mcp-server-xlwings

by geniuskey

250 downloads

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About

MCP server for Excel automation via xlwings COM. Works with DRM-protected files.

Details

Author: geniuskey
Downloads: 250
Categories: Other

Setting up with Highlight

This MCP is not yet compatible with Highlight’s one-click setup. However, you can still use it with Highlight by following these steps:

Download and install Highlight from highlightai.com/download
Navigate to the plugins tab and select "Add Custom Plugin"
Configure the plugin with the settings below

Plugin Name mcp-server-xlwings

Command (node, npx, python, etc.)

Please refer to the README for specific instructions on how to obtain API keys or other required environment variables.
Enable "Start Automatically" if you want the plugin to start when Highlight launches

Setting up with Cursor

Open Cursor's settings
Navigate to the MCP section
Click "Add new Global MCP server"
Copy and paste the configuration below based on your operating system

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

Setting up with Claude Desktop

Open Claude Desktop's settings
Go to the Integrations tab
Click "Add MCP Server"
Use the configuration below based on your operating system

Note: Make sure Claude Desktop is running before attempting to connect.

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

Setting up with Windsurf

Open Windsurf's preferences
Go to the Integrations section
Click "Add MCP Integration"
Use the configuration below based on your operating system

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

Setting up with Cline

Open Cline's settings
Navigate to the Integrations section
Click "Add MCP Server"
Copy and paste the configuration below based on your operating system

Note: Make sure to restart Cline after adding the configuration.

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

Setting up with Goose

Open Goose's preferences
Go to the Integrations tab
Select "MCP Servers"
Click "Add New Server"
Use the configuration below based on your operating system

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

JSON

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

From the repository

Install with uvx mcp-server-xlwings (recommended) or pip install mcp-server-xlwings. Configure your MCP client (e.g., Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Roo Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Continue) by adding a JSON or YAML entry pointing to the uvx command and server name. All tools default to the active workbook when no workbook is specified.

Claude Desktop / Cursor

Paste into your MCP client config file to install this server.

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcp-server-xlwings": {
            "xlwings": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "mcp-server-xlwings"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

McpServers

{
    "xlwings": {
        "command": "uvx",
        "args": [
            "mcp-server-xlwings"
        ]
    }
}

mcp-server-xlwings

MCP server for Excel automation via xlwings COM. Works with DRM-protected files.

Why xlwings?

Libraries like openpyxl or pandas read .xlsx files directly from disk. This fails when: - DRM / file-level encryption is applied (common in enterprise environments) - You need to interact with a live Excel session (formulas, macros, add-ins) - Files are locked by another process mcp-server-xlwings uses COM automation to talk to the running Excel process, so it can read and write any file that Excel itself can open -- including DRM-protected documents.

xlwings-exclusive capabilities

These features are impossible with file-based libraries like openpyxl: - Read the user's current selection -- see exactly what the user is looking at - Get the active workbook -- no need to specify a file path - Run VBA macros -- execute existing macros and get their return values - Live formula results -- set a formula and get the calculated value immediately - Force recalculation -- trigger Excel to recalculate all formulas

Installation

With uvx (recommended)

bash
uvx mcp-server-xlwings



With pip

bash
pip install mcp-server-xlwings



Configuration


Claude Desktop


Add to

%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xlwings": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-xlwings"]
    }
  }
}



Claude Code

bash
claude mcp add xlwings -- uvx mcp-server-xlwings



Roo Code (VS Code)


Add to Roo Code MCP settings or create

<project-root>/.roo/mcp.json

json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xlwings": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-xlwings"]
    }
  }
}



Cursor


Add to

%USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json

json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xlwings": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-xlwings"]
    }
  }
}



Windsurf


Add to

%USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json

json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xlwings": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-xlwings"]
    }
  }
}



Continue (VS Code)


Add to

~/.continue/config.yaml

yaml
mcpServers:
  - name: xlwings
    command: uvx
    args:
      - mcp-server-xlwings



Available Tools (11)


All tools default to the active workbook when

workbook

 is omitted.

| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
|

get_active_workbook

 | Get active workbook info, sheets, and current selection with data |
|

manage_workbooks

 | List, open, save, close, or recalculate workbooks |
|

read_data | Read a range with merge_info, header_row, sheet="" batch read, and detailmode | |write_data | Write a 2D array (data) or a single-cell formula (formula) | |manage_sheets| List, add, delete, rename, copy, activate sheets. Insert/delete rows and columns | |find_replace| Search for text, optionally replace it | |format_range| Apply formatting (bold, italic, color, borders, alignment, number format, etc.) | |run_macro| Execute a VBA macro and get its return value | |get_formulas| Get all formulas in a range with optional calculated values | |get_cell_styles| Get formatting/style info (bold, colors, borders, etc.) for cells in a range | |get_objects| List charts, images, and shapes on a sheet | Examples See what the user is working on > "What's in the spreadsheet I have open?" The agent callsget_active_workbook() to get the workbook name, sheets, and selection data, then read_data()to fetch the full sheet. Summarize selected data > "Summarize the data I've selected" The agent callsget_active_workbook()-- the response includes the selection data directly. Run a macro > "Run the UpdateReport macro" The agent callsrun_macro(macro_name="UpdateReport")and returns the result. Build a summary row > "Add a SUM formula in C10 that totals C2:C9" The agent callswrite_data(start_cell="C10", formula="=SUM(C2:C9)")and gets back the calculated value. Format a header row > "Make row 1 bold and centered with a yellow background" The agent callsformat_range(cell_range="A1:D1", bold=true, alignment="center", bg_color="#FFFF00"). Read all sheets at once > "Give me a summary of every sheet" The agent callsread_data(sheet="")

 -- returns all sheet summaries in a single call.

Read merged cells properly


> "Read B6:C20 and fill in merged cell values"

The agent calls

read_data(cell_range="B6:C20", merge_info=true)

. Merged cells return the parent value instead of null.

Find all formulas


> "Show me all formulas in this sheet"

The agent calls

get_formulas(cell_range="A1:Z100", values_too=true)

 and gets every formula with its calculated value.

Insert rows


> "Insert 3 blank rows at row 5"

The agent calls

manage_sheets(action="insert_rows", position=5, count=3)`.

Requirements

- Windows (Excel COM automation is Windows-only) - Microsoft Excel installed - Python 3.10+

License

MIT

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About

Details

Jump to

Setting up with Highlight

From the repository

Claude Desktop / Cursor

McpServers

mcp-server-xlwings

Why xlwings?

xlwings-exclusive capabilities

Installation

With uvx (recommended)

With pip

Configuration

Claude Desktop

Claude Code

Roo Code (VS Code)

Cursor

Windsurf

Continue (VS Code)

Available Tools (11)

Examples

See what the user is working on

Summarize selected data

Run a macro

Build a summary row

Format a header row

Read all sheets at once

Read merged cells properly

Find all formulas

Insert rows

Requirements

License

Install

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