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How to use the Excel Data Dashboard Builder agent skill

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The officecli-data-dashboard skill is an instruction package for an AI agent that builds a single Excel (.xlsx) workbook whose first tab is a dashboard with KPI cards, several charts, sparklines and conditional formatting, all driven by formulas and cell ranges. It is aimed at analysts and managers who start from a CSV or other tabular data and want a workbook that updates when the source rows change. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to phrase a request so it triggers, what it needs to run, and when to choose a different skill.

Excel Data Dashboard BuilderiOfficeAI/OfficeCLI · Apache-2.0

Quick start

  1. 1Download and unzip the skill. Download the officecli-data-dashboard ZIP from this page and unzip it. The folder should contain SKILL.md.
  2. 2Place the folder where the agent looks. Move the folder into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills instead.
  3. 3Install the companion tools. Install the officecli-xlsx skill and the OfficeCLI tool using the curl or PowerShell command, then confirm with officecli --version.
  4. 4Prepare your CSV. Export your data as CSV or another tabular file with a header row, and decide which KPIs and charts you need.
  5. 5Ask for the dashboard. Describe the audience, the source file and the metrics, using a phrase such as 'KPI dashboard' so the skill triggers.
  6. 6Review the output. Open the .xlsx, confirm the Dashboard tab opens first, and check the KPI values against your source data.

What the skill makes the agent do

An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file with instructions that an AI agent reads when a task matches the skill's description. This one tells the agent to build a dashboard rather than a plain spreadsheet with a chart pasted in. The dashboard has one Dashboard sheet that opens first, with formula-driven KPI value cells, charts whose series point at cell ranges, sparklines and semantic conditional formatting.

Raw data and aggregations sit on other sheets upstream of the Dashboard, so the reader can find the answer without switching tabs. The skill relies on the companion officecli-xlsx skill and the OfficeCLI command-line tool to write the file.

  • Output is a single .xlsx file.
  • KPI values are formulas such as SUM or AVERAGE that refer to cells on a Data or Summary sheet.
  • Chart series read from ranges such as Sheet1!B2:B13 rather than typed-in numbers, with a noted exception for rare cases.
  • Charts whose sources are hidden columns are avoided, because the skill says they can render blank.

Install the skill in Claude

Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the resulting officecli-data-dashboard folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for all your projects, or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project only.

If you use the Claude apps instead of Claude Code, you can upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills rather than copying files.

  • Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
  • Project install: .claude/skills/ inside the project folder
  • Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Install the OfficeCLI tool the skill depends on

The skill calls the OfficeCLI command-line tool to write the workbook. If officecli is not already on your machine, the skill's setup section gives these installers. On macOS or Linux, run the curl command below. On Windows, use the PowerShell command from the same page.

After installing, check it with officecli --version. If your terminal does not find the command yet, open a new terminal window so PATH is refreshed. If the installers fail, the skill points to downloading a binary from the OfficeCLI GitHub releases page.

  • macOS / Linux: curl -fsSL https://d.officecli.ai/install.sh | bash
  • Windows (PowerShell): irm https://d.officecli.ai/install.ps1 | iex
  • Check the install: officecli --version
  • Fallback: binaries are listed on the iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI GitHub releases page
curl -fsSL https://d.officecli.ai/install.sh | bash

Trigger the skill with natural requests

The skill's description lists phrases that should activate it. You do not need to name the skill. Describe the output you want and mention the data source. Phrases from the description include 'dashboard', 'KPI dashboard', 'analytics dashboard', 'executive dashboard', 'metrics dashboard', 'CSV to dashboard' and 'data visualization'.

The skill also lists requests it should not handle. Single budget trackers, small weekly reports with at most one chart and fewer than 10 rows, and 3-statement, DCF or LBO models belong to other skills, so ask for those by their own purpose.

  • 'Build a KPI dashboard in Excel from this CSV export of monthly sales.'
  • 'Make an executive dashboard workbook with revenue, churn and active users, with charts that update when I paste new rows.'
  • 'Turn this metrics table into a dashboard that opens on the summary tab.'
  • Not a fit: 'Make a simple budget tracker sheet' (use the basic xlsx skill).

