pycel
A library for compiling excel spreadsheets to python code & visualizing them as a graph
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you have a stable Excel workbook with supported functions and can accept GPLv3 licensing. The low install friction and graph-based design make it suitable for one-time or occasional spreadsheet compilation. However, maintenance is dormant (last release October 2021), so expect no new function support or bug fixes; verify that your spreadsheet's functions are already implemented before committing to this library. Not recommended for proprietary projects due to copyleft licensing.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires openpyxl to read .xlsx files and networkx, numpy, python-dateutil, ruamel.yaml as runtime dependencies.
- Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel.
- Maintenance is dormant—last release was 2021-10-13 and no commits since 2024-05-29—so expect limited bug fixes or feature updates going forward.
License · maintenance · safety
copyleft license (copyleft) — Licensed under GPLv3 (copyleft), which requires any derivative work or distribution to also be open-source under GPLv3; proprietary projects cannot incorporate this code without releasing their modifications.
last release 2021-10-13 (1766 days) · last repo commit 2024-05-29 · 31 stars
2 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 326,982 downloads/mo, #7,570 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pycel
from pycel import ExcelCompiler
compiler = ExcelCompiler(filename='spreadsheet.xlsx')
result = compiler.evaluate('Sheet1!A1')- Whether all Excel functions used in a given spreadsheet are actually supported by the version installed.
- Performance characteristics on spreadsheets larger than the 10,000-formula example mentioned in the description.
- Current compatibility with modern versions of openpyxl and networkx beyond what the changelog documents.
What it is and what it does
Pycel is a Python library that reads an Excel workbook and compiles its formulas into a directed acyclic graph of Python functions, then evaluates that graph to produce results without requiring Excel. It supports common mathematical functions (sin, cos, atan2), operators, ranges, and lookup functions like MIN, MAX, INDEX, and LINEST. The compiled code can be exported and analyzed using graph visualization tools like Gephi.
The library is designed for spreadsheets with hundreds or thousands of formulas where you need reproducible, auditable computation outside Excel. It depends on networkx for graph representation, numpy for numerical operations, openpyxl for reading .xlsx files, python-dateutil for date handling, and ruamel.yaml for configuration. The codebase is intentionally small and relatively fast, though the author notes that truly high-performance use cases might require replacing the graph with sparse-matrix-based dependency tracking.
Use it for
- Automate recurring spreadsheet calculations in production without Excel licensing or manual re-entry.
- Audit and version-control complex financial or engineering models by converting them to readable Python code.
- Integrate Excel-based business logic into Python data pipelines or web services.
- Visualize formula dependencies and data flow in large spreadsheets using graph export tools.
- Test spreadsheet formulas programmatically by evaluating them in a Python test suite.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you have a stable Excel workbook with supported functions and can accept GPLv3 licensing.
The low install friction and graph-based design make it suitable for one-time or occasional spreadsheet compilation. However, maintenance is dormant (last release October 2021), so expect no new function support or bug fixes; verify that your spreadsheet's functions are already implemented before committing to this library. Not recommended for proprietary projects due to copyleft licensing.
Install
pycel on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel. Maintenance is dormant—last release was 2021-10-13 and no commits since 2024-05-29—so expect limited bug fixes or feature updates going forward.
Requires openpyxl to read .xlsx files and networkx, numpy, python-dateutil, ruamel.yaml as runtime dependencies.
License in practice
Licensed under GPLv3 (copyleft), which requires any derivative work or distribution to also be open-source under GPLv3; proprietary projects cannot incorporate this code without releasing their modifications.
Quickstart
pip install pycel
from pycel import ExcelCompiler
compiler = ExcelCompiler(filename='spreadsheet.xlsx')
result = compiler.evaluate('Sheet1!A1')Verify before relying
- Whether all Excel functions used in a given spreadsheet are actually supported by the version installed.
- Performance characteristics on spreadsheets larger than the 10,000-formula example mentioned in the description.
- Current compatibility with modern versions of openpyxl and networkx beyond what the changelog documents.
Package facts
| License | copyleft license copyleft |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.6 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 5 packagesnetworkxnumpyopenpyxlpython-dateutilruamel.yaml |
| Maintenance | Dormant 1,766 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 326,982 / month, #7,570 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | 2 GHSA-pw67-xjhq-389w, PYSEC-2025-177 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3)Operating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: pycel-1.0b30-py3-none-any.whl
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See also xlcalculator · formulas · spire-xls · openpyxl · aspose-cells · xlwings · pylightxl · excelrd · aspose-cells-python · xlwt