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Kantata MCP Server Overview

By Grace Kamau | Updated
Ask ChatGPT Ask Claude

Overview

The Kantata MCP Server allows you to connect the AI tools you already use—such as Claude, ChatGPT—directly to Kantata. With 150+ tools that give external AI tools secure and authenticated access to Kantata data and actions, you can bring together all your tools and data in one place and reduce context switching.

You can do things like log time where the work happens, compare Kantata resource requests to external candidate pools, keep project plans up to date with your organization’s external code repositories, and more—all from your preferred AI tool.

Tip: Use the MCP server when you need to reference data from multiple applications, need to save outputs outside of Kantata, or want to work within your preferred AI tool. Use the Expertise Agent within Kantata when you only need to reference Kantata data or the scope of your workflow or process is fully within Kantata.

Available Tools

Tools define the actions that external AI tools can perform in Kantata via the Kantata MCP server.

Note: Deleting data via the MCP server is not supported.
  • get_access_group_memberships
  • get_access_groups
  • get_account_invitations
  • get_account_memberships
  • get_assignments
  • get_billable_utilizations
  • get_billing_milestones
  • get_cost_rates
  • get_custom_app_items (i.e. forms)
  • get_custom_field_choices
  • get_custom_field_sets
  • get_custom_field_values
  • get_custom_fields
  • get_expense_budgets
  • get_expense_categories
  • get_expense_report_submissions
  • get_expenses
  • get_holiday_calendar_associations
  • get_holiday_calendar_memberships
  • get_holiday_calendars
  • get_holidays
  • get_insights_access_group_memberships
  • get_insights_access_groups
  • get_invoices
  • get_organization_memberships
  • get_participations
  • get_posts
  • get_project_accounting_records
  • get_project_snapshots
  • get_project_template_additional_tabs
  • get_project_template_assignment_skills
  • get_project_template_assignments
  • get_project_template_expense_budgets
  • get_project_templates
  • get_rate_card_roles
  • get_rate_card_set_versions
  • get_rate_card_sets
  • get_rate_card_versions
  • get_rate_cards
  • get_resource_requests
  • get_roles
  • get_skill_categories
  • get_skill_memberships
  • get_skills
  • get_status_reports
  • get_stories (i.e. tasks)
  • get_story_allocation_days (i.e. scheduled hours)
  • get_story_dependencies
  • get_story_tasks (i.e. checklist items)
  • get_task_status_sets
  • get_time_entries
  • get_time_off_entries
  • get_timesheet_submissions
  • get_user_group_memberships
  • get_users
  • get_vendors
  • get_workspace_allocations
  • get_workspace_baselines (i.e. Gantt baselines; unrelated to project snapshots)
  • get_workspace_groups
  • get_workspace_resource_skills
  • get_workspace_resources
  • get_workspaces (i.e. projects)
  • get_workweek_memberships
  • get_workweeks
  • post_access_group_memberships
  • post_access_groups
  • post_account_invitations
  • post_assignments
  • post_billable_utilizations
  • post_billing_milestones
  • post_cost_rates
  • post_custom_field_sets
  • post_custom_field_values
  • post_custom_fields
  • post_expense_budgets
  • post_expense_categories
  • post_expense_report_submissions
  • post_expenses
  • post_holiday_calendar_associations
  • post_holiday_calendar_memberships
  • post_holiday_calendars
  • post_holidays
  • post_insights_access_group_memberships
  • post_insights_access_groups
  • post_invoices
  • post_organization_memberships
  • post_participations
  • post_posts
  • post_project_accounting_records
  • post_project_snapshots
  • post_project_template_additional_tabs
  • post_project_template_assignment_skills
  • post_project_template_assignments
  • post_project_template_expense_budgets
  • post_project_templates
  • post_rate_card_roles
  • post_rate_card_set_versions
  • post_rate_card_sets
  • post_rate_cards
  • post_resource_requests
  • post_roles
  • post_skill_memberships
  • post_skills
  • post_status_reports
  • post_stories (i.e. tasks)
  • post_story_allocation_days (i.e. scheduled hours)
  • post_story_dependencies
  • post_story_tasks (i.e. checklist items)
  • post_task_status_sets
  • post_time_entries
  • post_time_off_entries
  • post_timesheet_submissions
  • post_user_group_memberships
  • post_vendors
  • post_workspace_allocations
  • post_workspace_baselines (i.e. Gantt baselines; unrelated to project snapshots)
  • post_workspace_groups
  • post_workspace_resource_skills
  • post_workspace_resources
  • post_workspaces (i.e. projects)
  • post_workweek_memberships
  • post_workweeks
  • put_access_groups
  • put_account_invitations
  • put_account_memberships
  • put_assignments
  • put_billable_utilizations
  • put_billing_milestones
  • put_cost_rates
  • put_custom_field_sets
  • put_custom_field_values
  • put_custom_fields
  • put_expense_budgets
  • put_expense_categories
  • put_expenses
  • put_holiday_calendar_memberships
  • put_holiday_calendars
  • put_holidays
  • put_insights_access_group_memberships
  • put_insights_access_groups
  • put_invoices
  • put_organization_memberships
  • put_participations
  • put_posts
  • put_project_snapshots
  • put_project_template_assignment_skills
  • put_project_template_assignments
  • put_project_template_expense_budgets
  • put_project_templates
  • put_rate_card_roles
  • put_rate_card_set_versions
  • put_rate_card_sets
  • put_rate_card_versions
  • put_rate_cards
  • put_resource_requests
  • put_roles
  • put_skill_memberships
  • put_skills
  • put_status_reports
  • put_stories (i.e. tasks)
  • put_story_allocation_days (i.e. scheduled hours)
  • put_story_dependencies
  • put_story_tasks (i.e. checklist items)
  • put_task_status_sets
  • put_time_entries
  • put_time_off_entries
  • put_users
  • put_vendors
  • put_workspace_allocations
  • put_workspace_baselines (i.e. Gantt baselines; unrelated to project snapshots)
  • put_workspace_groups
  • put_workspace_resource_skills
  • put_workspace_resources
  • put_workspaces (i.e. projects)
  • put_workweek_memberships
  • put_workweeks
  • submit_expertise_agent_feedback

