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High-performance, token-efficient spreadsheet analysis/editing (xlsx/xlsm) with region detection, structured reads, formula/style inspection, forking mechanics,
High-performance, token-efficient spreadsheet analysis/editing (xlsx/xlsm) with region detection, structured reads, formula/style inspection, forking mechanics, and recalculation. Cross-platform.

spreadsheet-kit is the tool interaction service for agent-based spreadsheet usage.
It gives agents a safe, inspectable, token-efficient way to read, analyze, mutate, verify, and operationalize Excel workbooks without falling back to brittle UI automation.
If you want an agent to work with spreadsheets like a real system instead of a screenshot puppet, this is the stack.
spreadsheet-kit ships a unified spreadsheet interaction layer across four surfaces:
| Surface | Binary / Package | Mode | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLI | asp / agent-spreadsheet |
Stateless | One-shot reads, safe edits, pipelines, CI, agent tool calls |
| MCP server | spreadsheet-mcp |
Stateful | Multi-turn agent sessions, workbook caching, fork/recalc workflows |
| JS SDK | spreadsheet-kit-sdk |
Backend-agnostic | App integrations that can target MCP today and WASM/session backends over time |
| WASM runtime | spreadsheet-kit-wasm |
In-process | Experimental byte/session embedding for local runtimes |
Supported workbook modes:
.xlsx / .xlsm — read + write.xls / .xlsb — discovery/read-oriented workflows onlyThe current surface is much stronger than a plain “read some cells” tool. Major capabilities now include:
asp as the primary CLI with agent-spreadsheet preserved as a compatibility aliasasp verify proof and asp verify diffwrite appendwrite clone-template-rowwrite clone-row-bandwrite name define|update|delete)write formulas replace)npm i -g agent-spreadsheet
asp --help
Installs both:
asp — primary commandagent-spreadsheet — compatibility aliasDownloads a prebuilt native binary for your platform. No Rust toolchain required.
# CLI
cargo install spreadsheet-kit --features recalc --bin asp --bin agent-spreadsheet
# MCP server
cargo install spreadsheet-mcp
Formualizer (the native Rust recalc engine) is included by default.
# Read-only / slim
docker pull ghcr.io/psu3d0/spreadsheet-mcp:latest
# Write + recalc + screenshots
docker pull ghcr.io/psu3d0/spreadsheet-mcp:full
npm i spreadsheet-kit-sdk
Download from GitHub Releases.
Published native assets include:
# What sheets are here?
asp read sheets data.xlsx
# What regions/tables/parameter blocks does this sheet contain?
asp read overview data.xlsx "Model"
# What named items are available?
asp read names data.xlsx
# Read a structured region as a table
asp read table data.xlsx --sheet "Model"
# Raw values for exact ranges
asp read values data.xlsx Model A1:C20
# Detail-view for targeted cells (value / formula / cached / style triage)
asp read cells data.xlsx Model B2 D10:F12
# Layout-aware rendering for a bounded range
asp read layout data.xlsx Model --range A1:H30 --render both
# Export a bounded range to csv or grid json
asp read export data.xlsx Model A1:H30 --format csv --output model.csv
asp workbook copy data.xlsx /tmp/draft.xlsx
asp write cells /tmp/draft.xlsx Inputs "B2=500" "C2==B2*1.1"
asp workbook recalculate /tmp/draft.xlsx
asp verify proof data.xlsx /tmp/draft.xlsx --targets Summary!B2,Summary!B3 --named-ranges
asp verify diff data.xlsx /tmp/draft.xlsx --details --limit 50
A representative label-mode lookup:
asp analyze find-value data.xlsx "Net Income" --mode label --label-direction below
asp analyze ref-impact data.xlsx --ops @structure_ops.json --show-formula-delta
This is intentionally read-only. It surfaces shifted spans, absolute-reference warnings, token counts, and optional before/after formula samples.
# Stateless batch writes
asp write batch transform data.xlsx --ops @ops.json --dry-run
asp write batch style data.xlsx --ops @style_ops.json --dry-run
# Append rows into a detected region or table, respecting footer rows when present
asp write append data.xlsx --sheet Revenue --table-name RevenueTable --from-csv rows.csv --header --dry-run
# Clone one template row with preview-first planning
asp write clone-template-row data.xlsx --sheet Inputs --source-row 8 --after 8 --count 3 --dry-run
# Clone a contiguous row band repeatedly
asp write clone-row-band data.xlsx --sheet Forecast --source-rows 12:16 --after 16 --repeat 4 --dry-run
asp session start --base data.xlsx --workspace .
asp session op --session <id> --ops @edit.json --workspace .
asp session apply --session <id> <staged_id> --workspace .
asp session materialize --session <id> --output result.xlsx --workspace .
