Claude for Excel allows you to work with spreadsheet data using a chatbot inside Excel. When RED is connected to Claude, you can compare information in your workbook with live data from your connected Big Red Cloud companies.
For example, you can select multiple newly added customer rows in Excel and ask:
Are any of these customers already present in my other connected companies?
Claude can use the selected spreadsheet cells alongside RED’s Big Red Cloud data and return the comparison directly in Excel.
What you need
You need:
A Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise account.
A supported version of Microsoft Excel.
The Claude for Excel add-in.
RED added as a connector in Claude.
At least one Big Red Cloud company connected to RED.
Claude for Excel supports Excel for the web, supported Microsoft 365 versions of Excel for Windows, and supported versions of Excel for Mac.
Step 1: Add RED to Claude
See previous Knowledge Base Article for more details: [Article: Setting Up Red in Claude]
Step 2: Install Claude for Excel
On Windows, select Home → Add-ins → More Add-ins, and search for Claude.
Open Claude and sign in using your Claude account.
If your organization controls which Office add-ins can be installed, your Microsoft 365 administrator may need to deploy Claude for Excel to your account.
Step 3: Enable RED in Excel
Open the required workbook.
Open Claude from the Excel ribbon.
In the Claude sidebar, select the + button below the chat box.
Select Connectors.
Enable RED by Big Red Cloud.
Step 4: Connect your Big Red Cloud companies
In Claude, ask:
Connect my companies to RED.
Follow the secure connection instructions returned by RED. Do not paste a Big Red Cloud password or API key into the Claude conversation.
After completing the connection, you are ready to ask Claude questions.
Getting Started
Example Use Cases
Compare suppliers across companies
Use the selected supplier list and compare it with suppliers in all my connected Big Red Cloud companies. Identify exact and possible matches using the name, email and VAT number. Add the results to this worksheet without changing Big Red Cloud.
Check invoice information
Compare the invoice numbers, customer names, dates and totals in the selected rows with the sales invoices in Company A. Highlight missing invoices and differences. Do not make any accounting changes.
Add customer balances to a worksheet
For each customer code in the selected range, retrieve the current balance from Company A using RED and add it in a new column.
Compare products
Compare the product codes in the selected rows with the products in Company A. Identify missing, dormant or potentially duplicated products.
Create a multi-company customer summary
Search all my connected companies for the customers listed in the selected cells. Create a new worksheet showing which companies contain each customer and their customer codes.
Tips for better results
Select only the cells relevant to the task.
Include clear column headings.
Name the company when you want to search only one company.
Say all connected companies when you want a cross-company comparison.
Specify which fields Claude should use when matching records.
Tell Claude not to change Big Red Cloud when you only want a comparison.
Review suggested matches and workbook changes before accepting them.
Claude can read and modify workbook cells, format information and work across multiple worksheets. It also provides overwrite warnings, but users should still verify all changes.
Important safety information
Only use Claude for Excel with workbooks you trust.
Review results before using them for accounting decisions.
Keep a backup copy before allowing extensive workbook changes.
Do not treat an AI-generated comparison as a final audit or duplicate-record decision.
Anthropic advises against using Claude for Excel for audit-critical calculations without verification.
Troubleshooting
RED does not appear under Connectors
Check that RED has been added under Customize → Connectors. On Team and Enterprise accounts, an organization Owner may need to enable it first.
No connected companies are available
Return to Claude, ask RED to start the company-connection process, and follow the secure instructions. Then ask RED to list the connected companies.
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