# Cells & Workbook Features Work directly with cells, formulas, formatting, worksheets, and workbook settings. These tools handle the core editing and lifecycle operations used in most Excel automation workflows. [View all feature categories](../features.md){ .md-button } ## 📁 File Operations (6 operations) { #file-operations } Open, create, and close Excel workbooks. Every other tool works on a session opened here. **Operations:** - **List Sessions:** View all active Excel sessions - **Open:** Open workbook and create session (returns session ID for all subsequent operations). IRM/AIP-protected files are automatically detected and opened read-only with Excel visible for credential authentication — no extra parameters needed. - **Close:** Close session with optional save - **Close Workbook:** Close workbook without closing Excel - **Create Empty:** Create new .xlsx or .xlsm workbook - **Test:** Verify workbook can be opened and is accessible. Returns `isIrmProtected` flag for IRM/AIP-protected files. --- ## 🧮 Calculation Mode (3 operations) { #calculation-mode } Control when and how Excel recalculates formulas — useful for speeding up bulk edits. **Operations:** - **Get Mode:** Query current calculation mode and calculation state - **Set Mode:** Switch between automatic, manual, and semi-automatic modes - **Calculate:** Explicitly recalculate workbook, sheet, or range --- ## 📋 Ranges (51 operations) { #ranges } Read and write cell values, formulas, and formatting across any range of cells. **Formatting split:** use `range` for number display formats such as dates, currency, percentages, and text display. Use `range_format` for visual styling, validation, auto-fit, and size/layout changes. **Data Operations:** - **Get/Set Values:** Read or write cell values - **Get/Set/Validate Formulas:** Read, write, or validate formula syntax across ranges - **Clear All/Contents/Formats:** Clear a range's contents, formats, or both - **Copy / Copy Values / Copy Formulas:** Copy a range, or just its values/formulas - **Insert/Delete Cells:** Shift cells to insert or remove space - **Insert/Delete Rows:** Insert or delete entire rows - **Insert/Delete Columns:** Insert or delete entire columns - **Find:** Search a range for matching values - **Replace:** Find and replace values in a range - **Sort:** Sort a range by one or more columns **Discovery & Utilities:** - **Get Used Range:** Get the worksheet's used range - **Get Current Region:** Get the contiguous data region around a cell - **Get Range Info:** Get a range's address and dimensions **Hyperlinks:** - **Add Hyperlink:** Add a hyperlink to a cell - **Update Hyperlink:** Change an external/internal target, display text, or tooltip - **Remove Hyperlink:** Remove a hyperlink - **List Hyperlinks:** List all hyperlinks in a range - **Get Hyperlink:** Get a specific hyperlink's target **Threaded Comments:** - **Add Threaded Comment:** Add a top-level modern comment to one cell - **List Threaded Comments:** Read a cell's comment and replies - **Add Threaded Comment Reply:** Reply to an existing cell comment - **Delete Threaded Comment:** Delete a comment thread and its replies **Number Formatting (`range`):** - **Get Number Formats:** Read number formats as a 2D array - **Set Number Format:** Apply one number format uniformly - **Set Number Formats:** Apply individual per-cell number formats **Visual Formatting (`range_format`):** - **Get Style:** Read the applied cell style - **Set Style:** Apply a built-in Excel style - **Format Range:** Set font, color, borders, alignment, orientation - **Format Ranges:** Apply one shared formatting payload to multiple ranges **Data Validation (`range_format`):** - **Add Validation:** Add dropdown, number/date/text validation rules - **Get Validation:** Read current validation info - **Remove Validation:** Remove validation rules **Merge Operations (`range_format`):** - **Merge Cells:** Merge a range into one cell - **Unmerge Cells:** Undo a merge - **Get Merge Info:** Read current merge state **Cell Protection:** - **Set Lock Status:** Lock/unlock cells (effective once the sheet is protected) - **Get Lock Status:** Read current cell lock status **Sizing & Auto-Fitting (`range_format`):** - **Auto-Fit Columns / Rows:** Resize columns or rows to fit content - **Set Column Width / Row Height:** Set explicit column widths or row heights --- ## 📄 Worksheets (33 operations) { #worksheets } Add, rename, move, and manage worksheets — including tab colors, visibility, protection, legacy cell notes, inline images, shapes, and page setup. **Lifecycle:** - **List:** List worksheets in the workbook - **Create:** Add a new worksheet - **Rename:** Rename a worksheet - **Copy:** Copy a worksheet