Excel MCP Server

Find cells

find_cells

Read-onlyIdempotent

Search Excel workbooks for cells matching a query by value or formula, with exact and case-sensitive options, and get matches grouped by sheet.

Instructions

Find cells whose value contains (or equals) the query, grouped by sheet.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`mode`	No	'values': results; 'formulas': text.	values
`path`	Yes
`exact`	No	Match whole cells.
`query`	Yes
`sheet`	No	Default: all sheets.
`max_results`	No
`case_sensitive`	No

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`matches`	Yes
`truncated`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed29 schema fields changedv2.0.0Oct 13, 2026

removedInput schema / properties / case_sensitive / default
```
Removed value: -false
```
removedInput schema / properties / case_sensitive / description
```
Removed value: -"Match upper and lower case exactly."
```
removedInput schema / properties / case_sensitive / title
```
Removed value: -"Case Sensitive"
```
removedInput schema / properties / exact / default
```
Removed value: -false
```

changedInput schema / properties / exact / description

Previous value: -"Match the whole cell instead of any part of it."New value: +"Match whole cells."

removedInput schema / properties / exact / title
```
Removed value: -"Exact"
```
removedInput schema / properties / max_results / description
```
Removed value: -"Stop after this many matches."
```
removedInput schema / properties / max_results / minimum
```
Removed value: -1
```
removedInput schema / properties / max_results / title
```
Removed value: -"Max Results"
```

changedInput schema / properties / mode / description

Previous value: -"'values' returns formula results as last calculated by Excel (formulas written by this server have no result until the file is recalculated in Excel or LibreOffice, and read as null). 'formulas' returns formulas as text, e.g. '=SUM(A1:A3)'."New value: +"'values': results; 'formulas': text."

removedInput schema / properties / mode / title
```
Removed value: -"Mode"
```

removedInput schema / properties / path / description

Removed value: -"Path to an .xlsx, .xlsm, .xltx or .xltm file. Relative paths are resolved in the server's workbook directory when one is configured; otherwise use an absolute path."

removedInput schema / properties / path / title
```
Removed value: -"Path"
```
removedInput schema / properties / query / description
```
Removed value: -"Text to look for."
```
removedInput schema / properties / query / title
```
Removed value: -"Query"
```

removedInput schema / properties / sheet / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedInput schema / properties / sheet / default
```
Removed value: -null
```

changedInput schema / properties / sheet / description

Previous value: -"Sheet to search. Default: all sheets."New value: +"Default: all sheets."

removedInput schema / properties / sheet / title
```
Removed value: -"Sheet"
```
addedInput schema / properties / sheet / type
```
Added value: +"string"
```
removedInput schema / title
```
Removed value: -"find_cellsArguments"
```

removedOutput schema / $defs

Removed value: -{
-  "CellMatch": {
-    "properties": {
-      "cell": {
-        "title": "Cell",
-        "type": "string"
-      },
-      "sheet": {
-        "title": "Sheet",
-        "type": "string"
-      },
-      "value": {
-        "anyOf": [
-          {
-            "type": "string"
-          },
-          {
-            "type": "integer"
-          },
-          {
-            "type": "number"
-          },
-          {
-            "type": "boolean"
-          },
-          {
-            "type": "null"
-          }
-        ],
-        "title": "Value"
-      }
-    },
-    "required": [
-      "sheet",
-      "cell",
-      "value"
-    ],
-    "title": "CellMatch",
-    "type": "object"
-  }
-}

addedOutput schema / properties / matches / additionalProperties

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {
+    "anyOf": [
+      {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      {
+        "type": "number"
+      },
+      {
+        "type": "boolean"
+      },
+      {
+        "type": "null"
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  "type": "object"
+}

removedOutput schema / properties / matches / items

Removed value: -{
-  "$ref": "#/$defs/CellMatch"
-}

removedOutput schema / properties / matches / title
```
Removed value: -"Matches"
```
changedOutput schema / properties / matches / type
```
Previous value: -"array"New value: +"object"
```
removedOutput schema / properties / truncated / title
```
Removed value: -"Truncated"
```

changedOutput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "matches",
-  "truncated"
-]New value: +[
+  "matches"
+]

removedOutput schema / title
```
Removed value: -"FindResult"
```

Addedv1.1.1Sep 29, 2026

TDQS

B3.1/5.0

Behavior3/5

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

Annotations fully cover the safety profile (readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive). The description adds only the grouping-by-sheet output behavior; it omits result limits, pagination, and the default 100/max 1000 cap behavior. With annotations doing the safety work, a 3 is appropriate.

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?

A single compact sentence that front-loads the action and output structure. No filler, though it is arguably too terse for the 7-parameter scope.

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

Completeness2/5

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

With only 43% schema coverage and no output schema explanation, the description leaves several parameters and behaviors unexplained. It omits default behavior, result limits, and how 'grouped by sheet' results are structured.

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

Parameters3/5

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

Schema description coverage is only 43%, so most of the 7 parameters are undocumented in schema. The description partially covers the semantics via 'contains (or equals)' for exact, but leaves mode, sheet, max_results, and case_sensitive unaddressed. It does not adequately compensate for the coverage gap, placing it at the baseline.

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

Purpose4/5

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

The description states a specific verb and resource ('Find cells'), adds the matching semantics ('whose value contains (or equals) the query'), and names the output arrangement ('grouped by sheet'). This clearly distinguishes it from read_range and replace_cells, but the match-type alternatives could be stated more explicitly to be fully sibling-distinct.

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

Usage Guidelines2/5

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

There is no explicit guidance on when to use find_cells versus alternatives like read_range or replace_cells. The '(or equals)' phrasing hints at an exact/contains distinction but never maps it to the parameters or conditions.

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