ExcelMcp - MCP Server for Microsoft Excel

Automate Excel with AI - A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for comprehensive Excel automation through conversational AI.

Talk to Excel using GitHub Copilot or Claude to automate Power Query M code, Power Pivot DAX measures, PivotTables, Excel Tables, formatting, data transformations, and complex analysis - all through natural language commands. No programming required. Built on Excel's native COM API for zero risk of file corruption.

🤔 What is This?

ExcelMcp connects AI assistants (GitHub Copilot, Claude) to Microsoft Excel for hands-free automation of complex Excel tasks.

Stop manually clicking through Excel menus for repetitive tasks. Instead, describe what you want in plain English:

Data Transformation & Analysis:

• "Optimize all my Power Queries in this workbook for better performance"

• "Create a PivotTable from SalesData table showing top 10 products by region with sum and average"

• "Build a DAX measure calculating year-over-year growth with proper time intelligence"

Formatting & Styling (No Programming Required):

• "Format the revenue columns as currency, make headers bold with blue background, and add borders to the table"

• "Apply conditional formatting to highlight values above $10,000 in red and below $5,000 in yellow"

• "Convert this data range to an Excel Table with style TableStyleMedium2, add auto-filters, and create a totals row"

Workflow Automation:

• "Find all cells containing 'Q1 2024' and replace with 'Q1 2025', then sort the table by Date descending"

• "Add data validation dropdowns to the Status column with options: Active, Pending, Completed"

• "Merge the header cells, center-align them, and auto-fit all column widths to content"

The AI assistant analyzes your request, generates the proper Excel automation commands, and executes them directly in your Excel application - no formulas or programming knowledge required.

Real-World Example - Power Query Optimization:

🛡️ 100% Safe - Uses Excel's Native COM API

Unlike third-party libraries that manipulate .xlsx files directly (risking file corruption), ExcelMcp uses Excel's official COM API. This ensures:

• ✅ Zero risk of document corruption - Excel handles all file operations safely

• ✅ Interactive development - See changes in real-time as you work with live Excel files

• ✅ Timeout protection - Built-in safeguards prevent indefinite hangs (2-min default, 5-min max)

• ✅ Comprehensive automation - Currently supports 166 operations across 11 specialized tools covering Power Query, Data Model/DAX, VBA, PivotTables, Excel Tables, ranges, and more

🔧 Advanced Features:

• Batch Operations - Group multiple operations in a single Excel session for 75-90% faster execution

• Timeout Protection - Automatic timeout enforcement with rich error messages and LLM-friendly guidance (docs)

• Progress Logging - Real-time operation status updates via stderr (MCP protocol compatible)

• Error Recovery - Intelligent retry suggestions and operation-specific troubleshooting guidance

👥 Who Should Use This?

Perfect for:

• ✅ Data analysts automating repetitive Excel workflows

• ✅ Developers building Excel-based data solutions

• ✅ Business users managing complex Excel workbooks

• ✅ Teams maintaining Power Query/VBA/DAX code in Git

Not suitable for:

• ❌ Server-side data processing (use libraries like ClosedXML, EPPlus instead)

• ❌ Linux/macOS users (Windows + Excel installation required)

• ❌ High-volume batch operations (consider Excel-free alternatives)

🎯 What You Can Do

Development & Automation:

• 🔄 Power Query - 16 operations: atomic workflows (create, update-and-refresh, refresh-all), manage transformations, load configurations (worksheet, data model, connection only), error diagnostics, M code evaluation

• 📊 Power Pivot (Data Model) - 15 operations: build DAX measures, manage relationships, discover model structure (tables, columns), export to .dax files

• 🎨 Excel Tables - 26 operations: automate formatting, filtering, sorting, structured references, number formats, column management

• 📈 PivotTables - 20 operations: create and configure PivotTables for interactive analysis

• 📝 VBA Macros - 7 operations: export/import/run VBA code, integrate with version control

• 📋 Ranges & Data - 45 operations: values, formulas, copy/paste, find/replace, formatting, validation, merge, conditional formatting, cell protection

• 📄 Worksheets - 13 operations: lifecycle management, tab colors, visibility controls

• 🔌 Connections - 11 operations: manage OLEDB, ODBC, Text, Web data sources

• 🏷️ Named Ranges - 7 operations: named range management and bulk operations

Power Query & M Code (16 operations)

✨ NEW: Atomic Operations - Single-call workflows replace multi-step patterns:

