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Get Started Free →Open, create, read, analyze, edit, or validate Excel/spreadsheet files (.xlsx, .xlsm, .csv, .tsv). Use when the user asks to create, build, modify, analyze, read, validate, or format any Excel spreadsheet, financial model, pivot table, or tabular data file. Covers: creating new xlsx from scratch, reading and analyzing existing files, editing existing xlsx with zero format loss, formula recalculation and validation, and applying professional financial formatting standards. Triggers on 'spreadshee
.claude/skills/minimax-xlsx/SKILL.md| Test case | Without → With | Effect | Δ tokens | Δ turns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| case-07 | ✗→✓ | ▲ Improved | — | — |
| case-14 | ✗→✓ | ▲ Improved | — | — |
| case-13 | ✗→✓ | ▲ Improved | — | — |
| case-15 | ✗→✓ | ▲ Improved | — | — |
| case-17 | ✗→✓ | ▲ Improved | — | — |
Handle the request directly. Do NOT spawn sub-agents. Always write the output file the user requests.
| Task | Method | Guide | |------|--------|-------| | READ — analyze existing data | xlsx_reader.py + pandas | references/read-analyze.md | | CREATE — new xlsx from scratch | XML template | references/create.md + references/format.md | | EDIT — modify existing xlsx | XML unpack→edit→pack | references/edit.md (+ format.md if styling needed) | | FIX — repair broken formulas in existing xlsx | XML unpack→fix <f> nodes→pack | references/fix.md | | VALIDATE — check formulas | formula_check.py | references/validate.md |
references/read-analyze.md first)Start with xlsx_reader.py for structure discovery, then pandas for custom analysis. Never modify the source file.
Formatting rule: When the user specifies decimal places (e.g. "2 decimal places"), apply that format to ALL numeric values — use f'{v:.2f}' on every number. Never output 12875 when 12875.00 is required.
Aggregation rule: Always compute sums/means/counts directly from the DataFrame column — e.g. df['Revenue'].sum(). Never re-derive column values before aggregation.
references/create.md + references/format.md)Copy templates/minimal_xlsx/ → edit XML directly → pack with xlsx_pack.py. Every derived value MUST be an Excel formula (<f>SUM(B2:B9)</f>), never a hardcoded number. Apply font colors per format.md.
references/edit.md first)CRITICAL — EDIT INTEGRITY RULES:
Workbook() for edit tasks. Always load the original file.xlsx_reader.py or pandas and confirm the original sheet names and a sample of original data are present. If verification fails, you wrote the wrong file — fix it before delivering.Never use openpyxl round-trip on existing files (corrupts VBA, pivots, sparklines). Instead: unpack → use helper scripts → repack.
"Fill cells" / "Add formulas to existing cells" = EDIT task. If the input file already exists and you are told to fill, update, or add formulas to specific cells, you MUST use the XML edit path. Never create a new Workbook(). Example — fill B3 with a cross-sheet SUM formula:
bashpython3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_unpack.py input.xlsx /tmp/xlsx_work/ # Find the target sheet's XML via xl/workbook.xml → xl/_rels/workbook.xml.rels # Then use the Edit tool to add <f> inside the target <c> element: # <c r="B3"><f>SUM('Sales Data'!D2:D13)</f><v></v></c> python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_pack.py /tmp/xlsx_work/ output.xlsx
Add a column (formulas, numfmt, styles auto-copied from adjacent column):
bashpython3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_unpack.py input.xlsx /tmp/xlsx_work/ python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_add_column.py /tmp/xlsx_work/ --col G \ --sheet "Sheet1" --header "% of Total" \ --formula '=F{row}/$F$10' --formula-rows 2:9 \ --total-row 10 --total-formula '=SUM(G2:G9)' --numfmt '0.0%' \ --border-row 10 --border-style medium python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_pack.py /tmp/xlsx_work/ output.xlsx
The --border-row flag applies a top border to ALL cells in that row (not just the new column). Use it when the task requires accounting-style borders on total rows.
