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get-excel-range-format

get-excel-range-format
Read-only

Retrieve an Excel range's font, fill, borders, and alignment to decode status indicated by cell styling.

Instructions

Returns a format object, encapsulating the range's font, fill, borders, alignment, and other properties. Read-only.

đź’ˇ TIP: Reads a range's format: alignment, wrapText, columnWidth, rowHeight. Font, fill, and borders are nested and omitted by default; add font, fill, and borders to the $expand parameter to include them in one call. Cell styling often encodes meaning (a fill or font color flagging status such as tentative or reconciled), so expand these to interpret what the cells mean.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
expandNoNavigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with "Parsing OData Select and Expand failed", and an unsupported value may be ignored rather than reported. Request ordinary fields with $select instead.
selectNoComma-separated fields to return, e.g. id,subject,from,receivedDateTime
addressYesValue for the 'address' path segment.
driveIdYesValue for the 'driveId' path segment. Pass it under the name 'driveId', not as 'id'. Use the 'id' field of the drive object as returned by Microsoft Graph.
driveItemIdYesValue for the 'driveItemId' path segment. Pass it under the name 'driveItemId', not as 'id'. Use the 'id' field of the drive item object as returned by Microsoft Graph.
fetchAllPagesNoFollow @odata.nextLink and merge up to 100 pages into one response. Can return enormous payloads—only when the user explicitly needs a full export. Prefer a small $top first, then paginate or narrow with $filter/$search.
includeHeadersNoInclude response headers (including ETag) in the response metadata
excludeResponseNoExclude the full response body and only return success or failure indication
workbookWorksheetIdYesValue for the 'workbookWorksheetId' path segment. Pass it under the name 'workbookWorksheetId', not as 'id'. Use the 'id' field of the workbook worksheet object as returned by Microsoft Graph.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed5 schema fields changedv0.154.2
    • addedInput schema / properties / expand / anyOf
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+]
    • removedInput schema / properties / expand / items
      Removed value: -{
-  "type": "string"
-}
    • removedInput schema / properties / expand / type
      Removed value: -"array"
    • addedInput schema / properties / select / anyOf
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+]
    • removedInput schema / properties / select / type
      Removed value: -"string"
  2. Addedv0.134.4

TDQS

A4.3/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=true. The description adds genuinely useful behavior beyond that: font, fill, and borders are nested and omitted by default, and expanding them is required to retrieve them in one call. It also explains that cell styling can carry semantic meaning, which helps agents interpret results.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the core purpose and then provides a focused tip about omitted nested properties. It is slightly repetitive (font/fill/borders appear twice) and uses a tip header, but every sentence contributes actionable information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the annotations and fully covered input schema, the description supplies the missing behavioral context: what the format object contains, which properties are omitted by default, and why expanding them matters. No output schema exists, so describing the return shape in this way is appropriately complete for a read-only retrieval tool.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description adds value by explaining the practical effect of the expand parameter for this specific tool (including nested font, fill, and borders), which is not evident from the generic expand schema description alone.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool 'Returns a format object' for a specific range and enumerates the relevant properties (font, fill, borders, alignment). Marking it 'Read-only' differentiates it from mutation-focused siblings like format-excel-range and value-focused get-excel-range.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives clear context: use it to read a range's format, and use the expand parameter when nested font/fill/borders are needed. It does not explicitly name alternatives or state when not to use this tool, so it stops short of full exclusion guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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