Co-edit and verify a live spreadsheet session through GridCraft MCP
Connect an agent to the GridCraft workbook open on a user’s desktop, make scoped edits, and return formula readbacks plus a screenshot for review.
npx skills add agentskillexchange/skills --skill co-edit-and-verify-a-live-spreadsheet-session-through-gridcraft-mcp
Use this workflow when an agent must make a bounded change to the workbook a user is already reviewing in GridCraft. Connect to that desktop session over MCP, inspect its sheets and used ranges, read the relevant formulas and values, apply the requested edits, and return both cell-level checks and a screenshot of the resulting window. The shared live session lets the user inspect the same state instead of exchanging an independently edited workbook.
What this skill actually does
Prerequisites are the GridCraft desktop application, gridcraft-cli, an MCP client that can launch a local stdio server, an explicit workbook and edit range, and a separate output path. Work on a copy of the workbook. Start the desktop with gridcraft --control 7979 and open that copy. Configure the MCP client to launch gridcraft-cli mcp --connect 7979. For Claude Code, upstream documents claude mcp add gridcraft-app -- gridcraft-cli mcp --connect 7979. Other MCP clients can use command gridcraft-cli and args ["mcp", "--connect", "7979"]. The control listener is local at 127.0.0.1; this workflow does not require a hosted spreadsheet service.
Begin with inspect_workbook and read_range using explicit sheet and range arguments. Read formulas as well as displayed values before changing calculated cells. Use list_commands to inspect command parameters rather than guessing them. Apply only the agreed set_cell, write_range or format_range operations. Strings beginning with an equals sign in write_range are formulas; preserve intended literal data accordingly. Check every tool result for isError, then read the edited range again and verify formulas and totals against the requested result.
Call the remote-only screenshot tool with a local PNG path and inspect the image for the relevant visible formatting. A screenshot alone cannot validate hidden rows or numerical correctness. Save with save_workbook to the agreed new path, and report the source copy, output path, sheets/ranges changed, checks performed, and any errors or unverified portions. Use documented undo only after inspecting the current state; do not overwrite the original or claim success after an error.
The scope is a local MCP handoff into an existing visible spreadsheet session. It excludes headless Office-document generation, spreadsheet-library integration, general desktop control, printing, and automatic changes outside the agreed range. GridCraft is alpha and upstream warns that workbook fidelity remains incomplete. Keep originals and disclose unsupported features or changed fidelity instead of claiming Excel compatibility. This entry verifies metadata and documented invocation; no binary installation, live workbook execution, or security review was performed.
Documentation: MCP tools and desktop bridge, local control protocol, and CLI setup. Reviewed upstream revision: a1c84547e3485606a5d8b6fab07dd3a072aa6c52.