find the excel workbook before reading its cells

get the right workbook without opening every file named final. give the bot a name fragment or project phrase.

by the dusk bot team · checked 12 november 2026 · how we made this

it searches onedrive, including shared files if you ask, and lists matching excel files. pick the copy you want, then ask it to read the cells. the search itself opens and changes nothing.

pixel art: a pink pixel bot and an orange pixel bot beside a tile saying Excel, a pair of binoculars and a folder of papers, on a sandy path in front of chalk cliffs by the sea, one saying "which workbook is it"

what it does

you remember the project. the bot finds the file. a search can match names, file details or content. name another drive if your default isn't the right one.

include shared files, or search only your own folders
ask for xlsx and xlsm if other files clutter the results
choose a workbook before asking a separate excel action to read its cells

when you would use it

find an old installation budget when only the project name rings a bell
track down a shared costing workbook outside your own folders
compare matching xlsx and xlsm files before choosing the report source

try it

paste this into a chat with your bot

on the first of each month at 9, search my onedrive for excel files with "timesheet" in the name. include files shared with me. keep going until onedrive has no more results. list names and available file details here. flag files for the current month and any unclear matches. never open or change workbooks.

when: the 1st of each month at 9:00
needs: excel connected; read only is enough for this search

what comes back looks like this (an example)

timesheet workbooks
- timesheets-2026.xlsx
- timesheets-november-contractors.xlsm: matches this month
which copy should i read?

set it up

connect excel in Connected apps. give this finder read only access.
give a name fragment and say whether shared files belong in the search.
name the file types you want. tell it to follow the results to the end before reporting no matches.
pick the right copy before requesting cell values. Edit changes the routine search.

what it needs from you

input	required	what it is
`query`	yes	Search query text to find items (e.g., filename like 'roster.xlsx' or partial name).
`top`	no	Maximum number of items to return.
`scope`	no	Search scope: 'drive' searches entire drive including items shared with current user; 'root' searches within user's drive hierarchy only.
`drive_id`	no	ID of the drive to search (use 'me' for the user's default drive in delegated auth, or a specific drive ID).
`skip_token`	no	Opaque pagination token from a previous response's next_link URL ($skiptoken value).
`file_extensions`	no	Optional list of file extensions to filter results (e.g., ['.xlsx', '.xlsm']).

from composio's catalog for Excel (action EXCEL_SEARCH_FILES, read 12 november 2026⁴). your bot fills these in from what you tell it.

how dusk bot handles it

dusk bot counts Search Drive Files as a read: it looks and changes nothing. a bot you allow only to read can use it.

the permissions Excel asks for to run it: Files.Read, Files.ReadWrite, Files.Read.All, Files.ReadWrite.All.

where it stops

look in onedrive for this job. local folders and google drive need a different search.
keep going after an empty result. excel filters each batch separately. the next batch may hold your workbook.

try it in 2 minutes

connect excel with read only access
ask: "find my november timesheet workbooks, including shared files"
compare the names and file details before picking one

mistakes people make

opening the first similar filename

ask which folder and project it belongs to before reading figures.

calling an empty result the end

ask it to keep going until onedrive has no further results, even after an empty batch.

questions

can it find an excel file someone shared with me?

yes, if your account can see it. ask to include shared files. say "only my own files" for a narrower search.

does this search inside spreadsheet rows?

find the workbook, then ask about its rows. content can match the file search, but a separate action reads the table or cells.

sources

dusk bot docs: files and apps
dusk bot docs: routines
dusk bot docs: computer permissions
composio, Excel toolkit (catalog version 20261103_00), checked 12 november 2026

drafted with ai help from the dusk bot docs and the sources listed on this page, then checked against them. if something here is wrong or out of date, write to [email protected].