• Create - Import + load in one operation (replaces import → load workflow)

• Update & Refresh - Update M code + refresh data atomically

• Refresh All - Batch refresh all queries in workbook

• Update M Code - Stage code changes without refreshing data

• Unload - Convert loaded query to connection-only

Core Operations:

• Create, read, update, delete Power Query transformations

• Export/import M code for version control

• Manage query load destinations (worksheet/data model/connection-only/both)

• Set privacy levels for data source combinations

• Get load configuration for existing queries

• Error diagnostics and M code evaluation

• List Excel workbook sources for Power Query integration

Data Model & DAX (Power Pivot) (15 operations)

• Create/update/delete DAX measures with format types (Currency, Percentage, Decimal, General)

• Manage table relationships (create, toggle active/inactive, delete)

• Discover model structure (tables, columns, measures, relationships)

• Export measures to .dax files for Git workflows

• Get comprehensive model information

• Note: DAX calculated columns are not supported (use Excel UI for calculated columns)

Excel Tables (ListObjects) (26 operations)

• Lifecycle: create, resize, rename, delete, get info

• Styling: apply table styles, toggle totals row, set column totals

• Column management: add, remove, rename columns

• Data operations: append rows, apply filters (criteria/values), clear filters, get filter state

• Sorting: single-column sort, multi-column sort (up to 3 levels)

• Number formatting: get/set column number formats

• Advanced features: structured references, Data Model integration

PivotTables (20 operations)

• Creation: create from ranges or Excel Tables

• Field management: add/remove fields to Row, Column, Value, Filter areas

• Aggregation functions: Sum, Average, Count, Min, Max, etc. with validation

• Advanced features: field filters, sorting, custom field names, number formatting

• Data extraction: get PivotTable data as 2D arrays for further analysis

• Lifecycle: list, get info, delete, refresh

VBA Macros (7 operations)

• List all VBA modules and procedures

• View module code without exporting

• Export/import VBA modules to/from files

• Update existing modules

• Execute macros with parameters

• Delete modules

• Version control VBA code through file exports

Ranges & Worksheets

• Data Operations (10 actions): get/set values/formulas, clear (all/contents/formats), copy/paste (all/values/formulas), insert/delete rows/columns/cells, find/replace, sort

• Number Formatting (3 actions): get formats as 2D arrays, apply uniform format, set individual cell formats

• Visual Formatting (1 action): font (name, size, bold, italic, underline, color), fill color, borders (style, weight, color), alignment (horizontal, vertical, wrap text, orientation)

• Data Validation (3 actions): add validation rules (dropdowns, number/date/text rules), get validation info, remove validation

• Hyperlinks (4 actions): add, remove, list all, get specific hyperlink

• Smart Range Operations (3 actions): UsedRange, CurrentRegion, get range info (address, dimensions, format)

• Merge Operations (3 actions): merge cells, unmerge cells, get merge info

• Auto-Sizing (2 actions): auto-fit columns, auto-fit rows

• Conditional Formatting (2 actions): add conditional formatting, clear conditional formatting

• Cell Protection (2 actions): set cell lock status, get cell lock status

• Formatting & Styling (3 actions): get style, set style, format range

• 45 range operations total covering all common Excel range manipulation needs

• Worksheet management (13 actions): lifecycle (create, rename, copy, delete), tab colors (set, get, clear), visibility controls (show, hide, very-hide, get/set status)

Data Connections (11 operations)

• Manage OLEDB, ODBC, Text, Web connections

• Import/export connections via .odc files

• Update connection strings and properties

• Refresh connections and test connectivity

• Load connection-only connections to worksheet tables

• Get/set connection properties (refresh settings, background query, etc.)

Named Ranges (7 operations)

• List all named ranges with references

• Get/set single values

• Create/delete named ranges

• Update cell references

• Bulk create multiple parameters

🚀 Quick Start (2 Minutes)

Requirements: Windows OS + Microsoft Excel 2016+

⚠️ Important: Close all Excel files before using ExcelMcp. The server requires exclusive access to workbooks during automation (Excel COM limitation).

⭐ Recommended: VS Code Extension (One-Click Setup)

Fastest way to get started - everything configured automatically:

1. Install Extension

   • Open VS Code → Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)

   • Search for "ExcelMcp"

   • Click Install

2. Automatic Setup (no manual steps!)

   • ✅ Installs .NET 8 runtime

   • ✅ Includes bundled MCP server

   • ✅ Registers with AI assistants

   • ✅ Shows quick start guide

3. Start Using It

   The extension opens automatically after installation with a quick start guide!

