilot-visible skill or plugin path, or wrap the workflow as project instructions if the host does not support portable skill folders directly.
• Claude Code: keep the folder in a local skills directory or a compatible plugin or marketplace source.
• Codex: install or sync the folder into $CODEX_HOME/skills/<skill-name> and restart Codex after major changes.
• Gemini CLI: this repository generates a project command named /skills:excel-sheet from this skill. Rebuild commands with python scripts/export-gemini-skill.py excel-sheet and then run /commands reload inside Gemini CLI.

MCP Availability And Fallback

Preferred MCP servers for this skill:

• Excel MCP (primary)

If MCP is unavailable in the current host:

• Use scripts/csv-to-xlsx.py, openpyxl, or desktop Excel when the spreadsheet MCP surface is missing.
• Re-open the generated workbook locally to verify formulas, ranges, and frozen panes.

Related Skills

Skill	Relationship
microsoft-development	Microsoft docs and ecosystem context
powerbi-modeling	Shape workbook exports for Power BI ingestion or review
word-document	Move spreadsheet output into formal reports
powerpoint-ppt	Move charts and summary data into slide decks