The Sheets & Cells Add-in · Powered by Claude

Claude in Excel

Anthropic's Claude AI, right inside Excel. Formula generation, error explanation, data analysis, and honest AI that admits when it doesn't know. Available through our Sheets & Cells Add-in.

💡 Why Claude for Excel?

Claude is built by Anthropic with a focus on honesty, helpfulness, and safety. In Excel, that translates into practical differences: Claude tells you when a formula won't work with your data. It admits when it's uncertain. It explains its reasoning so you can verify.

For financial models, analytical work, and anything where a wrong answer costs money, an AI that says "I'm not sure — here's what I'd check first" beats one that confidently invents formulas that break in production.

Key features

Core feature

Formula Generation

Describe what you want in plain English. Get the exact formula.

You: "Sum revenue by region excluding refunds"
Claude: =SUMIFS(Revenue, Region, "West", Type, "<>Refund")

Works for any function — VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, LAMBDA, dynamic arrays.

Debug faster

Error Explanation

Click any cell with an error. Claude explains why it broke and what to fix.

Claude: "Your VLOOKUP is returning #N/A because the lookup value 'CUST-023 ' has a trailing space. Try wrapping in TRIM: =VLOOKUP(TRIM(A1), ...)"

Understands #REF!, #VALUE!, #NAME?, #N/A, #SPILL!, and every other error type.

Analysis

Data Analysis Chat

Ask questions about your selected data. Get insights, patterns, and recommendations.

You: "What's driving the revenue drop in Q3?"
Claude analyzes the selected range and identifies the top contributing factors.

Great for exploratory analysis before you build charts or Pivot Tables.

Learn

Formula Explanation

Inherit someone else's workbook? Ask Claude to explain any formula in plain language.

You: "Explain this formula"
Claude breaks down each argument, shows what the formula does step by step, and flags any issues.

Turns cryptic legacy workbooks into understandable systems.

How it compares to other AI Excel tools

Feature Sheets & Cells (Claude) Microsoft Copilot
Pricing Free tier + $12/mo Basic + $29/mo Pro $30/user/month M365 Copilot subscription
AI model Claude (Anthropic) GPT-4 (OpenAI)
Available on Windows, Mac, Excel Online, iPad Windows, Mac, Excel Online (with M365 Copilot)
Setup Install via Excel add-in store, 2 minutes Included in M365 Copilot subscription
Formula generation ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Error explanation ✓ Detailed Basic
Best for Individuals, analysts, small teams Large enterprises already on M365 Copilot

Pricing tiers

  • Free: 20 requests/month, formula generation and error explanation only
  • Basic — $12/month: 500 requests/month, all features except data analysis chat
  • Pro — $29/month: 5,000 requests/month, all features including data analysis chat and priority support
  • Team — $12/user/month: Pro features for teams of 5+ with shared usage pool
  • Enterprise — Custom: Unlimited requests, custom deployment, dedicated support. Contact us.

Installing the Add-in

  1. Open Excel → Insert tab → Get Add-ins (or Office Add-ins on Mac)
  2. Search for "Sheets & Cells" in the store
  3. Click Add → Trust It → grant permissions
  4. Add-in appears in the Home ribbon under "Sheets & Cells"
  5. Click Sign In and create your free account

Full setup guide with screenshots at /addin/. Takes about 2 minutes end to end.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Microsoft 365 subscription?

You need Excel (any modern version — 365, 2021, 2019, or Excel Online will work). You don't need Microsoft 365 Copilot. Our Add-in works with any Excel installation.

Is my Excel data sent to Claude?

Only the specific data you select or reference in a prompt. We never send your whole workbook. Data is used only to generate your response and isn't used for training. Full details on our privacy page.

How is this different from just using Claude.ai in a browser?

Two big differences: (1) Context — the Add-in knows your selected cells, so you don't have to copy-paste back and forth. (2) Actions — Claude can write formulas directly into your workbook, not just tell you what to type.

Does it work offline?

No. The Add-in requires an internet connection to reach Claude. Excel itself continues working normally offline; you just can't use AI features until you reconnect.

Can I try it before paying?

Yes — the Free tier gives you 20 requests per month, enough to try formula generation and error explanation. Upgrade only if you find it useful.

Add Claude to Excel today.

Free tier, no credit card required. Install in 2 minutes. Upgrade when you're ready.

Get the Add-in →