MiniMax XLSX
Skill
Popular Repo
Excel / XLSX
Open Source
Best for: Editing existing Excel files with zero format loss — XML-native means conditional formatting, charts, and styles survive unchanged
Not ideal for: Users who want a simple pip-install tool — the XML workflow requires understanding of OOXML structure for advanced edits
Why XML-Native Matters
Most Excel libraries (openpyxl, xlwings) serialize then re-serialize the file — losing conditional formatting, custom styles, and chart details. MiniMax XLSX unzips the .xlsx (which is a ZIP of XML files), edits the XML directly, and rezips. The file is structurally identical to the original except for your changes.
Capability coverage:
Read & analyze
Create from template
XML direct edit
Formula fix
Style audit
Zero format loss
Column add / delete
Row insert / shift
OOXML cheatsheet
5 Operation Modes
| Mode |
When to Use |
Tools Used |
| READ |
Analyze an existing workbook — data, structure, formulas, styles |
xlsx_reader, style_audit |
| CREATE |
Build a new workbook from an XML template |
xlsx_pack (with template XML) |
| EDIT |
Modify an existing file at OOXML level without touching structure |
xlsx_unpack, xlsx_add_column, xlsx_insert_row, xlsx_shift_rows, xlsx_pack |
| FIX |
Repair broken formulas, circular references, or corrupt XML |
formula_check, xlsx_unpack, xlsx_pack |
| VALIDATE |
Audit formulas and styles without making changes |
formula_check, style_audit |
Core Features
📦
xlsx_unpack / xlsx_pack
The core workflow: unzip an .xlsx into its constituent XML files (xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml, xl/styles.xml, etc.), edit them, then repack. This is how Excel itself stores files internally — editing at this level preserves 100% of formatting that higher-level libraries strip out.
🔢
formula_check
Validates every formula in the workbook before and after edits. Detects #REF!, #NAME?, #DIV/0!, circular dependencies, and broken cross-sheet references. Returns a structured report with cell addresses and suggested fixes.
🎨
style_audit
Audits cell styles, font usage, number formats, and conditional formatting rules across all sheets. Useful for enforcing consistent formatting standards or understanding a complex workbook before modifying it.
📖
Built-in OOXML Cheatsheet
Ships with a reference guide to Office Open XML structure — sheet XML schema, cell reference format, style index system, formula encoding. The LLM uses this to write correct XML without hallucinating element names.
📊
xlsx_reader (pandas-backed)
For READ mode: uses pandas for fast structured data analysis. Returns schema, data types, sample rows, pivot summaries, and formula catalog. Faster than XML parsing for data analysis tasks where you don't need to edit.
Install
git clone https://github.com/MiniMax-AI/skills
cp -r skills/minimax-xlsx ~/.claude/skills/minimax-xlsx
pip install pandas openpyxl
The EDIT/CREATE/FIX/VALIDATE modes require no Python packages — they work entirely by manipulating the XML files inside the .xlsx ZIP archive. Only READ mode (xlsx_reader) uses pandas, and that's optional.
Ratings
XML Format Preservation
4.9
Ease is 4.0/5 — no pip install simplifies setup, but understanding XML-level editing has a learning curve for users unfamiliar with OOXML structure.
Signals
Maintainer
MiniMax-AI (official)
Dependencies
None required (pandas optional)
Repo Stars
3.8k (shared with minimax-pptx)
Paired with
minimax-pptx (same repo)