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.
Every time before using officecli, run this check:
if ! command -v officecli &> /dev/null; then
echo "Installing officecli..."
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCli/main/install.sh | bash
# Windows: irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCli/main/install.ps1 | iex
else
CURRENT=$(officecli --version 2>&1 | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -1)
LATEST=$(curl -fsSL https://api.github.com/repos/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/releases/latest | grep '"tag_name"' | sed -E 's/.*"v?([0-9.]+)".*/\1/')
if [ "$CURRENT" != "$LATEST" ]; then
echo "Upgrading officecli $CURRENT → $LATEST..."
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCli/main/install.sh | bash
else
echo "officecli $CURRENT is up to date"
fi
fi
officecli --version
| Task | Action |
|---|
| Read / analyze content | Use view and get commands below |
| Edit existing workbook | Read editing.md |
| Create from scratch | Read creating.md |
officecli view data.xlsx text
officecli view data.xlsx text --start 1 --end 50 --cols A,B,C
Plain text dump, tab-separated per row, with [/Sheet1/row[N]] prefixes. Flags: --mode, --start N, --end N, --max-lines N, --cols A,B,C.
officecli view data.xlsx outline
Sheets with row/column counts and formula counts per sheet.
officecli view data.xlsx annotated
Cell values with type/formula annotations, warnings for errors and empty cells.
officecli view data.xlsx stats
Summary statistics across all sheets.
officecli view data.xlsx issues
Empty sheets, broken formulas, missing references.
# Workbook root (lists all sheets, doc properties)
officecli get data.xlsx /
# Sheet overview (freeze, autoFilter, zoom, tabColor)
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1"
# Single cell (value, type, formula, font, fill, borders, numFmt)
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1/A1"
# Cell range
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1/A1:D10"
# Row properties
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1/row[1]"
# Column properties
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1/col[A]"
# Chart
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1/chart[1]"
# Table (ListObject)
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1/table[1]"
# Data validation rule
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1/validation[1]"
# Conditional formatting rule
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1/cf[1]"
# Comment
officecli get data.xlsx "/Sheet1/comment[1]"
# Named range
officecli get data.xlsx "/namedrange[1]"
Add --depth N to expand children, --json for structured output. Excel-native notation also supported: Sheet1!A1, Sheet1!A1:D10.
# Cells with formulas
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:has(formula)'
# Cells containing text
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:contains("Revenue")'
# Empty cells
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:empty'
# Cells by type
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell[type=Number]'
# Cells by formatting
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell[font.bold=true]'
# Column B non-zero
officecli query data.xlsx 'B[value!=0]'
# Sheet-scoped
officecli query data.xlsx 'Sheet1!cell[value="100"]'
# Find all charts
officecli query data.xlsx 'chart'
# Find all tables
officecli query data.xlsx 'table'
# Find all pivot tables
officecli query data.xlsx 'pivottable'
Operators: =, !=, ~= (contains), >=, <=, [attr] (exists).
Professional spreadsheets need clear structure, correct formulas, and intentional formatting.
This is the single most important principle. The spreadsheet must remain dynamic -- when source data changes, formulas recalculate automatically. Hardcoded values break this contract.
# WRONG -- hardcoded calculation result
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1/B10" --prop value=5000
# CORRECT -- let Excel calculate
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1/B10" --prop formula="SUM(B2:B9)"
| Convention | Color | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Blue text | font.color=0000FF | Hardcoded inputs, scenario-variable numbers |
| Black text | font.color=000000 | ALL formulas and calculations |
| Green text | font.color=008000 | Cross-sheet links within same workbook |
| Red text | font.color=FF0000 | External references |
| Yellow background | fill=FFFF00 | Key assumptions needing attention |
These are industry-standard financial modeling conventions. Apply when building financial models. For non-financial workbooks, use project-appropriate styling.
