Build a Data Analysis Agent

Spreadsheets hold the answers, but digging them out by hand is slow. So here I build an agent you can simply ask, like “which product sold most last month?”, and it reads the connected sheet and tells you, with a short explanation. I built and tested this on the free plan.

What will you build?

A data analysis agent. You connect a spreadsheet, then ask questions in plain English. The agent reads the data, computes the answer, and replies with the number and a one-line reason. You can chat with it or drop it in Slack so your team can ask too.

What do you need to start?

• A free Gumloop account.
• A Google Sheet (or similar) with some data.
• The spreadsheet tool switched on for the agent.

How does it work?

It is an agent, so you give it a role, the data tool, and a model, then ask away. Three pieces:

• Instructions: act as a data analyst and answer questions about the connected sheet.
• Tool: read access to your spreadsheet.
• Model: Claude for careful number work.

How do you build it, step by step?

Create a New Agent, switch on the spreadsheet tool, and paste these instructions:

You are a data analyst. When I ask a question about the connected
spreadsheet, read the data, work out the answer, and reply with the
number plus a one-line explanation of how you got it. If the data
cannot answer the question, say so rather than guessing.

How do you set the model to Claude?

Open the AI step or agent and pick the model. Number work rewards a careful model. For careful work I use Claude 4.8 Opus, the “Smartest” option; a faster model saves credits on simple runs.

How do you run it?

Ask it a question in the chat box, like “what was total revenue in May?” It reads the sheet and answers. Put it in Slack and your team can ask without opening the file.

What can go wrong?

• Messy data. Clear column headers help the agent read the sheet. Tidy the top row first.
• Made-up numbers. The instruction tells it to say when it cannot answer. Keep that line.
• Big sheets. Very large data uses more credits to read. Start with a focused range. More tips in the AI Tools Directory.

Common questions

Do I need to code this?

No. You write the agent plain-English instructions and switch on the spreadsheet tool.

Can my team use it in Slack?

Yes. Put the agent in a Slack channel and people can ask questions without opening the sheet.

Will it run on the free plan?

You can build and test it on free credits. Heavy, frequent querying uses more.

Does it work with Claude?

Yes. Claude 4.8 Opus is the “Smartest” model, which I use for number work.

Can it edit the sheet?

Only if you grant write access. For analysis, read-only is safer and enough.

Sources

• Gumloop documentation
• Gumloop official site
• Anthropic: Claude models

Last reviewed: June 2026. Gumloop changes often; check the official docs above if a button has moved.

You may also like

• AI Automation for Beginners (the hub)
• How to use Claude AI
• The AI Tools Directory
• Start Here: the beginner path
• The AI Glossary
• The daily Beginners in AI newsletter