Excel MCP Server for Claude Code: Setup & Config

What you can do with Excel in Claude Code

Pick it for workbook editing, charts, and pivot tables without installing Microsoft Excel.

• Create workbooks and manage worksheet names or copies.
• Expose spreadsheet operations to a remote MCP client.

Before you start: Excel in Claude Code

• uvx
• An MCP-compatible client

Stdio accepts a path in each tool call. For remote operation use the documented streamable-http mode, configure EXCEL_FILES_PATH, and keep tool paths relative to that directory. SSE is deprecated.

Excel Claude Code configuration

1. Choose Claude Code configuration scope

   For Excel MCP Server, open Project scope: .mcp.json at the repository root. Project JSON: merge into mcpServers; user scope: use the CLI.

2. Add Excel MCP Server to Claude Code

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

3. Check Excel MCP Server in Claude Code

   Excel MCP Server: Inspect claude mcp list and /mcp status.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "excel-mcp-server": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "excel-mcp-server",
        "stdio"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

claude mcp add-json --scope project 'excel-mcp-server' '{"type":"stdio","command":"uvx","args":["excel-mcp-server","stdio"],"env":{}}'

Troubleshooting Excel in Claude Code

• If Excel MCP Server fails to start, check uvx excel-mcp-server (from uv, for Python tools), the working directory, and Claude Code's selected scope; inspect claude mcp list and /mcp.
• Excel MCP Server uses stdio here: Claude Code must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: SSE is deprecated.
• Known limitation: The supplied README delegates individual tool details to a separate document.
• Known limitation: Example connection ports differ from the stated default port.
• General Claude Code troubleshooting lives in the /clients/claude-code guide.

Frequently asked questions