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Connect an AI client with MCP

Use MCP (Model Context Protocol) to connect an AI client such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to Operately. After you authorize the client, it can search and work with the goals, projects, tasks, and documents you already have access to.

MCP is separate from API tokens and the CLI. Each MCP connection is tied to one company. To use a different company, connect the client again and choose that company.

How to get there#

  • Avatar menu → MCP Connections
  • Avatar menu → Password & Security → MCP connections

Screenshot: MCP Connections page with Server URL and Connected Clients

Connect a client#

  1. Click your avatar or initials in the top-right corner of the screen.
  2. Select MCP Connections.
  3. Copy the Server URL. Use this URL to create a connection in your AI client.
  4. In your AI client, add a remote MCP server and paste that URL.
  5. Sign in to Operately if the client asks you to.
  6. If you belong to more than one company, choose which company to use for this connection, then click Continue.
  7. Review Client, Company, and Permissions, then click Authorize. Click Deny if you did not start this connection.

Screenshot: Authorization screen for an MCP client

The Server URL is https://app.operately.com/mcp on Operately Cloud. On a self-hosted installation, it is your instance URL followed by /mcp.

If you belong to only one company, Operately selects it automatically and skips the company step.

The authorization screen says the client is requesting access to your Operately workspace through MCP.

You can also open MCP Connections from Password & Security by clicking MCP connections (Review and revoke AI client connections).

Permissions#

The client requests access when it connects. Operately shows those permissions on the authorization screen:

  • View workspace data — the client can read work you already have access to.
  • Create, update, delete, and archive workspace content — the client can change work in that company.

If the client asks for write access, Operately warns: Write access lets this client create, update, delete, and archive content in your workspace.

On the MCP Connections page, each connected client shows an Access value of View only, Edit only, or View and edit.

Review connected clients#

The Connected Clients section lists every client you have authorized. Revoke a connection if you no longer trust the client or want to stop its access.

Each row shows:

  • Client
  • Access
  • Connected
  • Last Used

If you have not authorized any clients yet, the page shows No MCP connections yet.

Revoke a connection#

Revoking immediately stops that client’s access. The client must reconnect through OAuth before it can use Operately again.

  1. Open MCP Connections.
  2. In the Connected Clients table, open the menu on the client row.
  3. Click Revoke.
  4. On the Revoke connection dialog, click Revoke. Click Cancel to keep the connection.

The confirmation asks: Revoke access for [client name]? The client will need to reconnect through OAuth.