AI Spreadsheet for VS Code

SheetXL is a spreadsheet editor with AI agent support. Open an .xlsx file and it renders in the editor with an Excel-grade calculation engine behind it: 545+ Excel functions, formatting, formulas, the lot. Open the chat and your agent sees the same workbook. It can read it, change it, highlight the cells it is talking about, and ask you questions in the grid. Every change the agent makes is a commit you can undo.

Free during the 0.9 beta.

Get started

1. Install the extension. Search for AI Spreadsheet or SheetXL in the Extensions view, or run:

   code --install-extension sheetxl.sheetxl-vscode --pre-release
   

2. Open a spreadsheet. File → Open File… and pick an .xlsx, or drag one onto the window.

   code my-model.xlsx
   

3. Ask your agent. Open the chat (Ctrl+Alt+I / ⌃⌘I) and type:

   Can you tell me about this spreadsheet?

That is all. No Node, no npm, no server to run: the extension starts its own.

Which agents

• GitHub Copilot finds SheetXL automatically. Copilot's free tier needs a GitHub sign-in.
• Claude Code attaches through the SheetXL plugin: /plugin marketplace add sheetxl/skills, then /plugin install sheetxl@sheetxl. Its server finds the workbooks you have open here.
• Any MCP client can do the same with the @sheetxl/mcp server from npm; it finds this window's open workbooks on its own.

What the agent can do

• Read any range, formula, or format, and search cells.
• Change the workbook with TypeScript against the SheetXL API. Every change is a commit you can undo.
• Highlight the ranges it is working on or wants you to look at.
• Ask you a question in the grid and wait for your answer.
• Work in sandbox copies before touching your file.

Also in the box

• Workbook scripts (.sxlm) with TypeScript linting and compile on save.
• .sxl, SheetXL's own format, which saves everything the engine knows.

Links

• sheetxl.com
• Get started in VS Code — the step-by-step guide
• Documentation
• Issues
• License