xlsx_skill

Overview

This skill provides comprehensive spreadsheet creation, editing, and analysis for .xlsx, .xlsm, .csv, and .tsv files. It supports formulas, formatting, data analysis with pandas, visualization, and automated formula recalculation using LibreOffice. The skill is opinionated about preserving templates and delivering files with zero formula errors.

How this skill works

Use pandas for data ingestion, manipulation, and chart-ready data frames, and openpyxl for creating or modifying workbooks, inserting formulas, and applying cell formatting. All calculated values are written as Excel formulas (not hardcoded results). After saving, run the included recalc.py script to recalculate formulas via LibreOffice and validate there are no Excel error values.

When to use it

• Create new spreadsheets that must remain dynamic and recalculable
• Edit existing templates while preserving exact style and conventions
• Analyze datasets from .xlsx/.csv with pandas and export processed results
• Add formulas, ranges, charts, and conditional formatting programmatically
• Recalculate formulas and verify zero Excel formula errors before delivery

Best practices

• Always write formulas into cells (e.g., '=SUM(A2:A10)'), not computed Python values
• Match existing template formatting exactly when updating files; do not reformat established templates
• Use pandas for data work and openpyxl for formula/formatting changes to keep code simple
• Run recalc.py after saving any file with formulas and fix any reported errors before handing off
• Add cell comments or a documentation sheet for complex formulas and data sources

Example use cases

• Build a monthly financial model with linked sheets and Excel formulas so users can update inputs directly
• Load raw CSV sales data, produce cleaned pivot-ready sheets, and add formula-driven KPI summaries
• Update a client’s reporting template with new columns while preserving color coding and number formats
• Programmatically insert charts and formulas, then recalculate and deliver an error-free .xlsx
• Recalculate and validate an existing workbook to find and fix #REF!, #DIV/0!, or #NAME? issues