The Cloud Connector (Excel Tool): Your go-to for everything in the cloud. It finds, creates, reads, and edits any spreadsheet in your OneDrive or SharePoint
The Analyst &Creator (Python Code Interpreter): The instant data guru that automatically activates to analyze any spreadsheet file you upload directly from your computer and the expert for building brand-new, downloadable spreadsheets from scratch based on data from our conversation.
The playbook helps you choose the right assistant for the job, ensuring you can effortlessly manage cloud files, create new reports, or analyze local data without confusion. When working with spreadsheets, you have access to a powerful set of tools, each designed for a specific job. Understanding which tool to use—and when—is key to getting your work done efficiently. Here’s a breakdown, starting with the most comprehensive tool for cloud-based files.
Tool Comparison Summary
Feature | Excel Tool (Cloud Connector) | Python Code Interpreter (Creator) |
Primary Use Case | Find, create, and modify files in OneDrive/SharePoint. | Analyze data from an uploaded spreadsheet + create, and modify new downloadable files |
File Location | OneDrive / SharePoint | Works on a temporary copy of an uploaded file and creates a new file for local download. |
Searches Cloud Files? | Yes | No |
Accepts Uploaded Files? | No | Yes |
Creates New Files? | Yes (in the cloud) | Yes (for download) |
Generates Downloadable Links? | No | Yes |
Activation | Manually enabled via the "Tools" menu. | Can be Automatically engaged when a file is uploadedManually enabled via the "Tools" menu. |
1. Excel Tool: Your Cloud Spreadsheet Connector
This is your most powerful and versatile tool for spreadsheet management, acting as a direct connection to files stored in your cloud environment. It can find, create, and modify Excel workbooks without them ever leaving your OneDrive or SharePoint.
Use It When:
You need to find and retrieve data from an Excel file stored in your OneDrive or SharePoint.
You want to create a new workbook from scratch in a specific cloud location.
You need to read, write, chart, sort, filter, or otherwise manipulate data in an existing cloud-based spreadsheet.
How to Use: Give a specific command related to your cloud files, such as "Find the 'SalesData.xlsx' file in my Documents," "Read the first 10 rows of the 'Leads' table in that file," or "Create a new workbook named '2025_Forecast.xlsx'."
Key Feature: Enables end-to-end spreadsheet management directly within your cloud storage (OneDrive/SharePoint)—from finding and reading files to creating new ones and performing complex edits.
Limitation: It works exclusively with files located in OneDrive or SharePoint. It cannot interact with files you upload from your computer and does not generate temporary downloadable links; all changes are saved directly to the file in the cloud.
2. Python Code Interpreter: The Creator
This tool is your dedicated data interpreter for local files. It activates automatically to analyze a spreadsheet you upload directly into the chat and can building brand-new files from scratch using data generated within our conversation.
Use It When: You have a file on your computer and want to ask questions about it, get a quick summary, or find specific insights within its data, manipulate the file need to compile information from a chat, a workflow, or another non-file source into a completely new spreadsheet.
How to Use: : It engages automatically as soon as you upload a spreadsheet file into the chat, in order to generate a file you may need to manually enable it from the "Tools" menu before making your request.
Key Feature: Provides instant, hands-free data analysis for any uploaded spreadsheet and it is the only tool that can produce a clickable, downloadable link to a newly created file
Limitation: It cannot read, search, analyze, or modify any existing files in the cloud, they must be locally uploaded
CRITICAL: Tool Priority and Common Pitfalls
To avoid confusion, remember this simple rule:
If you upload a spreadsheet file: The Python Code Interpreter tool will always take priority and override the others EVEN WITH EXCEL ON.
The Bottom Line: Use the Excel Tool for cloud files, the Python Tool for an uploaded file only when you want to analyze crating new downloadable files.