And when you need proper history and branching:
asp session log --session <id> --workspace .
asp session fork --session <id> scenario-a --workspace .
asp session undo --session <id> --workspace .
asp session redo --session <id> --workspace .
asp session checkout --session <id> <op_id> --workspace .
# Discover candidate ports from workbook structure
asp sheetport manifest candidates model.xlsx
# Validate or normalize a manifest
asp sheetport manifest validate manifest.yaml
asp sheetport manifest normalize manifest.yaml
# Bind-check a workbook against a manifest
asp sheetport bind-check model.xlsx manifest.yaml
# Execute the manifest with JSON inputs
asp sheetport run model.xlsx manifest.yaml --inputs @inputs.json
The primary CLI is asp.
agent-spreadsheet remains available as a compatibility alias, so both of these are valid:
asp read sheets data.xlsx
agent-spreadsheet read sheets data.xlsx
asp read ...asp analyze ...asp write ...asp workbook ...asp verify ...asp session ...asp sheetport ...Legacy flat commands are still normalized to the new nested surface where practical. That makes migration easier for older prompts, docs, and automation.
When an agent is unsure of payload shape, it can ask the tool directly:
asp schema write batch transform
asp example write batch transform
asp schema session op transform.write_matrix
asp example session op transform.write_matrix
This is a core design principle: the surface should explain itself to the agent.
read — extraction and inspection| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
asp read sheets <file> |
List sheets with summary metadata |
asp read overview <file> <sheet> |
Detect regions, headers, and orientation |
asp read values <file> <sheet> <range> [range...] |
Pull raw values for exact A1 ranges |
asp read export <file> <sheet> <range> |
Export a bounded range to csv or grid json |
asp read cells <file> <sheet> <target> [target...] |
Inspect exact cells/ranges with value/formula/cached/style snapshots |
asp read page <file> <sheet> ... |
Deterministic sheet paging with next_start_row |
asp read table <file> ... |
Structured table/region read with deterministic next_offset |
asp read names <file> |
Named ranges, named formulas, and table items |
asp read workbook <file> |
Workbook-level metadata |
asp read layout <file> <sheet> |
Layout-aware rendering with widths, merges, borders, and optional ascii output |
Agents rarely need “the whole spreadsheet.” They need:
That is why the read surface combines region detection, structured reads, detail inspection, and explicit continuation.
analyze — search, diagnostics, and impact understanding| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
asp analyze find-value <file> <query> |
Search by value or by label semantics |
asp analyze find-formula <file> <query> |
Text search within formulas |
asp analyze formula-map <file> <sheet> |
Summarize formulas by complexity/frequency |
asp analyze formula-trace <file> <sheet> <cell> <precedents|dependents> |
Dependency tracing with continuation |
asp analyze scan-volatiles <file> |
Find volatile formulas |
asp analyze sheet-statistics <file> <sheet> |
Density and type statistics |
asp analyze table-profile <file> |
Header/type/cardinality profiling |
asp analyze ref-impact <file> --ops @structure_ops.json |
Preflight structural edit impact without mutation |
Headless spreadsheet automation wins when it can explain consequences, not just execute mutations. ref-impact, formula-trace, and grouped diagnostics are all part of that story.