Know what the skill needs before you run it

The skill declares several requirements. It needs the OfficeCLI tool, jq (used in the skill's example verification commands), and the companion officecli-xlsx skill, which supplies the spreadsheet rules the dashboard skill inherits. The skill also runs scripts and uses the network, so it is worth knowing what those steps touch before you let an agent run them.

The skill works on files. It does not connect to live data sources, so if you need a verified live feed, export the data to CSV or another tabular file first.

  • OfficeCLI command-line tool, installed via the curl or PowerShell script or from GitHub releases
  • jq, used in example verification commands
  • Companion skill: officecli-xlsx
  • Runs scripts: yes
  • Uses network: yes (the installers and binary downloads)

Check the workbook with the help and query commands

The skill tells the agent to consult built-in help rather than guess property names. You can run the same commands yourself to see the chart, sparkline or conditional formatting schema for your installed version. The skill says that when its text and the help disagree, the help wins.

To verify a dashboard, the skill uses query with jq to count results, for example the number of charts in a file.

  • officecli help xlsx lists elements
  • officecli help xlsx chart shows the chart schema
  • officecli help xlsx sparkline and officecli help xlsx conditionalformatting cover those features
  • Count charts: officecli query "$FILE" chart --json | jq '.data.results | length'
officecli help xlsx chart

Safety notes for scripts and network use

Because the skill runs scripts and uses the network, read the install commands before running them and install only from the sources the skill names. The installers come from d.officecli.ai and binaries from the iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI GitHub releases. The skill's own listing says the project is licensed under Apache-2.0; check the repository for the licence text itself before redistributing.

The skill is designed to produce files, not connect to databases or live APIs, so its scope is the workbook you give it. Review the generated .xlsx before sharing it with a board or client, since the skill's rules reduce errors but do not replace checking the numbers against your source.

  • Read the install script before piping it to bash or iex if your organisation requires it.
  • Keep the source CSV, since the workbook's formulas reference data you supplied.
  • Check that the KPI totals match the source before sharing.

What people use it for

  • Turning a monthly CSV export of sales or revenue into an executive dashboard with KPI cards and trend charts.
  • Building a recurring metrics workbook where new rows are pasted into the data sheet and the Dashboard recalculates.
  • Creating a team analytics workbook where each chart reads from a visible summary range rather than typed-in numbers.
  • Producing a one-file dashboard for a manager who wants sparklines and colour-coded conditional formatting on key metrics.

Frequently asked questions

Is the officecli-data-dashboard skill free to use?

The skill's listing states an Apache-2.0 licence. Check the source repository for the licence text and any terms that apply to your use before redistributing it.

What do I need to run the officecli-data-dashboard skill?

You need the OfficeCLI command-line tool, jq for the example verification commands, and the companion officecli-xlsx skill. The skill also runs scripts and uses the network during setup.

How do I install an agent skill like this one?

Download the ZIP, unzip it, and place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps you can upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

Can it build a dashboard from a CSV file?

Yes. The skill's description says it builds dashboards from CSV or tabular input and outputs a single .xlsx file. It works on files and does not connect to live data sources.

Why do my dashboard charts show blank?

According to the skill, charts that point at hidden columns or hidden sheets may render blank because formulas in hidden cells are not evaluated at render time. Point charts at visible summary cells instead.

Should I use this skill or the basic xlsx skill?

Use the dashboard skill when you need a Dashboard sheet with multiple KPI cards and charts. For a single-sheet tracker or a small weekly report with at most one chart and fewer than 10 rows, the skill says to use the basic xlsx skill instead.

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Our verdict

Use this skill if you want an Excel dashboard that recalculates from formulas and cell ranges when your source data changes, and you are comfortable installing a command-line tool. Pick something else for a simple budget tracker, a small weekly report, a 3-statement, DCF or LBO model, or any task that needs a verified live data connection.

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