xlide-excel-word-powerpoint-access-office-vba-mcp

Overview Schema Source Related Servers Discussions Admin

Format cells

xlide_format_cells

DestructiveIdempotent

Apply bold, fonts, fills, borders, alignment, number formats and merging to Excel cell ranges while preserving each cell's other formatting.

Instructions

Changes how a range looks: bold and font, fill colour, borders, alignment, number format, and merging. Only what you pass is changed, so each cell keeps the rest of its own format and making a header row bold does not flatten the number formats under it. Colours are RRGGBB or AARRGGBB hex without a leading hash. A number format is an Excel format code such as '#,##0.00' or 'yyyy-mm-dd'; that code is also what decides whether a number is shown as a date. Merging clears values and formulas outside the top-left cell; allow_overwrite is required when that would discard content. Works on .xlsx, .xlsm and .xlam.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`bold`	No	Bold on or off.
`merge`	No	'merge' joins the range into one cell, keeping only the top-left value. 'unmerge' splits it back. Empty leaves merging alone.
`sheet`	Yes	Worksheet name, matched without case.
`style`	No	A named cell style, applied first: one of Excel's own, such as Good, Bad, Neutral, Title, Heading 1, Total, Input, Output, Note or 20% - Accent1, or one the workbook defines. It sets only the parts the style includes.
`italic`	No	Italic on or off.
`strike`	No	Strikethrough on or off.
`vertical`	No	top, center, bottom, justify or distributed.
`file_path`	Yes	Absolute path to the Excel file.
`font_name`	No	Typeface, such as 'Calibri'.
`font_size`	No	Points. 0 leaves it alone.
`underline`	No	Single underline on or off.
`wrap_text`	No	Wrap text in the cell.
`cell_range`	Yes	A1-style range, such as A1:D1, or a single cell.
`fill_color`	No	Solid background colour as hex. 'none' clears the fill back to no fill.
`font_color`	No	Text colour as hex, such as 'FF0000'.
`horizontal`	No	left, center, right, fill, justify or general.
`border_color`	No	Border colour as hex. Defaults to automatic.
`border_style`	No	Border on all four sides: thin, medium, thick, double, dotted, dashed, hair, or none to remove.
`number_format`	No	Excel format code, such as '#,##0.00', '0%' or 'yyyy-mm-dd'.
`allow_overwrite`	No	For merge: allow clearing values or formulas in cells other than the top-left cell. Ask the user first.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv1.2.2Sep 30, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / allow_overwrite

Added value: +{
+  "default": false,
+  "description": "For merge: allow clearing values or formulas in cells other than the top-left cell. Ask the user first.",
+  "title": "Allow Overwrite",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedv1.1.0Sep 24, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / style

Added value: +{
+  "default": "",
+  "description": "A named cell style, applied first: one of Excel's own, such as Good, Bad, Neutral, Title, Heading 1, Total, Input, Output, Note or 20% - Accent1, or one the workbook defines. It sets only the parts the style includes.",
+  "title": "Style",
+  "type": "string"
+}

First observedv0.1.0Sep 20, 2026

TDQS

A4.7/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Annotations already flag destructiveHint=true and idempotentHint=true, and the description adds the specific destructive mechanism: merging clears values and formulas outside the top-left cell and requires allow_overwrite. It also documents the non-destructive incremental behavior (each cell keeps the rest of its own format) and the supported file types.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Front-loaded with the core scope, then one sentence each for pass-only semantics, color syntax, number-format semantics, merge destruction, and file types. Dense but every sentence carries distinct, non-redundant information.

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

Completeness5/5

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

For a 20-parameter mutation tool with full schema coverage, an output schema, and annotations covering the safety profile, the description supplies the remaining high-risk context (destructive merge, guard parameter, format-code side effects). Nothing needed to call it correctly is missing.

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, but the description adds genuine meaning beyond the schema: the hex color grammar (RRGGBB/AARRGGBB, no leading hash) and the fact that the number format code determines date display. It does not restate every parameter, which is appropriate.

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 opens with a precise verb+resource scope ('Changes how a range looks') and enumerates exactly the facets it governs — bold/font, fill, borders, alignment, number format, merging. It implicitly separates itself from value-writing siblings such as xlide_write_cells by stressing that only formatting is touched and values are untouched.

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?

It gives clear operational context — pass-only semantics, the allow_overwrite precondition for merges, and 'Ask the user first' — but never names an alternative tool or states when to prefer it over xlide_write_cells or xlide_manage_sheet. Useful context, no explicit exclusion routing.

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

Deploy Server