How to Connect Claude to the Kantata MCP Server

Step 1: Create an OAuth App (Account Administrator)

  1. In Kantata, go to Settings > API and create an application.
  2. For the Application Callback URI, enter https://claude.ai/api/mcp/auth_callback. 
  3. Save the application.
  4. Copy the Kantata OX Application ID and Secret Token and save them for later.

Step 2: Enable the Kantata Connector for Your Organization (Enterprise and Teams Plans)

Note: You must be an administrator in Claude to enable the Kantata connector for your organization.

For enterprise accounts:

  1. In Claude, go to Organization Settings > Connectors.
  2. Select Browse connectors.
  3. Select the Kantata OX Expertise Engine connector from the list.
  4. Select Add to your team.

Individual users can now connect to and authorize the connector for themselves.

Step 3: Connect and Authorize the Kantata Connector for Your Account

For enterprise accounts:

  1. In Claude, go to Customize > Connectors.
  2. Select the Yours tab.
  3. For the Kantata OX Expertise Engine connector, select Connect. The OAuth Authorization page in Kantata opens.
  4. Select Authorize. You are redirected back to Claude.

In the Connectors list, the Status column should show a checkmark icon for the Kantata connector.

Select the Kantata connector and you can see a list of available tools. You can configure the approval mode for each tool: Always Allow, Needs Approval, or Blocked.

