Excel MCP Server for Windsurf: Setup & Config

What you can do with Excel in Windsurf

Inspect and change workbook ranges with formulas, tables, and per-cell styles in the same integration.

• Find workbook sheets, then inspect a bounded range before making changes.
• Review formulas or style metadata instead of reading only displayed values.
• Capture a paginated sheet image when working on Windows.

Before you start: Excel in Windsurf

• Node.js version 20.x or above
• MCP client able to launch the npm package

The command and flags match the README configuration for other platforms. Its Windows configuration instead launches cmd with /c, then npx and the same package flags. Tool calls use an absolute workbook path. The paging environment key is documented with a default value of 4000.

Excel Windsurf configuration

1. Choose Windsurf configuration scope

   For Excel MCP Server, open macOS/Linux: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json. Merge into mcpServers; remote endpoints use serverUrl.

2. Add Excel MCP Server to Windsurf

   Use the excel-mcp-server-negokaz entry below in mcpServers. Keep Excel MCP Server's documented stdio connection fields and your other Windsurf entries.

3. Check Excel MCP Server in Windsurf

   Excel MCP Server: Refresh MCP in Windsurf settings and inspect Cascade’s tools.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "excel-mcp-server-negokaz": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "--yes",
        "@negokaz/excel-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "EXCEL_MCP_PAGING_CELLS_LIMIT": "<optional page-size ceiling in cells; documented default is 4000>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Excel tools available to Windsurf

Excel's stored tool list documents 7 tools; compare it with Windsurf's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

excel_describe_sheets

After refreshing Excel in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for excel_describe_sheets.

Discover the sheet information associated with a workbook file.

excel_read_sheet

After refreshing Excel in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for excel_read_sheet.

Inspect a paginated cell range, choosing whether formulas or styling details are included.

excel_copy_sheet

After refreshing Excel in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for excel_copy_sheet.

excel_write_to_sheet

After refreshing Excel in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for excel_write_to_sheet.

Populate a range with values or formulas, with an option to create the destination sheet.

excel_create_table

After refreshing Excel in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for excel_create_table.

excel_format_range

After refreshing Excel in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for excel_format_range.

excel_screen_capture

After refreshing Excel in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for excel_screen_capture.

On Windows, obtain a paginated screenshot of the requested sheet range.

Excel: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting Excel in Windsurf

• Check npx @negokaz/excel-mcp-server (Node.js/npm) on the machine running Windsurf's MCP integration for Excel MCP Server; refresh MCP and inspect Cascade's tools.
• Check EXCEL_MCP_PAGING_CELLS_LIMIT for Excel MCP Server; do not bypass a Windsurf permission error with a broad administrator token.
• Excel MCP Server uses stdio here: Windsurf must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Screenshot capture and live editing are not documented for non-Windows platforms.
• Known limitation: The npm launch requires Node.js 20.x or a newer release.
• General Windsurf troubleshooting lives in the /clients/windsurf guide.

Frequently asked questions