| Type | Format String | Example Output | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency | $#,##0 | $1,234 | --prop numFmt='$#,##0' |
| Currency (neg parens) | $#,##0;($#,##0);"-" | ($1,234) | --prop numFmt='$#,##0;($#,##0);"-"' |
| Percentage | 0.0% | 12.5% | --prop numFmt="0.0%" |
| Decimal | #,##0.00 | 1,234.56 | --prop numFmt="#,##0.00" |
| Accounting | _($* #,##0_);_($* (#,##0);_($* "-"_);_(@_) | $ 1,234 | --prop numFmt='_($* #,##0_);_($* (#,##0);_($* "-"_);_(@_)' |
| Date | yyyy-mm-dd | 2026-03-27 | --prop numFmt="yyyy-mm-dd" |
| Date (long) | mmmm d, yyyy | March 27, 2026 | --prop numFmt="mmmm d, yyyy" |
| Year as text | @ | 2026 (not 2,026) | --prop type=string |
| Multiples | 0.0x | 12.5x | --prop numFmt="0.0x" |
| Zeros as dash | #,##0;-#,##0;"-" | - | --prop numFmt='#,##0;-#,##0;"-"' |
Shell quoting: Number formats containing $ must use single quotes ('$#,##0') or heredoc in batch mode. Double quotes cause shell variable expansion.
# Set column width (character units, ~1 char = 7px)
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1/col[A]" --prop width=15
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1/col[B]" --prop width=12
# Set row height (points)
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1/row[1]" --prop height=20
# Hide column/row
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1/col[D]" --prop hidden=true
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1/row[5]" --prop hidden=true
There is no auto-fit. Set column widths explicitly. Common widths: labels=20-25, numbers=12-15, dates=12, short codes=8-10.
# Freeze first row (headers)
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1" --prop freeze=A2
# Freeze first column and first row
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1" --prop freeze=B2
# Set print area on a sheet
officecli set data.xlsx "/Sheet1" --prop printArea="A1:F20"
# Dropdown list
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet1 --type validation --prop sqref="C2:C100" --prop type=list --prop formula1="Yes,No,Maybe" --prop showError=true --prop errorTitle="Invalid" --prop error="Select from list"
# Number range
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet1 --type validation --prop sqref="D2:D100" --prop type=decimal --prop operator=between --prop formula1=0 --prop formula2=100 --prop showError=true --prop error="Enter 0-100"
Always add data validation on input cells in financial models and trackers. It prevents data entry errors.
For print-ready workbooks, set appropriate column widths and row heights. Consider which sheets need headers repeated on each page.
Assume there are problems. Your job is to find them.
Your first spreadsheet build is almost never correct. Approach QA as a bug hunt, not a confirmation step. If you found zero issues on first inspection, you were not looking hard enough.
# Extract text, check for missing data
officecli view data.xlsx text
# Check structure
officecli view data.xlsx outline
# Check for issues (broken formulas, missing refs, empty sheets)
officecli view data.xlsx issues
# Verify formulas exist where expected
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:has(formula)'
# Check for formula errors in cell values
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:contains("#REF!")'
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:contains("#DIV/0!")'
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:contains("#VALUE!")'
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:contains("#NAME?")'
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:contains("#N/A")'
When editing templates, check for leftover placeholders:
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:contains("{{")'
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:contains("xxxx")'
officecli query data.xlsx 'cell:contains("placeholder")'
Sheet1!A1 formatofficecli get on 2-3 cross-sheet formula cells and confirm no \! in the formula string. If \! is present, the formula is broken -- delete and re-set using batch/heredoc.ref values match actual data locationsofficecli get on the source cells and compare against chart series values. Mismatches here are silent data integrity bugs.officecli validate data.xlsx
series1.values="Sheet1!B2:B6") over inline data to avoid transcription errors.officecli validateNOTE: Unlike pptx (SVG/HTML), xlsx has no visual preview mode. Verification relies on view text, view annotated, view stats, view issues, validate, and formula queries. For visual verification, the user must open the file in Excel.
view issues + view annotated (sample ranges) + validateDo not declare success until you have completed at least one fix-and-verify cycle.