For free accounts:

  1. In Claude, go to Customize > Connectors.
  2. Select the Discover tab.
  3. Search for Kantata.
  4. Select the Kantata OX Expertise Engine connector.
  5. Select Connect to Claude.
  6. Paste the Kantata OX application ID you copied earlier into the OAuth client ID field.
  7. Paste the secret token you copied earlier in the OAuth client secret field.
  8. Select Connect. The OAuth Authorization page in Kantata opens.
  9. Select Authorize. You are redirected back to Claude.

The connector details page opens and you can see a list of available tools. You can configure the approval mode for each tool: Always Allow, Needs Approval, or Blocked.

 

How to Connect ChatGPT to the Kantata MCP Server

Step 1: Create an OAuth App (Account Administrator)

  1. In Kantata, go to Settings > API and create an application.
  2. For the Application Callback URI, enter a placeholder URL: https://localhost. This will be replaced later with the specific callback URL for your app.
  3. Save the application.
  4. Copy the Kantata OX Application ID and Secret Token and save them for later.

Step 2: Connect ChatGPT to the Kantata MCP Server

For enterprise and business accounts:

Note: You must be an administrator in ChatGPT to set up a connection to the Kantata MCP server.
  1. Enable developer mode in ChatGPT workspace settings.
  2. Create a new app with the following information:
    • Server URL—Enter https://app.mavenlink.com/mcp
    • Authentication—Select OAuth.
  3. The new app appears as a draft in workspace settings. For non-admin users, the new app appears in Settings > Apps > Enabled Apps with a Dev label.
  4. Copy the Callback URL.
  5. In Kantata, edit your application and paste the callback URL into Application Callback URI.
  6. Select Save.
  7. In ChatGPT, publish the app.

For free accounts:

  1. In ChatGPT, go to Settings > Security and login.
  2. Enable Developer Mode.
  3. Go to Plugins.
  4. Select the New plugin button.
  5. Enter the following information.
    • Name—Enter a name.
    • Description—Enter a description.
    • Connection—Select Server URL.
    • Server URL—Enter https://app.mavenlink.com/mcp
    • Authentication—Select OAuth.
  6. Select Advanced OAuth Settings and copy the Callback URL.
  7. In Kantata, edit your application and paste the callback URL into Application Callback URI.
  8. Select Save.
  9. In ChatGPT, fill out the following fields.
    • OAuth Client ID—Paste the application ID you copied earlier.
    • OAuth Client secret—Paste the secret token you copied earlier.
    • Token endpoint auth method automatically updates to client_secret_post after you enter the client secret.
    • Uncheck OIDC enabled.
  10. Check I understand.
  11. Click Create.

Step 3: Authorize the App for Your Kantata Account

Note: For enterprise and business accounts, a ChatGPT administrator must have created an app before you can authorize it for your account.
  1. In ChatGPT, go to Plugins.
  2. Select the plugin for the Kantata MCP server.
  3. Select Sign in with [Plugin Name]. The OAuth Authorization page in Kantata opens.
  4. Select Authorize. You are redirected back to ChatGPT. 

The Kantata MCP server is now listed as a Connected plugin in Settings > Plugins. 

Select the Kantata MCP plugin and you can see a list of available tools in the Actions section.

 

How to Connect Other AI Tools to the Kantata MCP Server

The Kantata MCP server can be connected to any AI tool that supports MCP servers and/or OAuth apps. The general steps are as follows:

  1. Create an application in Kantata and copy the application ID and secret.
  2. Create a custom app/connector/plugin in the AI tool.
  3. Configure the custom app/connector/plugin with the following settings:
    1. Enter https://app.mavenlink.com/mcp as the MCP server URL.
    2. Select OAuth as the authentication.
    3. Paste the application ID and secret you copied earlier.
  4. Obtain the callback URL from the AI tool. This information may be available in the app or specified in their documentation.
  5. Update your application in Kantata with the callback URL.
  6. In the AI tool, activate the connection.
  7. The OAuth Authorization page in Kantata opens. Select Authorize.
  8. You should be redirected back to the AI tool and the connection should be active.

 

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By Grace Kamau
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