excel-cli
Installation
Summary
Automate Microsoft Excel on Windows via CLI with 50+ commands for workbooks, tables, charts, and Power Pivot.
- Windows-only tool using COM interop; requires Excel 2016+ installed; install via
dotnet tool install --global Sbroenne.ExcelMcp.CLI - Supports 10+ command categories: worksheets, ranges, tables, charts, PivotTables, Power Query, Data Model/DAX, VBA, and conditional formatting
- Batch mode processes 10+ commands in a single session with auto-captured session IDs, eliminating per-command overhead
- Built-in session lifecycle management, calculation mode control for bulk writes, and screenshot capture for visual verification
SKILL.md
Excel Automation with excelcli
Preconditions
- Windows host with Microsoft Excel installed (2016+)
- Uses COM interop — does NOT work on macOS or Linux
- GitHub Copilot
excel-cliplugin auto-downloads the latest Windows runtime on first use - Direct skill-only installs require
excelcli.exeon PATH
Workflow Checklist
| Step | Command | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Session | session create/open |
Always first |
| 2. Sheets | worksheet create/rename |
If needed |
| 3. Write data | See below | If writing values |
| 4. Save & close | session close --save |
Always last |
10+ commands? Use
excelcli -q batch --input commands.json— sends all commands in one process with automatic session management. See Rule 8.
Related skills