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X21 Tutorial

This hands-on tutorial guides you through X21’s essential features using practical examples. Follow along with your own workbook to learn how to interact with the AI assistant effectively.

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Prerequisites

  • X21 installed and running (see Installation)
  • Microsoft Excel with an active workbook
  • Sample data (create a simple table with headers if needed)

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Part 1: Your First AI Interaction

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Step 1: Open the AI Chat

  1. Launch Excel and open a workbook
  2. Click the X21 ribbon tab
  3. Click AI Chat to display the task pane
  4. Verify the connection status shows “Connected”

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Step 2: Select Your Data

  1. Select a range of cells in your worksheet (e.g., A1:D10)
  2. Notice the selected range badge appears in the input area
  3. The AI is now aware of your selection

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Step 3: Send a Simple Request

Type this in the input area: 
Summarize what data is in my selection
What happens:
  • The AI reads your selection
  • It streams a response in real-time
  • You see “thinking blocks” showing the AI’s reasoning process

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Part 2: Working with Tools

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Understanding Tool Permissions

When the AI needs to modify your workbook, it requests permission first. Try this: 
Make the first row bold and add a light gray background
You’ll see:
  1. A pending tool card appears
  2. It shows what changes will be made
  3. You can View, Approve, or Reject

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Viewing Changes Before Applying

  1. Click View on the pending tool
  2. Changes are applied temporarily
  3. Review the results in Excel
  4. Click Apply to keep or Revert to undo

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Part 3: Using Slash Commands

Slash commands provide quick access to common operations.

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Try the Format Command

  1. Select a data range
  2. Type /format in the input
  3. The slash command palette appears
  4. Press Enter to execute
Other useful commands:
  • /summarize_selection - Get insights about your data
  • /clean_up_data - Find and fix data quality issues
  • /generate_chart_plan - Get chart recommendations

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Part 4: Working with References

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Sheet Mentions

Reference specific sheets using the @ symbol: 
Compare the totals in @Sales with @Forecast
Features:
  • Type @ to open sheet picker
  • Search and select sheets
  • Click sheet pills to navigate

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Range References

Insert your current selection: 
Calculate the average of [click insert range button]
The selected range appears as an interactive pill.

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Part 5: Managing Conversations

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Starting Fresh

  • Click New Chat to start a new conversation
  • Previous conversations are automatically saved
  • Access history with Ctrl+H

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Editing and Retrying

  1. Hover over any message you sent
  2. Click the Edit button
  3. Modify your prompt and resend

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Providing Feedback

Help improve X21:
  • Click thumbs up 👍 for helpful responses
  • Click thumbs down 👎 to provide feedback
  • Add specific comments about issues

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Part 6: Advanced Features

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Attaching Files

Analyze external data:
  1. Click the paperclip icon or drag files into the input
  2. Supported: PDFs (up to 100 pages), images (PNG, JPG)
  3. Ask questions about the attached content
Example: 
Compare this PDF invoice with the data in my spreadsheet

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Auto-Approve Mode

For trusted operations:
  1. Toggle Auto-approve in the input area
  2. Read and write tools execute immediately
  3. Use for repetitive tasks
Warning: Only enable for well-tested prompts

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Tool Management

Customize which tools are available:
  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+T to open tools panel
  2. Toggle individual tools on/off
  3. See which tools auto-approve (marked AUTO)

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Part 7: Best Practices

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Effective Prompting

Be specific: 
✓ "Make cells A1:A10 bold and increase font size to 12"
✗ "Make it look better"
Provide context: 
✓ "The 'Revenue' column contains sales data. Calculate year-over-year growth."
✗ "Calculate growth"
Break down complex tasks: 
✓ Step 1: "Extract unique customer names"
✓ Step 2: "Count orders per customer"
✗ "Do everything with customers and orders"

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Performance Tips

  • Start new conversations for different tasks (avoids token limits)
  • Use slash commands for common operations
  • Batch similar operations in one request

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When Things Go Wrong

  • If disconnected, click Reconnect
  • Cancel streaming responses with the Stop button
  • Check Troubleshooting for common issues

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Next Steps

Now that you’ve completed the tutorial:
  1. Explore Use Cases & Excel Operations for specific scenarios
  2. Review Best Practices for expert tips
  3. Check the Reference for all available tools

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Practice Exercises

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Exercise 1: Data Cleanup

  1. Create a table with inconsistent formatting
  2. Use /clean_up_data to identify issues
  3. Let the AI fix formatting problems

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Exercise 2: Analysis Pipeline

  1. Select a data table
  2. Ask for summary statistics
  3. Request a chart recommendation
  4. Have the AI format the results

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Exercise 3: Multi-Sheet Workflow

  1. Create two sheets with related data
  2. Use @sheet mentions to reference both
  3. Ask the AI to compare or combine data
Practice these exercises to build confidence with X21’s capabilities.