Quickstart: Excel on Windows

Before installing, make sure you have:

• Microsoft Excel desktop app (Windows or Mac)
• Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, or Excel 2019
• A Microsoft account for sign-in

Note: ModelMonkey for Excel works with the desktop application only. Excel Online and mobile versions are not currently supported.

The Excel add-in is currently in beta and requires manual installation while we await Microsoft AppSource approval.

Create a shared folder for the add-in manifest:

1. Create a folder in your Documents (e.g., Documents\OfficeAddins)
2. Download the manifest file: manifest.xml and save it to this folder
3. Right-click the folder and choose Properties
4. Open the Sharing tab and click the Share button
5. Add yourself (and any other users who need the add-in) with Read/Write permission
6. Click Share, then note the network path shown (e.g., \\YourPC\OfficeAddins)
7. Click Done to close the dialogs

Tell Excel to trust your shared folder as an add-in catalog:

1. Open Microsoft Excel
2. Go to File > Options
3. Select Trust Center, then click Trust Center Settings
4. Select Trusted Add-in Catalogs
5. In the Catalog Url box, enter the network path from Step 1 (e.g., \\YourPC\OfficeAddins)
6. Click Add catalog
7. Check the Show in Menu checkbox for the newly-added catalog
8. Click OK to close both dialogs
9. Close and reopen Excel for changes to take effect

Now you can load ModelMonkey from your trusted catalog:

1. Open Microsoft Excel
2. Go to Home > Add-ins, then click More Add-ins
3. Select the SHARED FOLDER tab at the top of the dialog
4. Select ModelMonkey and click Add

The add-in will be installed and ready to use.

Once installed, you can open ModelMonkey from the Excel ribbon:

1. Look for the HOME tab in the Excel ribbon
2. Find and click Open ModelMonkey button
3. The ModelMonkey panel will appear on the right side
4. Sign in with your Microsoft account when prompted

Your credits are shared between Google Sheets and Excel, so if you already have a ModelMonkey account, your subscription works here too.

Let's try a simple task to see ModelMonkey in action. With some data in your spreadsheet, try one of these prompts:

• "Summarize this data"
• "Calculate the total of column B"
• "Find any duplicate values"
• "Create a chart from this data"

Type your request in the chat box and press Enter. ModelMonkey will analyze your spreadsheet and respond with either an answer or a proposed plan of action.

Before making any changes to your spreadsheet, ModelMonkey shows you exactly what it plans to do:

1. Review the plan - See the steps ModelMonkey will take
2. Ask questions - Request clarification if needed
3. Approve or modify - Accept the plan or ask for adjustments
4. Watch it work - ModelMonkey executes the approved changes

You're always in control. Nothing happens without your approval.

Add-in not appearing?

• Make sure you're using Excel desktop (not Excel Online)
• Try closing and reopening Excel
• Check if the add-in is enabled in File > Options > Add-ins

Sign-in issues?

• Ensure pop-ups are not blocked for Excel
• Try signing out and back in
• Clear your browser cache if using a Microsoft work account

Need help?
Contact us at support@modelmonkey.io and we'll help you get set up.

To remove ModelMonkey from Excel:

1. Open Microsoft Excel
2. Go to File > Options
3. Select Trust Center, then click Trust Center Settings
4. Select Trusted Add-in Catalogs
5. Select the catalog URL you added (e.g., \\YourPC\OfficeAddins)
6. Click Remove
7. Click OK to close both dialogs
8. Close and reopen Excel for changes to take effect

Now that you've completed your first task, explore what else ModelMonkey can do:

• Spreadsheet Editing - Learn what ModelMonkey can do with your data
• Approval System - Understand how to review and approve changes
• Custom Instructions - Personalize how ModelMonkey works for you

Check out the feature guides to learn more about each capability.