within the workbook - **Move:** Move a worksheet within the workbook - **Delete:** Remove a worksheet **Cross-Workbook Operations:** - **Copy to File:** Copy a worksheet to another workbook (atomic) - **Move to File:** Move a worksheet to another workbook (atomic) **Tab Colors:** - **Set Tab Color:** Set a worksheet tab's RGB color - **Get Tab Color:** Read the current tab color - **Clear Tab Color:** Reset the tab to its default color **Visibility:** - **Show:** Make a worksheet visible - **Hide:** Hide a worksheet (still shown in the Unhide dialog) - **Very Hide:** Hide a worksheet from the Excel UI entirely - **Get Visibility:** Read the current visibility status - **Set Visibility:** Set visibility status directly **Protection:** - **Set Protection:** Protect or unprotect a worksheet - **Get Protection:** Read the current protection state **Cell Notes:** - **Set Comment:** Create or update a legacy cell note through Excel's Comment COM API - **Get Comment:** Read the current legacy cell note text - **Clear Comment:** Remove a legacy cell note **Images:** - **Add Image:** Insert an image from disk and anchor it to a cell - **Get Image Count:** Read how many images are currently on a worksheet **Shapes:** - **Add Shape:** Insert a basic rectangle shape and anchor it to a cell - **Get Shape Count:** Read how many shapes are currently on a worksheet **Page Setup:** - **Set Page Setup:** Configure orientation, fit-to-page settings, and centering - **Get Page Setup:** Read worksheet page setup values **Outlines:** - **Group / Ungroup:** Group complete row or column ranges and remove one grouping level - **Get Outline Info:** Read outline level, hidden state, summary positions, and automatic styles - **Set Outline Settings:** Configure summary rows/columns and automatic styles - **Show Outline Levels:** Expand or collapse row and column groups to requested levels - **Clear Outline:** Remove all row and column groups --- ## 📘 Workbook (15 operations) { #workbook } Manage workbook metadata, protection, document properties, file variants, exports, and external links. **Operations:** - **Set Protection:** Protect or unprotect the current workbook, optionally with a password - **Get Protection:** Determine whether the current workbook is protected - **Set View Options:** Toggle workbook window gridlines and headings on or off - **Get View Options:** Read back workbook window gridlines and headings state - **Get Info:** Read workbook name, path, format, saved/read-only state, and protection metadata - **List/Get/Set/Delete Document Properties:** Manage built-in and custom workbook properties - **Save As:** Save as `.xlsx`, `.xlsm`, `.xlsb`, or `.xls` and move the active session to the new path - **Save Copy As:** Create a same-format copy without changing the active workbook - **Export Fixed Format:** Publish PDF or XPS with quality, page-range, and print-area controls - **List/Update/Break External Links:** Inspect, refresh, or permanently replace linked-workbook formulas > Printing and print preview are intentionally excluded because physical printer output and modal preview are unsafe for unattended automation. --- ## 🏷️ Named Ranges (Parameters) (6 operations) { #named-ranges-parameters } Manage named ranges — ideal for driving workbook parameters that Power Query and formulas react to. **Operations:** - **List:** List visible user-defined named ranges with references; hidden/internal Excel names (including Power Query `ExternalData_*` and AutoFilter names) are omitted before value inspection, and large ranges return metadata without materializing values - **Read:** Get value of a named range - **Write:** Set value of a named range (ideal for parameter automation) - **Create:** Create new named range - **Update:** Modify existing named range - **Delete:** Remove named range **Notes:** - **Use cases:** Manage workbook parameters without touching worksheets. Ideal for automation — update a parameter and Power Query refreshes automatically. --- ## Related feature areas - [Data & analytics](/features/data-analytics/) — transform ranges and tables with Power Query, DAX, and PivotTables - [Charts & visualization](/features/charts-visuals/) — turn workbook data into charts and visual reports - [Automation & advanced](/features/automation-advanced/) — automate workbooks with VBA, Python, and What-If Analysis - [Example workflows](/use-cases/) — see these capabilities combined in practical requests - [Installation](/installation/) — choose and configure the MCP Server or CLI ## Task guides - [Real Excel automation vs. file-parser libraries](/guides/excel-automation-vs-file-parsers/) - [Refresh Power Query from an AI assistant](/guides/refresh-power-query/)