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# Spreadsheet Capabilities

This feature is a specialized expansion of the Tools in Purple Fabric. It introduces native, high-performance handling of .xlsx, .xls, and .csv files across the prime agents and Workflows, including connectors for Google Sheets and M365. This capability is designed to transform spreadsheets into dynamic data sources where agents can interact with enterprise data in real-time, perform complex analysis, and execute safe, governed updates to workbooks.

Key Features

  • Specialized Excel Tools: A comprehensive toolset allows for advanced operations, including workbook orchestration, data retrieval, automated sorting/filtering, and cell formatting
  • Integration with Gsheets and M365: Includes support for Connected Spreadsheets, enabling live integration with Google Sheets and M365
  • Multi-File Capability: Capable of interacting with and analyzing multiple files and sheets simultaneously
  • Native Handling: Purple Fabric provides native, high-speed support for .xlsx, .xls, and .csv files across Agents and Workflows

# Spreadsheet Capabilities in Conversational Agents

# Analyzing Spreadsheets (‘Read only’ Operation)

# Method 1 - Enabling File Support (Add-ons)

Perform the following steps to enable the the File Support option:

  1. Create a Conversational Agent and navigate to Add-ons section on the left panel in the designer

  2. Enable .xlsx, .xls, or .csv formats in File Attachments section as shown in the below screenshot:

Enabling these formats will automatically activate some of the spreadsheet tools enabling the agents to view and analyse the spreadsheet data

  1. You can now import spreadsheets, view and analyse the data

# Method 2 - Accessing the Integration Tab

Perform the following steps to directly add Read-only files operation in a conversational agent:

  1. Click + Add Tool in Tools section

  2. Go to Integration tab
    Here you will find the different specialized Excel tools

  3. Select the Read Data option

  4. You can now import spreadsheets, view and analyse the data

# Spreadsheet Tools

The Spreadsheet Tools in Purple Fabric provides a comprehensive set of operations designed to transform spreadsheets from static files into dynamic, programmable data sources. These tools help your Agents manage everything from high-level workbook structure to granular cell formatting.

# 1. Workbook

These tools are used for the high-level orchestration of workbook files and the structural organization of their internal sheets.

Operation Description
List Workbooks Scans the Data Directory and returns a list of all available .xlsx files.
Create Workbook Generates a brand-new Excel Workbook from scratch.
Workbook Summary Provides high-level intelligence: sheet names, dimensions (rows/cols), headers, and data samples.
Add Sheet Inserts a new worksheet into an existing workbook.
List Sheets Retrieves a list of all individual sheets contained within a specific workbook.
Rename Sheet Changing the name of a specific sheet (Excel only)
Rename Workbook File Renaming a spreadsheet file while preserving its extension

# 2. Data

Data tools are used for the core interaction of retrieving and inserting information.

Operation Description
Read Data Pulls data from specific cell ranges. Supports reading calculated formula results.
Write Data Writes information to specific cells or appends new rows to the bottom of a sheet. Note - Refer to Updating spreadsheets (‘Write Data’ Operation) to know more
Find Data A powerful search tool to locate text or specific "keys" using flexible matching logic.

# 3. Transform

Transformation tools allow Agents to reorganize and restructure data dynamically without manual intervention.

Operation Description
Append Row Add new rows with automatic formula inheritance
Sort Data Reorders a data range based on specified columns in ascending or descending order.
Filter Data Isolates specific rows that meet defined conditions using various logical operators.
Insert Blank Rows Adds blank rows at a specific position to make room for new data.
Insert Blank Columns Adds blank columns at a specific index to expand the data schema.

# 4. Format & CSV

These tools handle the visual presentation of the data and its interoperability with other systems.

Operation Description
Format Cells Directs the Agent to apply visual styles: bold, background colors, borders, and alignment.
Export to CSV Converts an Excel sheet into a flat .csv file for external system consumption.
Import from CSV Ingests data from a .csv file directly into an existing Excel sheet.

# 5. Update

The Spreadsheet Update tools are used for the governed modification of data, ensuring all changes are previewed and confirmed through a secure validation lifecycle.

Operation Description
Update Cell / Range Changes specific data points but generates a "Preview" first for safety.
Bulk Update Updates multiple rows at once based on a matching filter (e.g., "Set Status to 'Paid' for all rows where Date is March").
Upsert by Key A "Smart Update": if the unique key exists, it updates the row; if not, it creates a new one.
Preview Update Displays the details of a change that is currently "Pending" human approval.
Confirm Update The final trigger that applies the pending changes to the actual file.
Cancel Update Discards a pending change, leaving the original file untouched.
List Pending Updates Provides a summary of all changes currently awaiting human or system confirmation.

# 6. Delete

The Delete tools are used for the removal of data, ensuring all deletions are previewed and confirmed through a secure validation lifecycle to prevent accidental loss.

Operation Description
Clear Cell Content Erase a cell's value without removing the cell itself
Clear Cell Range Wipe all data from a defined block of cells
Delete Rows Remove rows and automatically shift remaining data up
Delete Columns Remove columns and shift remaining data to the left
Delete Sheet Permanently remove a sheet from an Excel workbook
Delete Workbook Permanently delete the spreadsheet file from storage

# Updating spreadsheets (‘Write Data’ Operation)

This feature enables the agent to insert information into specific cells or append new rows to a sheet. This is the primary tool for populating workbooks with generated content or expanding existing datasets.

Perform the following steps to directly add ‘Write Data’ operation in a conversational agent:

  1. Click + Add Tool in Tools section

  2. Go to Integration tab
    Here you will find different specialized Excel tools under the spreadsheet section

  3. Select the Write Data option

  4. You can now add information into specific cells or append new rows to a sheet and you can download the updated excel file if required.

# Spreadsheet Capabilities in Automation Agents

Perform the following steps to enable the spreadsheet capabilities for Automation agents:

  1. Create an Automation Agent
  2. Click Add Input in the Parameter section
  3. Enter the input name and select File option in the input type field
  4. Now, click the input settings icon.
    The Input Field Settings pop-up appears
  5. Add the xlsx format in Supported Formats field
  6. Click Save. You can now pass the spreadsheets and configure the automation actions on the sheets
  7. Save and Publish the Agent

# Spreadsheet Capabilities in Automated Workflow

Spreadsheet capabilities are integrated into the workflow through Excel toolset found in the component library.

Perform the following steps to enable the spreadsheet capabilities in an automated workflow:

  1. Click the Start Node on the canvas.

  2. In the Configuration Panel, define an Input Variable.

  3. Set the Data Type to File (specifically selecting spreadsheet extensions like .xlsx or .csv).

  4. Platform Logic: Upon execution, the platform automatically triggers the spreadread operations to ensure the workflow can immediately see the content of the uploaded file

    To perform specific operations (like filtering rows or formatting), you must add the Excel component to the canvas.

  5. Locate the Spreadsheet section by clicking '+' icon

    Here you will find different specialized spreadsheet tools

  6. Select or drag & drop the excel component onto the canvas and link it to the preceding node

  7. Upload a sample spreadsheet to test

# Enabling Cloud Spreadsheet Support

To interact with Google Sheets or M365, you must first connect your cloud credentials. Navigate to the Credentials module in Purple Fabric and authenticate your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace account.

# Google Sheets Operations

Below is the list of advance operations supported in Purple Fabric for Google Sheets to provide deep integration with your Drive files.

Operation Name Description
Get Sheet Data Retrieves data from a specified Google Sheets tab, with optional cell range filtering and formatting metadata inclusion.
Get Sheet Formulas Retrieves formulas from a Google Spreadsheet sheet, optionally within a specified cell range, returning them as a 2D array.
Update Spreadsheet Cells Updates specific cells in a Google Spreadsheet by writing a 2D array of values to a defined range using A1 notation.
Batch Update Spreadsheet Cells Updates multiple cell ranges in a Google Spreadsheet simultaneously by providing a dictionary mapping range strings to values.
Add Spreadsheet Rows Adds a specified number of rows to a Google Spreadsheet sheet at a given position or at the beginning if no position is provided.
Add Spreadsheet Columns Adds a specified number of columns to a Google Spreadsheet sheet, with optional positioning control.
List Spreadsheet Sheets Lists all sheet names (tabs) from a Google Spreadsheet using its ID.
Copy Sheet Between Spreadsheets Copies a sheet from one Google Spreadsheet to another, requiring source and destination spreadsheet IDs.
Rename Google Sheet Renames an existing sheet tab in a Google Spreadsheet by specifying the spreadsheet ID and current/new sheet names.
Get Multiple Sheet Data Retrieves data from multiple specified cell ranges across different Google Spreadsheets in a single batch operation.
Get Spreadsheet Summaries Retrieves summaries of multiple Google Spreadsheets including sheet names, headers, and first few rows of data.
Create Google Spreadsheet Creates a new Google Spreadsheet with a specified title, optionally placing it in a specific Google Drive folder.
Create Google Sheet Creates a new sheet tab with a specified title in an existing Google Spreadsheet using the spreadsheet ID.
List Google Spreadsheets Lists all Google Sheets spreadsheets in a specified Google Drive folder or default location, returning IDs and titles.
Share Google Spreadsheet Shares a Google Spreadsheet with multiple users by email, assigning each user a specific role (reader, commenter, editor).
List Google Drive Folders Lists all folders within a specified Google Drive folder, or from the root of 'My Drive' if no parent folder is provided.
Batch Update Spreadsheet Executes batch operations on Google Spreadsheets including adding/updating sheets, inserting/deleting rows/columns.

# Microsoft 365 Excel Operations

Below is the list of advanced operations supported in Purple Fabric for Microsoft 365 Spreadsheets that enables your Agent to manage Excel workbooks hosted on OneDrive or SharePoint.

Operation Name Description
Add Row Adds a new row to the end of a worksheet.
Add Row(s) Adds one or more rows to the end of a worksheet (with line item support).
Add Row to Table Adds a new row to the end of a specific table.
Clear Cells by Range Clears the contents and/or formatting of a specific range of cells.
Clear Column by Index Clears the contents and/or formatting of a column using its index.
Clear Row by ID Clears the contents and/or formatting of a row based on its ID.
Create Workbook Creates a brand new Excel workbook.
Create Worksheet Creates a new worksheet tab within an existing workbook.
Delete Worksheet Permanently removes a worksheet from a workbook.
Rename Worksheet Changes the name of an existing worksheet.
Update Row Updates the values of an existing row in a specific worksheet.
Find Row Finds a row by a column and value; returns the entire row if found.
Find Worksheet(s) Searches for and returns worksheet(s) by name.
Get Cells in Range Retrieves and returns the contents of a specific range of cells.
Get Row by ID Retrieves the contents of a specific row based on its unique ID.
Get Worksheet by ID Returns the metadata for a specific worksheet based on its ID.
Find or Create Row Searches for a specific row; if not found, it creates a new one.
Find or Create Worksheet Searches for a worksheet by name; if it doesn't exist, it creates it.
Update Excel Cells Updates specific cells in an Excel Spreadsheet.
Batch Update Excel Cells Updates multiple cell ranges in an Excel Spreadsheet simultaneously.

# Summary

Regardless of whether you use Local Files, M365, or Google Sheets, Purple Fabric enables three core workflows:

  1. Read-Only Analysis: Agents can "scan" your data to answer questions or generate reports.
  2. Dynamic Updates: Agents can act as data entry assistants, appending logs or updating statuses.
  3. Governance & Approval: (Specifically Excel - Update) Agents can propose changes that require a human "Confirm Update" trigger before the file is modified.