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Getting Started5 min read

Quickstart: Excel on macOS

Get up and running with ModelMonkey in Microsoft Excel on your Mac

Overview

This guide will walk you through installing ModelMonkey in Microsoft Excel on macOS and completing your first AI-powered task.

ModelMonkey putting together a recipe from the internet in Excel on macOS

Requirements

Before installing, make sure you have:

  • macOS (OS X v10.10 "Yosemite" or later)
  • Microsoft Excel for Mac (Excel 2019 or later, or Microsoft 365)

Note: This guide covers the desktop application. For Excel on the web, see the Web tab above.

Step 1: Install from AppSource

Install ModelMonkey from the Microsoft AppSource marketplace:

  1. Open Microsoft Excel
  2. Go to Home > Add-ins and click More Add-ins
  3. In the Office Add-ins dialog, search for ModelMonkey
  4. Click Add to install the add-in

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

Alternatively, you can install directly from AppSource.

Tip

Installing from AppSource ensures you always have the latest version with automatic updates.

Step 2: Open ModelMonkey

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.

Step 3: Try Your First Task

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.

Step 4: Review and Approve Changes

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.

Warning

Always review changes before approving, especially on important spreadsheets.

Troubleshooting

Can't find ModelMonkey in AppSource?

Add-in not appearing after installation?

  • Make sure you're using Excel for Mac desktop (not Excel Online)
  • Try quitting Excel completely (Cmd+Q) and reopening
  • Check if the add-in is enabled in the Add-ins menu

Sign-in issues?

  • Ensure pop-ups are not blocked for Excel
  • Try signing out and back in
  • If using a work account, check with your IT department

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

Alternative: Manual Installation

If you cannot access AppSource or need to install manually, you can sideload the add-in using the wef folder method:

Step 1: Download the Manifest File

  1. Download the manifest file: manifest.xml
  2. Save it somewhere you can easily find it (e.g., your Downloads folder)

Step 2: Copy to the Add-ins Folder

Excel on macOS loads add-ins from a special folder. You'll need to copy the manifest there:

  1. Open Finder
  2. Press Cmd+Shift+G to open "Go to Folder"
  3. Paste this path and press Enter:
    ~/​Library/​Containers/​com.microsoft.Excel/​Data/​Documents
  4. Look for a folder named wef. If it doesn't exist, create it:
    • Right-click in the folder and choose New Folder
    • Name it wef
  5. Open the wef folder
  6. Copy the downloaded manifest.xml file into the wef folder
  7. Rename the file to modelmonkey.xml for easier identification

Step 3: Load the Add-in

  1. Quit Excel completely if it's running (Cmd+Q)
  2. Reopen Microsoft Excel
  3. Open a new or existing workbook
  4. Go to Home > Add-ins in the ribbon
  5. Select ModelMonkey from the list

Tip

The ~ symbol means your home folder. You can also type the full path: /Users/yourusername/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel/Data/Documents

Warning

You must fully quit and reopen Excel for the add-in to appear. Just closing the window is not enough.

Uninstalling

To remove ModelMonkey from Excel:

If installed from AppSource:

  1. Go to Home > Add-ins
  2. Click More Add-ins
  3. Select the MY ADD-INS tab
  4. Find ModelMonkey and click the three-dot menu (...)
  5. Select Remove

If installed manually via wef folder:

  1. Open Finder
  2. Press Cmd+Shift+G to open "Go to Folder"
  3. Paste this path and press Enter:
    ~/​Library/​Containers/​com.microsoft.Excel/​Data/​Documents/​wef
  4. Delete the modelmonkey.xml file
  5. Quit and reopen Excel

The add-in will no longer appear in your Add-ins list.

Next Steps

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

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

Related Documentation

Spreadsheet Editing

Learn what ModelMonkey can do with your spreadsheet

How ModelMonkey Thinks

Understand the reasoning behind ModelMonkey actions

ModelMonkey Docs