officecli-xlsx
Use this skill any time a .xlsx file is involved -- as input, output, or both. This includes: creating spreadsheets, financial models, dashboards, or trackers; reading, parsing, or extracting data from any .xlsx file; editing, modifying, or updating existing workbooks; working with formulas, charts, pivot tables, or templates; importing CSV/TSV data into Excel format. Trigger whenever the user mentions 'spreadsheet', 'workbook', 'Excel', 'financial model', 'tracker', 'dashboard', or references a .xlsx/.csv filename.
npx skills add iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI --skill officecli-xlsx --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
What it does
Directs an AI agent to operate on Excel workbooks and .xlsx/.csv data using the OfficeCLI tool to create, modify, read, analyze, and import data into workbooks. It focuses on tasks like building spreadsheets, financial models, dashboards, trackers, reading/parsing data, editing workbooks, handling formulas, charts, pivot tables, and importing CSV/TSV data. Triggers when user mentions spreadsheet-related terms.
How it works
The skill provides setup and usage guidance for installing and verifying the OfficeCLI tool, including commands to view help for xlsx elements and to perform incremental, command-by-command operations. It prescribes a disciplined execution flow: open a file, create or load, perform one operation per command, then save, validate, and re-touch downstream cells to refresh caches. It defines output requirements for all Excel files (no formula errors, formulas instead of hardcoded values, professional fonts, explicit column widths) and a visual QA checklist to verify rendered HTML and layout via officecli view html. It covers CSV/TSV import with a native import path, and a Python+batch fallback for bulk data. It also describes reading/analyzing data (outline, view/html, text, annotated, stats, issues), round-trip dump/replay via batch, and element querying with XPath-like paths. It includes a common workflow with six steps: open/save lifecycle, create/load, build incrementally, format, save/re-touch, QA. Finally it provides examples for quick start and common commands.
When to use it
Use when a .xlsx file is involved as input, output, or both, including creating, updating, reading, formulas, charts, pivot tables, templates, or importing CSV/TSV data. Trigger the skill whenever the user mentions terms like 'spreadsheet', 'workbook', 'Excel', 'financial model', 'tracker', 'dashboard', or references a .xlsx/.csv filename.
What it can touch
The skill explicitly uses the OfficeCLI toolset and commands (e.g., officecli open, officecli set, officecli view, officecli save, officecli close, officecli import, officecli batch, officecli dump, officecli get, officecli query, officecli view). It mentions shell quoting rules and how to format paths and properties for interacting with Excel files, including handling sheet paths like "/Sheet1/A1" and properties like value, bold, width, numFmt, and formula. The workflow requires using these commands in sequence to modify and validate workbooks.
Caveats
It prescribes a strict, incremental execution discipline and warns that officecli mutates the file on every call, so the user should validate after changes. It notes potential cache issues with certain formulas and cross-sheet references, advising re-touch of downstream cells and avoiding resident cache pitfalls. It requires using help for uncertain properties and follows a QA loop to catch issues like placeholder tokens, broken formulas, and layout problems before finalizing.
# OfficeCLI XLSX Skill ## Setup If `officecli` is missing: - **macOS / Linux**: `curl -fsSL https://d.officecli.ai/install.sh | bash` - **Windows (PowerShell)**: `irm https://d.officecli.ai/install.ps1 | iex` Verify with `officecli --version` (open a new terminal if PATH hasn't picked up). If install fails, download a binary from https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/releases. ## ⚠️ Help-First Rule **This skill teaches what good xlsx looks like, not every command flag. When a property name, enum value, or alias is uncertain, consult help BEFORE guessing.** ```bash officecli help xlsx # List all xlsx elements officecli help xlsx <element> # Full element schema (e.g. pivottable, chart, cf) officecli help xlsx <verb> <element> # Verb-scoped (e.g. add chart, set cell) officecli help xlsx <element> --json # Machine-readable schema ``` Help reflects the installed CLI version. When this skill and help disagree, **help is authoritative**. ## Shell & Execution Discipline **Shell quoting (zsh / bash).** Excel paths contain `[]`, and number formats contain `$`. Both are shell metacharacters. Rules: - ALWAYS quote element paths: `"/Sheet1/row[1]"`, not `/Sheet1/row[1]`. - Use **single quotes*
- Setup
- ⚠️ Help-First Rule
- Shell & Execution Discipline
- Requirements for Outputs
- All Excel files
- Visual delivery floor (applies to EVERY workbook)
- Common Workflow
- Quick Start
- CSV / bulk import
- Reading & Analysis
- Creating & Editing
- Cells and formulas
- Named ranges
- Charts
officecli help xlsx # List all xlsx elements officecli help xlsx <element> # Full element schema (e.g. pivottable, chart, cf) officecli help xlsx <verb> <element> # Verb-scoped (e.g. add chart, set cell) officecli help xlsx <element> --json # Machine-readable schema Summary / chart / dashboard sheet (small, ≤ ~40 rows): fit to a single page. officecli set "$FILE" "/Summary" --prop orientation=landscape --prop fitToPage=true Tall data table (dozens+ rows): fit WIDTH only, let height paginate naturally. officecli set "$FILE" "/Data" --prop orientation=landscape --prop fitToPage=1x0 officecli create "$FILE" officecli open "$FILE"
What does the officecli-xlsx skill do?
Use this skill any time a .xlsx file is involved -- as input, output, or both. This includes: creating spreadsheets, financial models, dashboards, or trackers; reading, parsing, or extracting data from any .xlsx file; editing, modifying, or updating existing workbooks; working with formulas, charts, pivot tables, or templates; importing CSV/TSV data into Excel format. Trigger whenever the user mentions 'spreadsheet', 'workbook', 'Excel', 'financial model', 'tracker', 'dashboard', or references a .xlsx/.csv filename.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI --skill officecli-xlsx --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI, a repository with 25,311 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.