Insert a row (shifts existing rows, updates SUM formulas, fixes circular refs):
bashpython3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_unpack.py input.xlsx /tmp/xlsx_work/ # IMPORTANT: Find the correct --at row by searching for the label text # in the worksheet XML, NOT by using the row number from the prompt. # The prompt may say "row 5 (Office Rent)" but Office Rent might actually # be at row 4. Always locate the row by its text label first. python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_insert_row.py /tmp/xlsx_work/ --at 5 \ --sheet "Budget FY2025" --text A=Utilities \ --values B=3000 C=3000 D=3500 E=3500 \ --formula 'F=SUM(B{row}:E{row})' --copy-style-from 4 python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_pack.py /tmp/xlsx_work/ output.xlsx
Row lookup rule: When the task says "after row N (Label)", always find the row by searching for "Label" in the worksheet XML (grep -n "Label" /tmp/xlsx_work/xl/worksheets/sheet*.xml or check sharedStrings.xml). Use the actual row number + 1 for --at. Do NOT call xlsx_shift_rows.py separately — xlsx_insert_row.py calls it internally.
Apply row-wide borders (e.g. accounting line on a TOTAL row): After running helper scripts, apply borders to ALL cells in the target row, not just newly added cells. In xl/styles.xml, append a new <border> with the desired style, then append a new <xf> in <cellXfs> that clones each cell's existing <xf> but sets the new borderId. Apply the new style index to every <c> in the row via the s attribute:
xml<!-- In xl/styles.xml, append to <borders>: --> <border> <left/><right/><top style="medium"/><bottom/><diagonal/> </border> <!-- Then append to <cellXfs> an xf clone with the new borderId for each existing style -->
Key rule: When a task says "add a border to row N", iterate over ALL cells A through the last column, not just newly added cells.
Manual XML edit (for anything the helper scripts don't cover):
bashpython3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_unpack.py input.xlsx /tmp/xlsx_work/ # ... edit XML with the Edit tool ... python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_pack.py /tmp/xlsx_work/ output.xlsx
references/fix.md first)This is an EDIT task. Unpack → fix broken <f> nodes → pack. Preserve all original sheets and data.
references/validate.md first)Run formula_check.py for static validation. Use libreoffice_recalc.py for dynamic recalculation when available.
| Cell Role | Font Color | Hex Code | |-----------|-----------|----------| | Hard-coded input / assumption | Blue | 0000FF | | Formula / computed result | Black | 000000 | | Cross-sheet reference formula | Green | 00B050 |
xlsx_pack.pyformula_check.py exit code 0 = safebashpython3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_reader.py input.xlsx # structure discovery python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/formula_check.py file.xlsx --json # formula validation python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/formula_check.py file.xlsx --report # standardized report python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_unpack.py in.xlsx /tmp/work/ # unpack for XML editing python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_pack.py /tmp/work/ out.xlsx # repack after editing python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_shift_rows.py /tmp/work/ insert 5 1 # shift rows for insertion python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_add_column.py /tmp/work/ --col G ... # add column with formulas python3 SKILL_DIR/scripts/xlsx_insert_row.py /tmp/work/ --at 6 ... # insert row with data
| Case | Status | Duration (ms) | Turns | Tokens | Tool calls | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Without | With | Δ | Without | With | Δ | Without | With | Δ | Without | With | Δ | ||
case-08 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-01 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-06 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-18 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-16 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-12 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-21 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-03 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-07 | fail→pass | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-20 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-09 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-10 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-22 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-19 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-02 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-04 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-11 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-14 | fail→pass | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-05 | fail→fail | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-13 | fail→pass | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-15 | fail→pass | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
case-17 | fail→pass | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
DecimalAI ran this skill against gemini-3.6-flash twice over the same eval suite — once with the skill loaded and once without — and compared the two runs case by case. 22 cases were attempted, and 12 counted toward the lift figure. The other 10 produced results that are not comparable between the two arms, so they are excluded from the headline rather than averaged into it. The headline lift of +23 percentage points is the difference between those two pass rates over the 12 comparable cases. 6 cases got worse with the skill loaded, and they are included in that figure.
The per-case answers from this run were removed by the retention sweep, so the case table below shows the verdicts without the text either arm produced. The counts above were recorded at the time and are unaffected. Answers are now kept for 180 days.
Other measured skills in the registry, with their headline benchmark lift.