Excel Debug-First Extraction Workflow

When working with poorly-structured, complex, or unfamiliar Excel files, use this iterative debugging approach to map the data layout before writing your final extraction logic.

When to Use This Skill

• Excel files with inconsistent formatting or merged cells
• Files received from external sources with unknown structure
• Complex workbooks with multiple sheets and interdependencies
• When initial parsing attempts fail or produce unexpected results

Workflow Steps

Step 1: Initial Structure Reconnaissance

Before writing extraction logic, create a debug script to explore the file structure: