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Tool Approval Workflow

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Establish a Review Checklist

• Validate the range – Ensure the proposed tool targets the correct worksheet and cells. Cross-check with the selection or metadata summary.
• Assess the impact – Determine whether the tool is read-only, formatting-only, or destructive (deletes data, overwrites formulas).
• Confirm preconditions – For structural changes, verify that dependent formulas or pivot tables won’t break.

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When to Use Preview

• Always View large write operations (>500 cells), structural changes, and VBA updates.
• Use previews to inspect before/after snapshots returned by the tool (oldValues vs newValues).
• After viewing, decide whether to approve or revert. Reverts cleanly restore the prior state.

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Handling Batches

• Approve read operations in bulk to reduce latency, but inspect each write tool individually.
• Reject or comment on problematic tools to guide Claude’s next attempt. Provide actionable feedback such as “Range should be D2:D50, not C2:C50.”
• If a batch contains a failed tool, monitor Claude’s follow-up message; it often suggests alternatives automatically.

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Governance Tips

• Assign secondary approval for high-risk macros or structural changes in shared workbooks.
• Use the conversation transcript as an audit log. Export results or copy the chat for record keeping after critical operations.
• Rotate the auto-approve list sparingly. Limit it to tools proved safe in your environment.

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Recovery Playbook

• If an approval goes wrong, click Revert immediately. The backend uses stored inputDataRevert payloads to undo the change.
• For complex scenarios, restart the conversation to clear pending tool history and avoid reapplying stale operations.
• Document lessons learned in your team’s knowledge base so future approvals become easier.