| Pitfall | Correct Approach |
|---|---|
--name "foo" | Use --prop name="foo" -- all attributes go through --prop |
| Guessing property names | Run officecli xlsx set cell to see exact names |
\n in shell strings | Use \\n for newlines in --prop text="line1\\nline2" |
| Modifying an open file | Close the file in Excel first |
Hex colors with # | Use FF0000 not #FF0000 -- no hash prefix |
| Paths are 1-based | "/Sheet1/row[1]", "/Sheet1/col[1]" -- XPath convention |
--index is 0-based | --index 0 = first position -- array convention |
Unquoted [N] in zsh/bash | Shell glob-expands /Sheet1/row[1] -- always quote paths: "/Sheet1/row[1]" |
| Sheet names with spaces | Quote the full path: "/My Sheet/A1" |
Formula prefix = | OfficeCLI strips the = -- use formula="SUM(A1:A10)" not formula="=SUM(A1:A10)" |
Cross-sheet ! in formulas | CRITICAL: The ! in Sheet1!A1 can be corrupted by shell quoting. Use batch/heredoc for cross-sheet formulas, or double quotes: --prop "formula==Sheet1!A1". NEVER use single quotes for formulas containing !. After setting, verify with officecli get that the formula shows Sheet1!A1 (no backslash before !). |
| Hardcoded calculated values | Use --prop formula="SUM(B2:B9)" not --prop value=5000 |
$ and ' in batch JSON | Use heredoc: cat <<'EOF' | officecli batch -- single-quoted delimiter prevents shell expansion |
Number format with $ | Shell interprets $ -- use single quotes: numFmt='$#,##0' |
| Year displayed as "2,026" | Set cell type to string: --prop type=string or use numFmt="@" |
officecli open data.xlsx # Keep in memory
officecli add data.xlsx ...
officecli set data.xlsx ...
officecli close data.xlsx # Save and release
For multi-step workflows (3+ commands on the same file), use open/close.
cat <<'EOF' | officecli batch data.xlsx
[
{"command":"set","path":"/Sheet1/A1","props":{"value":"Revenue","bold":"true","fill":"1F4E79","font.color":"FFFFFF"}},
{"command":"set","path":"/Sheet1/B1","props":{"value":"Q1","bold":"true","fill":"1F4E79","font.color":"FFFFFF"}}
]
EOF
Batch supports: add, set, get, query, remove, move, view, raw, raw-set, validate.
Batch fields: command, path, parent, type, from, to, index, props (dict), selector, mode, depth, part, xpath, action, xml.
parent = container to add into (for add). path = element to modify (for set, get, remove).
Batch mode is the default for multi-cell operations. A financial model with 50+ cells MUST use batch, not individual commands.
| Issue | Workaround |
|---|---|
| Chart series cannot be added after creation | set --prop data= and set --prop seriesN= on an existing chart can only update existing series. To add series, delete and recreate: officecli remove data.xlsx "/Sheet1/chart[1]" then officecli add with all series. |
| No visual preview | Unlike pptx (SVG/HTML), xlsx has no built-in rendering. Use view text/view annotated/view stats/view issues for verification. Users must open in Excel for visual check. |
| Formula cached values for new formulas | OfficeCLI writes formula strings natively. For newly added formulas, the cached value may not update until the file is opened in Excel/LibreOffice. Existing formula cached values are preserved. |
| No auto-fit column width | No "auto-fit" column width based on content. Set width explicitly on each column. |
| Shell quoting in batch with echo | echo '...' | officecli batch fails when JSON values contain apostrophes or $. Use heredoc: cat <<'EOF' | officecli batch data.xlsx. |
| Batch intermittent failure | Batch+resident mode has a high failure rate (up to 1-in-3 in some sessions). For maximum reliability: (1) prefer batch WITHOUT resident mode, (2) keep batches to 8-12 operations, (3) always check batch output for failures, (4) retry failed operations individually. For critical formulas (especially cross-sheet), consider using individual set commands which have 100% reliability. |
| Data bar default min/max invalid | Creating a data bar without --prop min=N --prop max=N produces empty val attributes in cfvo elements, which may be rejected by strict XML validators or Excel. Always specify explicit min and max values. |
| Cell protection requires sheet protection | locked and formulahidden properties only take effect when the sheet itself is protected. |
When unsure about property names, value formats, or command syntax, run help instead of guessing. One help query is faster than guess-fail-retry loops.
officecli xlsx set # All settable elements and their properties
officecli xlsx set cell # Cell properties in detail
officecli xlsx set cell.font # Specific property format and examples
officecli xlsx add # All addable element types
officecli xlsx view # All view modes
officecli xlsx get # All navigable paths
officecli xlsx query # Query selector syntax