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Workbook Lifecycle

Use the workbook tool or CLI command group for workbook-level metadata, file variants, publishing, and external links. Use file only for opening, creating, listing, and closing sessions.

Metadata and document properties

  • get-info returns the active workbook name, path, Excel file format, saved/read-only state, and password/write-reservation flags.
  • list-document-properties can include built-in properties, custom properties, or both.
  • get-document-property and set-document-property require scope: built-in or custom.
  • Built-in properties can be read and updated but not deleted.
  • Missing custom properties are created as string properties by set-document-property; delete-document-property removes custom properties only.

Save and publish

  • save-as supports auto, xlsx, xlsm, xlsb, and xls. The file extension must match the selected format, and the active session follows the new path.
  • save-copy-as preserves the current format and leaves the active workbook/session unchanged. Its target extension must match the active workbook.
  • export-fixed-format publishes PDF or XPS. Keep open_after_publish=false for unattended workflows.
  • Output directories must already exist. Existing files require overwrite=true.

Changing formats can remove unsupported workbook features. In particular, saving a macro-enabled workbook as .xlsx removes VBA content after Excel's format conversion.

  1. Call list-external-links and use the exact returned source.
  2. Call update-external-link to refresh one source.
  3. Call break-external-link only with explicit user intent: it permanently replaces linked formulas with their current values.

Printing and print preview are not exposed. Printing can send output to a physical default printer, and preview is modal and can block unattended Excel sessions.