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MCP Server Documentation

mcp-name: io.github.sbroenne/mcp-server-excel

GitHub Release GitHub Downloads NuGet GitHub

Control Excel with Natural Language through AI assistants like GitHub Copilot, Claude, and ChatGPT. This MCP server enables AI-powered Excel automation for Power Query, DAX measures, VBA macros, PivotTables, Charts, and more.

➡️ Learn more and see examples

⚡ Powered by the Real Excel Engine

Unlike file-parser libraries that rewrite .xlsx files directly, ExcelMcp drives the actual Excel application through its official COM API. That means it can run live operations file-based tools can't — refresh Power Query, recalculate, refresh PivotTables and the Data Model, evaluate DAX, run VBA and Python =PY() — and edit your existing workbooks with formulas, PivotTables, charts, macros and formatting left intact. Watch it happen in real time.

🔗 In-Process Service Architecture - The MCP Server hosts the ExcelMCP Service in-process and calls it directly (no pipe), for low-latency Excel automation. The CLI is an equal entry point that runs the same service as a background daemon.

CLI also available: mcp-excel.exe (MCP Server) and excelcli.exe (CLI) are distributed as standalone self-contained executables — no .NET runtime required.

Requirements: Windows OS + Excel 2016+

🚀 Installation

Quick Setup Options:

  1. VS Code Extension - One-click install for GitHub Copilot
  2. Standalone exe - Works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, Cline, Windsurf, and other MCP clients
  3. MCP Registry - Find us at registry.modelcontextprotocol.io

Manual Installation (All MCP Clients):

Primary — Standalone exe (no .NET runtime required):

## Download from latest release:
## https://github.com/sbroenne/mcp-server-excel/releases/latest
## ExcelMcp-MCP-Server-{version}-windows.zip → extract mcp-excel.exe

## Add to PATH, then configure your MCP client:
## { "command": "mcp-excel" }

Secondary — .NET Global Tool (requires .NET 10 runtime):

dotnet tool install --global Sbroenne.ExcelMcp.McpServer

Supported AI Assistants: - ✅ GitHub Copilot (VS Code, Visual Studio) - ✅ Claude Desktop - ✅ Cursor - ✅ Cline (VS Code Extension) - ✅ Windsurf - ✅ Any MCP-compatible client

📖 Detailed setup instructions: MCP Server Installation Guide

🎯 Quick config examples: examples/mcp-configs/

🛠️ What You Can Do

26 specialized tools with 232 operations covering Power Query, Data Model/DAX, PivotTables, Excel Tables, Charts, VBA, Ranges, Worksheets, Connections, Named Ranges, File/Session management, Calculation Mode, Slicers, Conditional Formatting, Screenshots, and Window Management.

📚 Complete Feature Reference → - Detailed documentation of all 232 operations, grouped by category

AI-Powered Workflows: - 💬 Natural language Excel commands through GitHub Copilot, Claude, or ChatGPT - 🔄 Optimize Power Query M code for performance and readability
- 📊 Build complex DAX measures with AI guidance - 📋 Automate repetitive data transformations and formatting - 👀 Show Excel Mode - Say "Show me Excel while you work" to watch changes live

💡 Example Use Cases

"Create a sales tracker with Date, Product, Quantity, Unit Price, and Total columns"
→ AI creates the workbook, adds headers, enters sample data, and builds formulas

"Create a PivotTable from this data showing total sales by Product, then add a chart"
→ AI creates PivotTable, configures fields, and adds a linked visualization

"Import products.csv with Power Query, load to Data Model, create a Total Revenue measure"
→ AI imports data, adds to Power Pivot, and creates DAX measures for analysis

"Create a slicer for the Region field so I can filter interactively"
→ AI adds slicers connected to PivotTables or Tables for point-and-click filtering

"Put this data in A1: Name, Age / Alice, 30 / Bob, 25"
→ AI writes data directly to cells using natural delimiters you provide

📋 Additional Resources

License: MIT
Privacy: PRIVACY.md
Platform: Windows only (requires Excel 2016+)
Support: GitHub Issues