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Microsoft Excel MCP server

Integrate Microsoft Excel spreadsheets with AI agents to automate data entry, analysis, and reporting. An AI agent connected to Excel can read and write cell values, create tables, build formulas, apply formatting, and generate charts—all from natural language instructions. Use this for financial analysis, data processing, automated reporting, or any workflow involving spreadsheet manipulation.

Setting up an MCP server

This article covers the standard steps for creating an MCP server in AI Gateway and connecting it to an AI client. The steps are the same for every integration — application-specific details (API credentials, OAuth endpoints, and scopes) are covered in the individual application pages.

Before you begin​

You'll need:

  • Access to AI Gateway with permission to create MCP servers
  • API credentials for the application you're connecting (see the relevant application page for what to collect)

Create an MCP server​

Find the API in the catalog​

  1. Sign in to AI Gateway and select MCP Servers from the left navigation.
  2. Select New MCP Server.
  3. Search for the application you want to connect, then select it from the catalog.

Configure the server​

  1. Enter a Name for your server — something descriptive that identifies both the application and its purpose (for example, "Zendesk Support — Prod").
  2. Enter a Description so your team knows what the server is for.
  3. Set the Timeout value. 30 seconds works for most APIs; increase to 60 seconds for APIs that return large payloads.
  4. Toggle Production mode on if this server will be used in a live workflow.
  5. Select Next.

Configure authentication​

Enter the authentication details for the application. This varies by service — see the Authentication section of the relevant application page for the specific credentials, OAuth URLs, and scopes to use.

Configure security​

  1. Set any Rate limits appropriate for your use case and the API's own limits.
  2. Enable Logging if you want AI Gateway to record requests and responses for auditing.
  3. Select Next.

Deploy​

Review the summary, then select Deploy. AI Gateway provisions the server and provides a server URL you'll use when configuring your AI client.

Connect to an AI client​

Once your server is deployed, you'll need to add it to the AI client your team uses. Select your client for setup instructions:

Tips​

  • You can create multiple MCP servers for the same application — for example, a read-only server for reporting agents and a read-write server for automation workflows.
  • If you're unsure which OAuth scopes to request, start with the minimum read-only set and add write scopes only when needed. Most application pages include scope recommendations.
  • You can edit a server's name, description, timeout, and security settings after deployment without redeploying.

Authentication​

Excel integration uses OAuth 2.0 authentication through Microsoft Graph. When you register an application in Azure AD, you'll receive a tenant-specific authorization endpoint (https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant-id}/oauth2/v2.0/authorize) and token endpoint (https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant-id}/oauth2/v2.0/token). You'll need these values plus your client ID and client secret to configure the MCP server. The integration requires Graph API scopes such as Files.ReadWrite, Sites.ReadWrite.All, and User.Read to access workbooks stored in OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams.

Available tools​

These tools enable reading workbook data, modifying cell contents, creating and managing tables, building formulas, and applying formatting to spreadsheets.

ToolDescription
List workbooksList all workbooks the user has access to
Get workbook detailsRetrieve metadata and properties for a specific workbook
Read cell valuesGet the values from a cell or range of cells
Write cell valuesSet values in cells or ranges
Create tableConvert a range into an Excel table
Add formulaInsert formulas like SUM, VLOOKUP, or custom calculations
Format cellsApply number formats, currency, percentages, or dates
Create chartGenerate charts from worksheet data
Get rangeRetrieve a range of cells with their values and formatting
Update rangeModify a range of cells in bulk

Tips​

Use relative references when writing formulas so they adjust automatically when copied to other cells.

Refresh your session periodically if performing many operations, as Excel's Graph API enforces session timeouts.

Use batch operations when working with large datasets to reduce API calls and improve performance.

Keep workbooks organized in consistent folder structures so the agent can locate files reliably.

Test formulas and formatting on a small dataset before applying them to production spreadsheets.