Excel MCP Server (negokaz): read and write Excel
Excel MCP Server (negokaz)
An MCP server that reads and writes Excel workbooks: values, formulas, tables, formatting and new sheets; on Windows it can also capture a sheet screenshot
- 1,044 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Broad access
Why this level
- The write tools change the content and formatting of Excel files at the given absolute path
- The server reads any workbook it can reach, so point the agent only at the files you need
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add mcp/excel-mcp-server-negokazDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- The write tools change the content and formatting of Excel files at the given absolute path
- The server reads any workbook it can reach, so point the agent only at the files you need
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Excel MCP Server opens xlsx, xlsm, xltx and xltm files and gives an agent seven tools. excel_describe_sheets lists the workbook's sheets and excel_read_sheet reads values page by page or by a range such as A1:C10, and can show formulas instead of values and cell styles. excel_write_to_sheet writes values and formulas (a formula starts with an equals sign), excel_create_table turns a range into a table, excel_copy_sheet copies a sheet and excel_format_range sets borders, font, fill and number format. On Windows two more features exist: live editing of a workbook and the excel_screen_capture tool, which captures a sheet as an image. The page size for reads is capped by the EXCEL_MCP_PAGING_CELLS_LIMIT variable, 4000 cells by default. Every tool needs the absolute path to the file.
Who it is for. For people who work with Excel reports and tables and want Claude or another agent to read data, insert formulas and format sheets.
Good fit when
- You need to pull values from a large sheet in chunks by range without loading the whole workbook into context
- The agent must insert formulas into a column and write the result back to the same sheet
- A named Excel table has to be built from the range A1:C10
- A sheet must be copied and formatted: borders, bold font, fill, number format
- On Windows you want a sheet screenshot to check that the formatting looks as intended
Not a fit when
- You need legacy xls or csv files: only xlsx, xlsm, xltx and xltm are supported
- You need live editing and sheet capture on macOS or Linux: those two features are Windows only
- You need charts and pivot tables: they are not in the tool list
- The file is password protected or open in another program: the README does not cover those cases
- You run Node.js older than 20, which is the minimum
Example request
Open /Users/me/reports/sales.xlsx, read the Summary sheet in range A1:F40 and add a sum formula to column GMCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- not required
Environment variables
EXCEL_MCP_PAGING_CELLS_LIMIT- Maximum number of cells per paged read, 4000 by default.
Limitations
Node.js 20 or newer is required. Live editing and sheet captures work only on Windows. The tools accept absolute paths only. MIT licence, last commit on July 19, 2025, so the project is updated rarely. The server is written in Go and launched as an npm package. Reads are capped at 4000 cells per page, changed with the EXCEL_MCP_PAGING_CELLS_LIMIT variable. To create a new sheet, pass newSheet to excel_write_to_sheet, otherwise it writes to the existing one. Styles in excel_format_range are a two-dimensional array whose item count must match the range size.
How to disable. Delete the excel block from mcpServers in the client configuration and restart the client. If you installed it through Smithery for Claude Desktop, remove the server from the Claude Desktop configuration.
FAQ
How do I connect Excel to Claude over MCP?
Add an MCP server with the npx command and the arguments --yes @negokaz/excel-mcp-server. On Windows the call is wrapped in cmd /c. For Claude Desktop there is a Smithery install: npx -y @smithery/cli install @negokaz/excel-mcp-server --client claude.
Do I need Excel installed?
The README does not say. It only states that live editing and sheet capture work on Windows, while the other features are not tied to a platform.
How is it different from the other Excel MCP Server in the catalog?
The haris-musa entry creates and edits files without Microsoft Office and handles charts and pivot tables. This Go server has seven tools, but on Windows it edits a workbook live and captures a sheet.
How do I avoid flooding the context with a big sheet?
Read by range with the range parameter and do not raise EXCEL_MCP_PAGING_CELLS_LIMIT beyond what you need: by default up to 4000 cells arrive at a time.
Which file formats are supported?
Four: xlsx (Excel workbook), xlsm (macro-enabled workbook), xltx (template) and xltm (macro-enabled template). Other formats, including xls and csv, are not listed.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excel MCP Server (negokaz): read and write Excel (this entry) | no | not required | 1,044 | |
| Excel MCP Server | no | not required | 4,248 | a different project with the same name that edits Excel without Microsoft Office, with charts and pivot tables |
| ExcelMcp | no | not required | 828 | drives real Microsoft Excel: Power Query, DAX, VBA, pivot tables |
README in short
The README briefly lists features and platform limits, supported formats and the Node.js 20 requirement. Installation is shown as two configuration fragments, one for Windows and one for other systems, plus a Smithery option. Most of the text describes the seven tools and their arguments, and it ends with the single environment variable.