graph-excel-mcp

add_sheet

Add an empty worksheet to an Excel workbook on SharePoint, OneDrive, or Teams at an optional position, enforcing unique Excel sheet names with dry-run verification.

Instructions

Add an empty worksheet (Excel name rules, no duplicate names), optionally at position (0 = first). Verified by listing the sheets afterwards.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "file": "<file>",
      "name": "<name>"
    },
    "name": "add_sheet"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`file`	Yes	Workbook: SharePoint URL, an alias from ~/.graph-excel/workbooks.json, or "driveId:itemId"
`name`	Yes
`send`	No	false (default) = dry run: shows what would change. true = write — only after the user approved (or a standing rule allows it)
`position`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.5.0Nov 6, 2026

TDQS

A4.2/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already disclose that this is a non-destructive write to an open-world target, and the description goes beyond them by disclosing naming validation (Excel name rules, duplicate-name rejection) and the post-write verification behavior (listing sheets afterwards). It still omits what happens on failure or how a duplicate-name error is surfaced, but the additions are substantive.

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?

A single sentence with the core action front-loaded and constraints tucked into a tight parenthetical, followed by the position hint and verification note. No sentence is redundant and nothing important is buried.

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?

For a four-parameter creation tool with annotations covering safety and no output schema, the description supplies the naming constraints, positional semantics, and a note on verification that an agent needs to call it correctly. Only the failure/error surface is unaddressed, which is a minor gap.

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 only 50%, with `name` and `position` carrying no descriptions. The description compensates directly for both by stating the Excel naming rules and duplicate constraint for `name`, and clarifying that `position` of 0 means first. The other two parameters are already documented in the schema.

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?

States a specific verb and resource ("Add an empty worksheet") plus the creation constraints and the optional position argument. An agent can immediately distinguish this from siblings like rename_sheet or insert_rows, which modify existing structures rather than creating a new sheet.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

The create-a-sheet intent is clear from the verb, so usage is implied rather than stated. There is no explicit when-to-use/when-not framing, no mention of the dry-run-first convention that the schema's `send` parameter implies, and no pointer to siblings for related operations such as renaming or populating the new sheet.

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

Deploy Server