OpenPyXL
A thin wrapper around the OpenPyXl Python library that exposes some of its features as Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. This allows Claude and other MCP clients to fetch data from Excel files.
What is OpenPyXL?
OpenPyXL is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to thin wrapper around the openpyxl python library that exposes some of its features as model context protocol (mcp) server. this allows claude and other mcp clients to fetch data from excel files.
A thin wrapper around the OpenPyXl Python library that exposes some of its features as Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. This allows Claude and other MCP clients to fetch data from Excel files.
This server falls under the File Systems category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A thin wrapper around the OpenPyXl Python library that expos
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx openpyxlConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use OpenPyXL
The OpenPyXL MCP Server wraps the popular Python openpyxl library as an MCP server, giving Claude and other AI clients the ability to read and analyze Excel (.xlsx) files without manual data export or copy-paste. It exposes the core openpyxl read capabilities — worksheet enumeration, cell range reading, and data extraction — so you can ask Claude to query spreadsheet data, summarize financial records, locate specific cells, and analyze large datasets directly from the file on disk. It is distributed as a standalone executable requiring no Python installation, making it easy to set up on any machine.
Prerequisites
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, or Zed
- The openpyxl_mcp_server executable downloaded from the GitHub Releases page (no Python install required when using the pre-built binary)
- Excel files in .xlsx format (the server reads .xlsx; legacy .xls files are not supported by openpyxl)
Download the pre-built executable
Go to the Releases page on GitHub and download the binary for your platform (macOS, Windows, or Linux). No Python installation is required.
# macOS/Linux: after downloading, make it executable
chmod a+x /path/to/openpyxl_mcp_server
# Or build from source:
git clone https://github.com/jonemo/openpyxl-mcp-server.git
cd openpyxl-mcp-server
python3 -m venv venv && source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txtLocate your Claude Desktop config file
The config file path depends on your OS. Open it in a text editor.
# macOS:
# ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
# Windows:
# %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.jsonAdd the server to your MCP client configuration
Edit the config file to register the openpyxl MCP server. Use the full absolute path to the downloaded executable.
Restart Claude Desktop
Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. The openpyxl server should appear in the connected tools list.
Ask Claude to read an Excel file
Give Claude the full path to an .xlsx file on your disk and ask it to analyze the contents. The server will load the file using openpyxl and return the requested data.
OpenPyXL Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration for macOS using the pre-built binary. On Windows, use the .exe path and backslashes.
{
"mcpServers": {
"inspect_excel_xlsx_file": {
"command": "/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/Downloads/openpyxl_mcp_server",
"args": []
}
}
}Prompts to try
Reference your Excel files by their full path and ask Claude to analyze them using the OpenPyXL server.
- "Read /Users/me/Documents/budget_2025.xlsx and summarize total expenses by category."
- "In /data/transactions.xlsx, find all rows where the Amount column exceeds $10,000."
- "Open /reports/q4_sales.xlsx and tell me which sheet has the highest revenue total."
- "Look at /forms/tax_form_1040.xlsx and tell me which cells I need to fill in for Schedule C."
- "From /data/buildings.xlsx find the five largest federal buildings by square footage."Troubleshooting OpenPyXL
Permission denied when running the executable on macOS
Run 'chmod a+x /path/to/openpyxl_mcp_server' to make the binary executable. macOS may also show a Gatekeeper warning for unsigned binaries — go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click 'Allow Anyway' after the first blocked launch attempt.
Server cannot find or open the Excel file
Always use the full absolute path to the .xlsx file in your prompts (e.g., /Users/username/Documents/file.xlsx rather than ~/Documents/file.xlsx). The server process may not expand shell shortcuts like ~. Also confirm the file is in .xlsx format — legacy .xls files are not supported.
Data appears incomplete or truncated for large spreadsheets
Very large spreadsheets (thousands of rows) may be summarized due to MCP response size limits. Ask Claude to query specific cell ranges or sheets rather than the entire workbook at once, for example: 'Read rows 1 to 100 from the Sales sheet in the file.'
Frequently Asked Questions about OpenPyXL
What is OpenPyXL?
OpenPyXL is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that thin wrapper around the openpyxl python library that exposes some of its features as model context protocol (mcp) server. this allows claude and other mcp clients to fetch data from excel files. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install OpenPyXL?
Follow the installation instructions on the OpenPyXL GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with OpenPyXL?
OpenPyXL works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is OpenPyXL free to use?
Yes, OpenPyXL is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up OpenPyXL in Your Editor
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Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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