Guide · Agent skill
How to use the OfficeCLI Excel Skill (officecli-xlsx) for agents
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The OfficeCLI Excel Skill (officecli-xlsx) is an agent skill that tells an agent how to create, read and edit .xlsx workbooks by calling the OfficeCLI command-line tool, rather than guessing at file contents. This guide is for readers who have never used agent skills: it covers what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it with ordinary requests, what it needs from your computer, and the safety points to check. By the end you will be able to install the skill and ask an agent for a formatted workbook.
OfficeCLI Excel SkilliOfficeAI/OfficeCLI · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install OfficeCLI. Run the installer for your operating system and confirm it with officecli --version. Open a new terminal if the command is not found.
- 2Download the skill ZIP. Get the officecli-xlsx ZIP from this page and unzip it so the skill folder contains SKILL.md.
- 3Place the skill folder. Copy the folder to ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or to .claude/skills/ inside a project. In the Claude apps, upload it under Settings, Capabilities, Skills.
- 4Make a request with trigger words. Ask for the workbook in plain language, naming the file or using words like spreadsheet, Excel, tracker or dashboard.
- 5Review the output. Ask the agent to check the workbook for formula errors, ### cells and cut-off labels, then open it yourself to confirm the layout.
What the officecli-xlsx skill makes the agent do
An agent skill is a folder of instructions that an AI agent loads when a task matches it. This one applies whenever a .xlsx file is an input, an output, or both. The skill's own description covers creating spreadsheets, financial models, dashboards and trackers, reading or extracting data from workbooks, editing existing files, working with formulas, charts, pivot tables and templates, and importing CSV or TSV data into Excel format.
The skill sets quality rules for the agent to follow. Formulas are used instead of hardcoded numbers, the workbook must have no formula errors, columns get explicit widths, one consistent font is used, and the agent does a visual check before it finishes. For financial models it adds a standard colour scheme: blue for inputs, black for formulas and green for cross-sheet links, along with number formatting conventions.
- Creates workbooks, including budgets, forecasts, trackers and dashboards
- Reads and extracts data from existing .xlsx files
- Edits existing workbooks while keeping their look
- Imports CSV and TSV data into a formatted .xlsx file
Install the OfficeCLI tool the skill depends on
The skill does not work alone. It needs the OfficeCLI command-line program on your computer. The skill's setup notes give these installers for macOS and Linux, and for Windows PowerShell. Run the one for your system in a terminal.
After installing, check it with the version command. If your terminal does not yet see the new program, open a new terminal window first. If the installer fails, the source points to downloading a binary from the OfficeCLI GitHub releases page.
- macOS / Linux: run the curl installer shown in the code block
- Windows (PowerShell): run the irm command shown in the code block
- Check the install with officecli --version
- Fallback: download a binary from the GitHub releases page of iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI
curl -fsSL https://d.officecli.ai/install.sh | bashInstall the officecli-xlsx skill folder
Download the officecli-xlsx ZIP from this page and unzip it. The skill is a single SKILL.md file. Put the unzipped folder in one of two places. For all your projects, use ~/.claude/skills/. For one project only, use a .claude/skills/ folder inside that project.
If you use the Claude apps instead of files on disk, open Settings, go to Capabilities, then Skills, and upload the skill there.
- Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: .claude/skills/ inside your project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload
How to trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not run the skill directly. The agent loads it when your request matches its description. The description names trigger words, so use them: spreadsheet, workbook, Excel, financial model, tracker, dashboard, or a file name ending in .xlsx or .csv.
Be specific about the outcome and the file. The more concrete the request, the less the agent has to guess about layout and columns.
- 'Build a monthly budget workbook with a summary sheet and a chart.'
- 'Turn sales.csv into a formatted Excel file with bold headers and sized columns.'
- 'Edit budget.xlsx so the totals are formulas and keep the existing styling.'
- 'Make a 3-year revenue forecast in Excel with blue inputs and black formulas.'
Check the work and keep formulas live
The skill sets delivery standards that the agent should meet before saying the job is done. The workbook must have zero #REF!, #DIV/0!, #VALUE!, #NAME? or #N/A errors. Calculated numbers should be formulas, not typed values. Any column a reader will see needs an explicit width, because the skill notes there is no auto-fit.
The skill also asks the agent to render the file and check it. It runs an html view of the workbook and reviews the output for cells showing ###, truncated titles, placeholder tokens such as {var} left in the data, and charts whose slices share one colour.
- No formula errors anywhere in the workbook
- Totals and derived numbers are formulas, not hardcoded values
- Columns sized explicitly, since default width clips values
- Visual check for ###, cut-off labels and leftover placeholder text
- Print setup for sheets meant for printing or board packs
officecli view "$FILE" htmlSafety notes: scripts and network access
The skill runs scripts and uses the network. The setup step downloads and runs an installer from d.officecli.ai, and the fallback points to GitHub. The agent also needs shell access (bash, zsh or PowerShell) to run officecli commands. Review the installer URLs yourself before running them, and only give shell access on a machine where you are comfortable with that.
The skill also changes files on every command. The source says each officecli call modifies the file, so run commands one at a time, read each result, and keep a backup of any workbook you care about. Do not use this skill where the agent is forbidden to run shell commands, because the workflow depends on repeated command-line calls.
- Installer scripts are fetched over the network during setup
- The agent needs shell access to run officecli
- Each command modifies the file, so keep a backup of important workbooks
- Run commands one at a time and check each exit code
What people use it for
- Building a monthly budget or forecast with formulas that update when inputs change
- Importing a CSV export into a formatted .xlsx file with sized columns
- Editing an existing workbook while keeping its fonts and layout
- Creating a tracker or dashboard sheet with a chart for a team to review
- Setting up a financial model with blue inputs, black formulas and green cross-sheet links
Frequently asked questions
Is the officecli-xlsx skill free to use?
The source lists the skill's licence as Apache-2.0, which is the licence for the OfficeCLI project. The source does not state any price, so check the OfficeCLI repository for its current terms before you rely on it.
Do I need to install software to use this skill?
Yes. The skill depends on the OfficeCLI program being present on your computer. If you do not want to install software, this skill is not a fit.
How do I install the officecli-xlsx skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, Capabilities, Skills. You also need the OfficeCLI tool installed.
What does the agent need to run this skill?
It needs the OfficeCLI command-line tool, plus shell access in bash, zsh or PowerShell to run officecli commands. The skill also runs scripts and uses the network during setup.
Why does the agent say it cannot run this skill?
The skill cannot work if the agent is not allowed to run shell commands, because its workflow relies on repeated command-line calls that modify the file. Check that shell access is enabled, and that officecli --version works in your terminal.
Can the skill edit an Excel file I already have?
Yes. The skill covers editing and modifying existing workbooks. When a file already has a look, the skill says to match it, since existing conventions override its general guidelines.
New agent skills, repos and AI tools — every week
The best new skills and open-source projects, the fastest-growing repos, and one free prompt. Five minutes to read. Unsubscribe anytime.
Our verdict
This skill suits analysts, finance staff and anyone who wants an agent to build budgets, forecasts, trackers or formatted CSV imports in Excel, and who is comfortable installing a command-line tool. Pick something else if you cannot install software, or if your setup does not let the agent run shell commands.
Download the skill