This article explains how Sintra works with Excel files, what you can do with them, which features are supported, and which are not.
Sintra treats Excel files primarily as data sources for analysis and knowledge, rather than as live spreadsheets or workflow automation tools.
What you can do with Excel files
Sintra is designed to understand and analyze Excel data, not to replicate Excel’s advanced features.
You can use Excel files to:
Analyze and summarize data
Extract data from individual sheets
Generate summaries of entire workbooks
Analyze table structures and schemas
Use data to support insights and decision-making
Use Excel data as knowledge
Provide business context for AI assistants
Support data-informed content creation
Enhance tools like Social Media Manager or Daily Summarizer with metrics
Convert and export data
Convert CSV files to Excel (.xlsx)
Convert Google Analytics JSON reports to Excel
Generate Excel files from structured data
Save chat outputs or generated content as Excel files to Google Drive
Available helpers for Excel analysis
Sintra provides several Helpers that can assist with Excel data. All Helpers have access to document creation and data analysis tools.
Helpers and their specialties:
Cassie – General helper, good for basic Excel analysis and summaries
Milli – Content specialist, excellent for creating reports from Excel data
Vizzy – Visual expert, helps interpret charts and data visualization needs
Penn – Research-focused, ideal for analyzing survey or research datasets
Scouty – Competitor analysis from Excel reports
Dexter – Data-focused, technical analysis specialist
Emmie – Marketing specialist for campaign performance data
Gigi – Growth-focused, excellent for metrics and KPI analysis
Document creation capabilities
When processing Excel data, Helpers can create structured documents up to 800 words, using:
Tables in Markdown format
Bullet point summaries
Headings and organized sections
Bold and italic formatting for key insights
Prompt examples for Excel processing
Basic data analysis
"Analyze this sales data Excel file and create a summary report showing key trends, top performers, and recommendations."
"Review this budget spreadsheet and highlight any concerning spending patterns or opportunities for cost saving."
"Process this survey data and create an insights document with the main findings and actionable recommendations."
Comparative analysis
"Compare the performance data from Q3 vs Q4 in this Excel file and create a detailed analysis document."
"Analyze this competitor research spreadsheet and create a competitive positioning report."
"Review this customer feedback data and identify the top 5 themes with supporting examples."
Business intelligence
"Create an executive summary from this quarterly metrics Excel file focusing on revenue, growth, and key performance indicators."
"Analyze this marketing campaign data and create a performance report with ROI calculations and optimization suggestions."
"Process this inventory data and create a restocking recommendation report based on sales velocity and current levels."
Data transformation
"Convert this complex Excel dataset into a simple summary table showing the most important metrics by category."
"Take this raw survey data and create a clean findings report with percentages and key insights highlighted."
"Transform this financial data into a readable monthly performance summary with trend analysis."
Custom analysis examples
"Analyze this employee performance data and create recommendations for team development (keep all data anonymous)."
"Review this product's sales data and identify which items are underperforming with suggestions for improvement."
"Process this website analytics Excel export and create an SEO performance report with actionable next steps."
Best practices for using Helpers
Upload your Excel file in the chat first
Be specific about the type of analysis you want
Ask for structured document output for better formatting
Request sections like "executive summary," "key findings," or "recommendations"
Mention if data needs to be kept confidential or anonymized
The Helpers will automatically access your Excel content from the knowledge base and create professional, formatted documents with their analysis and insights
Supported file types
Sintra supports the following formats:
.xlsx
.xls
.csv
Files can be uploaded through chat, knowledge uploads, or stored using Google Drive integration.
Uploading and storing Excel files
You can:
Upload Excel files up to 20 MB
Process Excel workbooks with multiple worksheets
Upload files using a drag-and-drop interface
Store files in Google Drive
Reuse uploaded Excel data across conversations
Each worksheet in a workbook is processed individually
How Excel files are processed
When you upload an Excel file, Sintra:
Reads each worksheet separately
Extracts tables, text, and data relationships
Converts spreadsheet data into structured, searchable content
Creates indexes so Helpers can reference the data
Caches processed files for faster future access
Once processed, Excel data becomes part of your knowledge base and can be used across tools and conversations.
Excel file processing limitations
Sintra does not support advanced Excel features or certain spreadsheet functionality.
Advanced Excel features
Formulas, macros, or VBA
Pivot tables, charts, or advanced visualizations
Conditional formatting, colors, or fonts
Complex calculations or financial modeling
Real-time or collaborative editing
Integration and workflow limits
Excel Online or Office 365 integration
Scheduled Excel report generation
Live data syncing or updates
Excel templates for consistent formatting
Automated Excel workflows or triggers
Spreadsheet tools are not available
Excel add-ins or plugins
Data validation rules or dropdowns
Dashboards or interactive worksheets
Best practices
Upload clean and well-structured spreadsheets
Remove unused sheets and columns
Convert files to CSV if only one sheet is needed
Upload only the data you want analyzed
Clearly describe what you want Helpers to do with the file
Summary
Sintra helps you read, understand, and reuse Excel data. Helpers can create professional, structured documents based on your files, providing summaries, analysis, and insights. While Sintra does not support advanced Excel features or automation, it provides strong capabilities for analysis, exporting data, and turning spreadsheets into actionable knowledge.