Manual Installation (Advanced Users)

For non-VS Code environments or manual setup:

Configure Your AI Assistant

For GitHub Copilot in VS Code - Create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace:

For GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio - Create .mcp.json in your solution directory or %USERPROFILE%\.mcp.json:

For Claude Desktop - Add to your MCP configuration:

Test It Out

Try a practical example - ask your AI assistant:

The AI will guide you through the process and execute the commands directly!

🔧 How It Works - COM Interop Architecture

ExcelMcp uses Windows COM automation to control the actual Excel application (not just .xlsx files).

This means you get:

• ✅ Full Excel Feature Access - Power Query engine, VBA runtime, Data Model, calculation engine, pivot tables

• ✅ True Compatibility - Works exactly like Excel UI, no feature limitations

• ✅ Live Data Operations - Refresh Power Query, connections, Data Model in real workbooks

• ✅ Interactive Development - Immediate Excel feedback as AI makes changes

• ✅ All File Formats - .xlsx, .xlsm, .xlsb, even legacy formats

Technical Requirements:

• ⚠️ Windows Only - COM interop is Windows-specific

• ⚠️ Excel Required - Microsoft Excel 2016 or later must be installed

• ⚠️ Desktop Environment - Controls actual Excel process (not for server-side processing)

🔟 MCP Tools Overview

11 specialized tools for comprehensive Excel automation:

1. excel_powerquery (16 actions) - Power Query M code: create, view, import, export, update, delete, manage load destinations, privacy levels, errors, eval, list Excel sources

2. excel_datamodel (15 actions) - Power Pivot (Data Model): CRUD DAX measures/relationships, discover structure (tables, columns), export to .dax files

3. excel_table (26 actions) - Excel Tables: lifecycle, columns, filters, sorts, structured references, totals, number formatting, Data Model integration

4. excel_pivottable (20 actions) - PivotTables: create from ranges/tables, field management (row/column/value/filter), aggregations, filters, sorting, extract data

5. excel_range (45 actions) - Ranges: get/set values/formulas, number formatting, visual formatting (font, fill, border, alignment), data validation, clear, copy, insert/delete, find/replace, sort, hyperlinks, merge, conditional formatting, cell protection

6. excel_vba (7 actions) - VBA: list, view, export, import, update, run, delete modules

7. excel_connection (11 actions) - Connections: OLEDB/ODBC/Text/Web management, properties, refresh, test

8. excel_worksheet (13 actions) - Worksheets: lifecycle (list, create, rename, copy, delete), tab colors (set-tab-color, get-tab-color, clear-tab-color), visibility (set-visibility, get-visibility, show, hide, very-hide)

9. excel_namedrange (7 actions) - Named ranges: list, get, set, create, create-bulk, delete, update

10. excel_file (3 actions) - File operations: create empty .xlsx/.xlsm workbooks, close workbook, test

11. excel_batch (3 actions) - Multi-operation performance: begin, commit, list

Total: 11 tools with 166 actions

📚 Complete MCP Server Guide → - Detailed tool documentation and examples

📋 Additional Information

Testing Philosophy

Why No Unit Tests? ExcelMcp uses integration tests exclusively because Excel COM cannot be meaningfully mocked. Our integration tests ARE our unit tests. See ADR-001: No Unit Tests for full architectural rationale.

CLI for Direct Automation

ExcelMcp also provides a command-line interface for vba-based Excel automation (no AI required). See CLI Guide for complete documentation.

Project Information

License: MIT License - see LICENSE file

Contributing: See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines

Built With: This entire project was developed using GitHub Copilot AI assistance

Acknowledgments:

• Microsoft Excel Team - For comprehensive COM automation APIs

• Model Context Protocol community - For the AI integration standard

• Open Source Community - For inspiration and best practices

SEO & Discovery

Excel Automation • Automate Excel with AI • MCP Server • Model Context Protocol • GitHub Copilot Excel • AI Excel Assistant • Power Query Automation • Power Query M Code • Power Pivot Automation • DAX Measures • DAX Automation • Data Model Automation • PivotTable Automation • VBA Automation • Excel Tables Automation • Excel AI Integration • COM Interop • Windows Excel Automation • Excel Development Tools • Excel Productivity • Excel Scripting • Conversational Excel • Natural Language Excel