use case
Turn Excel workbooks into Markdown your agent can inspect.
Frenchie extracts XLSX files sheet by sheet so your agent can compare tabs, explain changes, and write reports without a custom spreadsheet parser.
the problem
Why this is a pain.
A workbook arrives with tabs for assumptions, forecast, actuals, and notes. Your agent needs to answer a simple question — what changed and why — but the file is trapped inside Excel structure it cannot reliably read.
Copying sheets into chat loses tab boundaries and formula context. Writing a one-off parser is fine once, then annoying forever. Frenchie gives the agent a readable Markdown version first, and lets the agent do the reasoning after.
the workflow
How Frenchie handles it.
- 1
Install Frenchie with `npx @lab94/frenchie install --api-key fr_...`. The command installs skills alongside the MCP tools so your agent knows when to call `extract_to_markdown`.
- 2
Ask your agent to extract the workbook — for example, `Extract ./q3-forecast.xlsx with Frenchie, then compare forecast vs actuals`.
- 3
Frenchie reads the XLSX file, preserves sheet boundaries, renders tables into Markdown, and saves `.frenchie/q3-forecast/result.md` in stdio mode.
- 4
Your agent reads the Markdown, compares sheets, explains assumptions, and drafts the follow-up report. Frenchie does not summarize or classify; it gets the workbook into a shape your agent can use.
example
What it looks like in practice.
Your prompt
Extract ./finance/q3-forecast.xlsx with Frenchie. Compare forecast vs actuals and list the three largest variances.
Agent response
Workbook extracted — 5 sheets, 2.5 credits, Markdown saved to .frenchie/q3-forecast/result.md. Largest variances: - Enterprise pipeline: forecast $420K, actual $360K (-$60K). Notes point to two slipped procurement reviews. - Support costs: forecast $55K, actual $74K (+$19K). Contractor coverage ran two weeks longer than planned. - Partner revenue: forecast $120K, actual $151K (+$31K). Two co-sell deals closed early.
What lands in your workspace
$frenchie extract forecast.xlsx
# Workbook: forecast.xlsx ## Sheet: Summary | Metric | Q3 | Q4 | | ------ | -- | -- | | ARR | 4.2M | 4.9M | | CAC | 820 | 780 | ## Sheet: Assumptions - Expansion motion starts in May - Partner channel adds 12 deals
tips
Things worth knowing.
- XLSX extraction is 0.5 credit per sheet. A 6-sheet workbook costs 3 credits.
- Hidden sheets are dropped by default. If the source of truth is hidden, unhide it before sending.
- Use Frenchie for agent-readable workbook review, not as a replacement for Excel calculation or BI tooling.
questions
Common questions.
Does Frenchie support formulas?
Frenchie uses available evaluated values and preserves formula context where possible. It is not a spreadsheet calculation engine.
Can my agent create a report from the workbook?
Yes. Frenchie returns Markdown; your agent can then write a report, extract metrics, or compare sheets from that Markdown.
How large can an Excel file be?
XLSX files can be up to 50 MB.
Try it with a real Office file of yours.
100 free credits on signup. No card. Drop a DOCX, XLSX, CSV, TSV, or PPTX file from your own workflow and see the Markdown your agent gets back.