Agents still can't automate Excel
Summary
The article argues that AI agents can build and edit Excel workbooks but struggle to evaluate them, particularly when the Excel application is not installed. It explains the separation between workbook data and the Excel application, discusses the limitations of using LibreOffice as a headless substitute, and reveals that agents may rely on hidden Python calculations, which can drift from actual workbook behavior. Orcaset promotes a Python-based modeling approach that avoids Excel entirely, offering deterministic, auditable financial models and easier automation at scale, with links to GitHub.