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Tool Management

X21 provides 14 specialized tools that let the AI interact with Excel. The Tool Management panel gives you control over which operations are available for each conversation.

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Opening the Tools Panel

Press Ctrl+Shift+T (or Cmd+Shift+T on Mac) to toggle the tools panel. The panel shows all available tools with toggles to enable/disable them.

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Available Tools

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Data Operations

read_values
  • Read cell values and formulas from ranges
  • Auto-approved (no permission needed)
  • Example: “Show me the data in A1:D10”
write_values
  • Write values or formulas to cells
  • Requires approval
  • Example: “Set B1 to the sum of A1:A10”
drag_formula
  • AutoFill formulas or patterns
  • Requires approval
  • Supports: default, series, formats, values
  • Example: “Drag the formula in A1 down to A100”

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Formatting Operations

read_format
  • Read formatting properties (colors, fonts, alignment)
  • Auto-approved
  • Example: “What formatting is applied to A1?”
write_format
  • Apply formatting to ranges
  • Requires approval
  • Supports: bold, italic, colors, fonts, alignment, number formats
  • Example: “Make the header row bold with gray background”

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Structure Operations

add_sheets
  • Create new worksheets
  • Requires approval
  • Example: “Add a sheet named ‘Summary’”
remove_sheets
  • Delete worksheets
  • Requires approval
  • Warning: Cannot be undone
  • Example: “Delete the ‘Temp’ sheet”
add_rows / add_columns
  • Insert rows or columns
  • Requires approval
  • Example: “Insert 3 rows above row 5”
remove_rows / remove_columns
  • Delete rows or columns
  • Requires approval
  • Warning: Cannot be undone
  • Example: “Delete columns C through E”

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VBA Operations

vba_read
  • Read existing VBA macro code
  • Auto-approved
  • Example: “Show me the VBA in this workbook”
vba_create (Experimental)
  • Create new VBA macros
  • Requires approval
  • Use with caution: Review generated code carefully
  • Example: “Create a macro to highlight duplicates”
vba_update (Experimental)
  • Modify existing VBA macros
  • Requires approval
  • Use with caution: Review changes carefully
  • Example: “Update the Calculate macro to include tax”

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Tool States

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AUTO Badge

Tools marked with AUTO execute immediately without approval:
  • read_values
  • read_format
  • vba_read
These are safe operations that only read data.

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Manual Approval

All write operations require explicit approval:
  • Protects your data from unintended changes
  • Lets you review before execution
  • Provides preview capability

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Managing Tools

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Toggle Individual Tools

Click the toggle switch next to any tool to enable/disable it:
  • Green/On: Tool available to AI
  • Gray/Off: Tool hidden from AI

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When to Disable Tools

Structural changes: Disable add_sheets, remove_sheets, add_rows, remove_rows if you want to prevent structure modifications. VBA protection: Disable vba_create and vba_update if you don’t want AI-generated macros. Read-only mode: Disable all write tools (write_values, write_format, etc.) for analysis-only conversations. Use the search box to filter tools by name or description.

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Tool Icons

Tools are color-coded by operation type:
  • 🔵 Blue: Read operations
  • 🟢 Green: Write operations
  • 🟣 Pink: Format operations
  • 🔴 Red: Delete operations
  • ⚙️ Gray: Structure operations
  • 📝 Yellow: VBA operations

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Best Practices

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Start Conservative

For new tasks:
  1. Enable only essential tools
  2. Test with read operations first
  3. Add write permissions as needed

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Use Tool Sets

Create mental “toolsets” for different scenarios: Analysis Only:
  • read_values ✓
  • read_format ✓
  • All write tools ✗
Data Entry:
  • read_values ✓
  • write_values ✓
  • Formatting tools ✗
  • Structure tools ✗
Full Editing:
  • All tools except VBA ✓
  • VBA tools ✗ (unless specifically needed)

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VBA Safety

Only enable VBA tools when:
  • You understand VBA code
  • You’ll review generated macros
  • You can test safely
  • You have backups
Always review VBA code before approving.

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Tool Permissions Workflow

When the AI needs a tool:
  1. Tool appears in pending actions
  2. Preview the operation (click View)
  3. Review parameters and target range
  4. Approve or Reject
See Tool Permissions for detailed approval workflow.

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Troubleshooting

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Tool Not Working

If a tool fails:
  1. Check it’s enabled in the tools panel
  2. Verify the target range is valid
  3. Ensure the operation is allowed (e.g., can’t delete last sheet)
  4. Review error message for specific issue

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Too Many Permission Requests

If you’re constantly approving:
  • Enable Auto-approve toggle in input area
  • Or reduce scope of request
  • Or start with read-only exploration

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Tool Missing

Can’t find a tool?
  • Check the search filter isn’t active
  • Verify tool name spelling
  • Some tools may be experimental/hidden