write — safe mutations and workflow helpers| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
asp write cells <file> <sheet> ... |
Direct shorthand cell edits |
asp write import <file> <sheet> ... |
Import grid json or csv into a workbook range |
asp write append ... |
Footer-aware row append into a region or table |
asp write clone-template-row ... |
Clone one template row with preview-first planning |
asp write clone-row-band ... |
Clone a multi-row template band repeatedly |
asp write formulas replace ... |
Formula-only find/replace on a sheet/range |
| `asp write name define | update |
asp write batch transform ... |
Stateless transform pipeline |
asp write batch style ... |
Stateless style edits |
asp write batch formula-pattern ... |
Autofill-like formula application |
asp write batch structure ... |
Rows/cols/sheets/copy/move style mutations |
asp write batch column-size ... |
Column width operations |
asp write batch sheet-layout ... |
Freeze panes, zoom, page setup, print area |
asp write batch rules ... |
Data validation + conditional formatting |
Most mutating commands support a strict mode matrix:
--dry-run--in-place--output <PATH>This matters for agents because it allows:
Formula mutation is now a first-class surface:
asp write formulas replace data.xlsx Sheet1 --find '$64' --replace '$65' --dry-run
asp write formulas replace data.xlsx Sheet1 --find 'Sheet1!' --replace 'Sheet2!' --range A1:Z100 --output fixed.xlsx
asp write name define data.xlsx RevenueInput 'Inputs!$B$2'
asp write name update data.xlsx RevenueInput 'Inputs!$B$2:$B$4' --in-place
asp write name delete data.xlsx RevenueInput --in-place
workbook — file-level flows| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
asp workbook create <path> |
Create a new workbook |
asp workbook copy <source> <dest> |
Safe copy for edit workflows |
asp workbook recalculate <file> |
Recalculate formulas via the configured backend |
verify — proof, not vibes| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
asp verify proof <baseline> <current> |
Prove target deltas and isolate new/resolved/preexisting errors |
asp verify diff <original> <modified> |
Summary-first grouped workbook diff with optional paged details |
Most spreadsheet automation tools stop at “the edit applied.”
spreadsheet-kit goes further:
This verification layer is a big part of why this project is a serious agent substrate rather than a utility script.
session — event-sourced stateful editingThe session surface is for workflows that are too complex for a single stateless write.
asp session start --base model.xlsx --workspace .
asp session op --session <id> --ops @ops.json --workspace .
asp session apply --session <id> <staged_id> --workspace .
asp session materialize --session <id> --output result.xlsx --workspace .
asp session log --session <id> --workspace .
asp session branches --session <id> --workspace .
asp session fork --session <id> experiment-b --workspace .
asp session switch --session <id> experiment-b --workspace .
asp session undo --session <id> --workspace .
asp session redo --session <id> --workspace .
asp session checkout --session <id> <op_id> --workspace .
Use sessions when you want repeatability, auditability, and multi-step safety.
sheetport — spreadsheet interfaces as executable contractsSheetPort is the workflow surface for turning workbook inputs/outputs into explicit machine contracts.
asp sheetport manifest candidates model.xlsx
asp sheetport manifest schema
asp sheetport manifest validate manifest.yaml
asp sheetport manifest normalize manifest.yaml
asp sheetport bind-check model.xlsx manifest.yaml
asp sheetport run model.xlsx manifest.yaml --inputs @inputs.json --freeze-volatile
Use this when you want a workbook to behave less like an opaque file and more like a declared service interface.
All commands default to JSON. Many also support:
--shape canonical
--shape compact
Policy:
Shape policy:
values: [...] envelope in both canonical and compact modes.dense.encoding = "dense_v1") with dictionary + run-length row_runs.--include-formulas: includes sparse formula coordinates in dense mode (dense.formulas), or a matrix in explicit json format.next_offset, next_start_row).highlights while preserving layers and next_cursor.# sheet-page continuation
asp read page data.xlsx Sheet1 --format compact --page-size 200
asp read page data.xlsx Sheet1 --format compact --page-size 200 --start-row 201
# read-table continuation
asp read table data.xlsx --sheet "Sheet1" --table-format values --limit 200 --offset 0
asp read table data.xlsx --sheet "Sheet1" --table-format values --limit 200 --offset 200
sheet-page machine contractformat before reading payload fields.format=full: read top-level rows plus optional header_row and next_start_row.format=compact: read compact.headers, compact.header_row, compact.rows plus optional next_start_row.format=values_only: read values_only.rows plus optional next_start_row.next_start_row when present.--shape compact preserves the active sheet-page branch; it does not flatten sheet-page payloads.Machine continuation example:
--start-row.next_start_row is present, call sheet-page again with --start-row <next_start_row>.next_start_row is omitted.When the agent is unsure what to send, ask for a schema or example:
asp schema write batch rules
asp example write batch rules
asp schema session op structure.insert_rows
asp example session op structure.insert_rows
All batch payloads use a top-level envelope object. Most commands require {"ops":[...]}; column-size-batch prefers {"sheet_name":"...","ops":[...]} and also accepts per-op sheet_name inside {"ops":[...]}.
@transform_ops.json){"ops":[{"kind":"fill_range","sheet_name":"Sheet1","target":{"kind":"range","range":"B2:B4"},"value":"0"}]}{"ops":[{"kind":"replace_in_range","sheet_name":"Sheet1","target":{"kind":"region","region_id":1},"find":"N/A","replace":"","match_mode":"contains","case_sensitive":false,"include_formulas":true}]}@style_ops.json){"ops":[{"sheet_name":"Sheet1","target":{"kind":"range","range":"B2:B2"},"patch":{"font":{"bold":true}}}]}{"ops":[{"sheet_name":"Sheet1","target":{"kind":"cells","cells":["B2","B3"]},"patch":{"number_format":"$#,##0.00","alignment":{"horizontal":"right"}},"op_mode":"merge"}]}@formula_ops.json){"ops":[{"sheet_name":"Sheet1","target_range":"C2:C4","anchor_cell":"C2","base_formula":"B2*2"}]}{"ops":[{"sheet_name":"Sheet1","target_range":"C2:E4","anchor_cell":"C2","base_formula":"B2*2","fill_direction":"both","relative_mode":"excel"}]}relative_mode valid values: excel, abs_cols, abs_rows@structure_ops.json){"ops":[{"kind":"rename_sheet","old_name":"Summary","new_name":"Dashboard"}]}{"ops":[{"kind":"copy_range","sheet_name":"Sheet1","dest_sheet_name":"Summary","src_range":"A1:C4","dest_anchor":"A1","include_styles":true,"include_formulas":true}]}@column_size_ops.json){"sheet_name":"Sheet1","ops":[{"range":"A:A","size":{"kind":"width","width_chars":12.0}}]}{"sheet_name":"Sheet1","ops":[{"target":{"kind":"columns","range":"A:C"},"size":{"kind":"auto","min_width_chars":8.0,"max_width_chars":24.0}}]}{"ops":[{"sheet_name":"Sheet1","range":"A:A","size":{"kind":"width","width_chars":12.0}}]}@layout_ops.json){"ops":[{"kind":"freeze_panes","sheet_name":"Sheet1","freeze_rows":1,"freeze_cols":1}]}{"ops":[{"kind":"set_page_setup","sheet_name":"Sheet1","orientation":"landscape","fit_to_width":1,"fit_to_height":1}]}@rules_ops.json){"ops":[{"kind":"set_data_validation","sheet_name":"Sheet1","target_range":"B2:B4","validation":{"kind":"list","formula1":"\"A,B,C\""}}]}{"ops":[{"kind":"set_conditional_format","sheet_name":"Sheet1","target_range":"C2:C10","rule":{"kind":"expression","formula":"C2>100"},"style":{"fill_color":"#FFF2CC","bold":true}}]}write batch formula-pattern clears cached results for touched formula cells; run workbook recalculate to refresh computed values.
Formula-aware commands support:
--formula-parse-policy fail|warn|off
fail — abortwarn — continue and attach grouped diagnosticsoff — skip silentlyThis lets agents choose between strictness and progress depending on the workflow.
read values <file> <sheet> <range> [range...] [--format dense\|json\|values\|csv] [--include-formulas]read cells <file> <sheet> <target> [target...] [--include-empty]read page <file> <sheet> --format <full|compact|values_only> [--start-row ROW] [--page-size N]workbook create <path> [--sheets Inputs,Calc,...] [--overwrite]analyze find-value <file> <query> [--sheet S] [--mode value\|label] [--label-direction right\|below\|any]write batch transform <file> --ops @ops.json (--dry-run\|--in-place\|--output PATH)write_path_provenance)Formula-writing commands emit optional provenance metadata for troubleshooting:
written_via: write path (edit, transform_batch, apply_formula_pattern)formula_targets: sheet/cell or sheet/range targets touched by formula writesDebug compare workflow:
write_path_provenance.written_via and formula_targets in responses.inspect-cells plus recalculate to compare resulting behavior.24–36 chars) to prevent clipping."$"#,##0.00_);[Red]("$"#,##0.00)0.0%#,##0sheet-layout-batch freeze panes after header layout stabilizes.JSON output is compact by default; use --quiet to suppress warnings.
Global --output-format csv is currently unsupported; use command-specific CSV options like read table --table-format csv.
The MCP surface is the stateful server version of spreadsheet-kit.
Use it when you want:
Add to ~/.claude.json or project .mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"spreadsheet": {
"command": "spreadsheet-mcp",
"args": ["--workspace-root", "/path/to/workbooks", "--transport", "stdio"]
}
}
}
{
"mcpServers": {
"spreadsheet": {
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run", "-i", "--rm",
"-v", "/path/to/workbooks:/data",
"ghcr.io/psu3d0/spreadsheet-mcp:latest",
"--transport", "stdio"
]
}
}
}
spreadsheet-mcp --workspace-root /path/to/workbooks
# -> http://127.0.0.1:8079 (POST /mcp)
list_workbooksdescribe_workbooklist_sheetsworkbook_summarysheet_overviewsheet_pageread_tablerange_valuesnamed_rangessheet_stylesworkbook_style_summaryfind_valuefind_formulasheet_formula_mapformula_tracescan_volatilestable_profilesheet_statisticsget_manifest_stubedit_batchtransform_batchstyle_batchapply_formula_patternstructure_batchcolumn_size_batchsheet_layout_batchrules_batchrecalculateget_changesetsave_forkscreenshot_sheetvba_project_summaryvba_module_sourcespreadsheet-kit-sdkThe JS SDK is the app-facing integration layer.
It normalizes:
It is designed so an integration can target:
Install:
npm i spreadsheet-kit-sdk
spreadsheet-kit-wasmThe Rust crate exists in this repository and provides a WASM-facing byte/session wrapper around the shared engine.
Current status:
spreadsheet-kit-wasm distribution remains plannedSo the right framing today is:
Formula recalculation is pluggable.
| Backend | How | Default | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formualizer | Native Rust engine | Yes | Fast default recalc with no external dependency |
| LibreOffice | Headless soffice |
Docker :full / explicit builds |
Maximum compatibility and screenshot flows |
Feature notes:
recalc-formualizer is enabled by defaultrecalc-libreoffice is available for LibreOffice-backed buildsPublished at ghcr.io/psu3d0/spreadsheet-mcp:
| Image | Size | Recalc | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
latest |
~15 MB | No | Read-only analysis and lightweight agent deployments |
full |
~800 MB | Yes | Write + recalc + screenshots |
Examples:
# Read-only
docker run -v /path/to/workbooks:/data -p 8079:8079 ghcr.io/psu3d0/spreadsheet-mcp:latest
# Write + recalc
docker run -v /path/to/workbooks:/data -p 8079:8079 ghcr.io/psu3d0/spreadsheet-mcp:full
spreadsheet-kit/
├── crates/
│ ├── spreadsheet-kit/ # shared engine + asp / agent-spreadsheet CLI
│ ├── spreadsheet-mcp/ # MCP server adapter
│ └── spreadsheet-kit-wasm/ # experimental WASM-facing wrapper
├── npm/
│ ├── agent-spreadsheet/ # npm CLI wrapper
│ └── spreadsheet-kit-sdk/ # JS SDK
├── docs/ # architecture and design docs
├── benchmarks/ # scenario budget regression harnesses
└── .github/workflows/ # CI, release, docker builds
| Package | Role |
|---|---|
spreadsheet-kit |
shared engine and CLI binaries |
spreadsheet-mcp |
stateful MCP transport + server surface |
spreadsheet-kit-wasm |
WASM-facing byte/session wrapper |
agent-spreadsheet |
npm wrapper for the CLI binary |
spreadsheet-kit-sdk |
JS SDK for MCP/WASM-style integrations |

Core ideas:
Token-efficient workflow reference:

Recommended progression:
# Build everything
cargo build --release
# Run formatting, lint, and tests
cargo fmt --all -- --check
cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings
cargo test --workspace
Local MCP iteration:
WORKSPACE_ROOT=/path/to/workbooks ./scripts/local-docker-mcp.sh
Or point your MCP client directly at the local binary:
{
"mcpServers": {
"spreadsheet": {
"command": "./target/release/spreadsheet-mcp",
"args": ["--workspace-root", "/path/to/workbooks", "--transport", "stdio"]
}
}
}
Apache-2.0
Добавь это в claude_desktop_config.json и перезапусти Claude Desktop.
{
"mcpServers": {
"psu3d0-spreadsheet-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": []
}
}
}