What is an MCP connector?

Ressio MCP Server Overview

What is it

The Ressio MCP server is the “service” (behind the scenes) that powers the MCP connector. It provides a list of approved MCP tools that external AI clients can call to securely access Ressio data.

Who's it for

• Builders (Admins): People who want to ask cross-project questions and pull reporting-style answers without exporting spreadsheets.

• Builder team members: People who need answers about the projects and tasks they’re assigned to (based on their Ressio permissions).
• Power users / technical teams: Teams that want to connect Ressio to external AI tools or custom workflows.

What it enables

Depending on what’s enabled for your company, the Ressio MCP server can allow external AI tools to:

• Read data from Ressio (view-only): projects, budgets, purchase orders, invoices, vendors, schedule tasks, change orders, and more.
• Write data to Ressio (make changes) only when explicitly enabled: create or update items like purchase orders, schedule tasks, and other supported actions.

Important: The MCP server is designed to respect company scoping and your Ressio role permissions, so you only see what you’re allowed to see in Ressio.

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Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. What does the MCP connector do in Ressio?
3. FAQ
4. Troubleshooting

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Overview

An MCP connector is a secure connection between an external AI tool (like ChatGPT, Claude, or an AI agent) and Ressio.

MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. It’s a standard way for AI tools to:

• Ask for data from Ressio (example: “List my open purchase orders”) and
• Potentially take actions in Ressio (example: “Create a draft purchase order”) — if write access is enabled.

Think of it like an “AI integration layer” that lets certain AI tools talk to Ressio using a controlled set of tools.

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What does the MCP connector do in Ressio?

When you connect an AI tool to Ressio through MCP, the AI tool can call specific “tools” (pre-defined actions) that Ressio provides.

Common things MCP can help with

• Reporting and quick answers without exporting spreadsheets

• Cross-project questions (depending on your permissions)
• Finding specific items faster (purchase orders, invoices, vendors, schedule tasks, change orders, budgets)

What MCP is not

• It is not the same thing as Mason (Ressio’s built-in AI inside the app).

• It is not a general “open API” where anything can connect and do anything.

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FAQ

What’s the difference between Mason and MCP?

• Mason: AI inside Ressio. Designed for an in-app, guided experience.
• MCP connector: Lets external AI tools connect to Ressio using the MCP standard.

Mason is the in-app experience. MCP is the integration layer for outside tools.

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What does “Read” vs “Write” mean in Ressio MCP?

This is the most important concept to understand.

Read access (safe, view-only)

Read means the AI tool can retrieve information from Ressio, but it cannot change anything.

Examples of read requests:

• “Show me active projects over budget.”
• “List unpaid invoices.”
• “What purchase orders are still open?”
• “Which schedule tasks are due this week?”

If your MCP access is read-only, the AI tool can help you find and summarize information, but it can’t create, update, approve, delete, or send anything in Ressio.

Write access (can change data)

Write means the AI tool can make changes in Ressio by running write-enabled tools.

Examples of write requests (only if enabled):

• “Create a draft purchase order for vendor X.”
• “Update a schedule task due date.”
• “Create a draft change order.”

Write access is more powerful, so it typically has stricter controls (and may be limited, gated, or require extra confirmation depending on the tool).

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Is Ressio MCP read-only today?

In many early setups, yes — MCP starts as read-only so teams can safely explore what it can do, without risking unintended changes.

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Does MCP follow my existing Ressio permissions?

Yes. MCP is designed to respect your existing Ressio role permissions.

That means:

• If you can’t see certain projects in Ressio, the MCP connector shouldn’t expose them.
• If you can only access assigned projects or tasks, MCP should follow the same rules.

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What data can MCP access?

This depends on which MCP tools are enabled in your environment, but common read tools include data like:

• Projects
• Budgets and budget summaries
• Purchase orders
• Invoices
• Vendors
• Schedule tasks
• Change orders
• Company-level summaries (if enabled)

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What external tools can connect via MCP?

Any AI tool that supports MCP can potentially connect (examples include ChatGPT, Claude, developer tools like Cursor, and custom agents).

Your setup experience may vary depending on the tool you’re connecting.

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Is it safe to connect an external AI tool to Ressio?

It can be safe when you follow these guidelines:

• Start with read-only access.
• Only connect trusted AI clients and accounts.
• Use the least privilege approach (only enable what you need).
• Treat write access as “power tools” — enable only when you’re ready.

❗When you use an external AI tool, that tool may have its own settings about how it processes data. Always follow your company’s data policies and only connect accounts you control.

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Troubleshooting: Why do I see “No tools available”?

Common reasons:

• Your company hasn’t enabled MCP access yet.
• Your user role doesn’t have permission to use MCP.
• You’re connected to the wrong company/account.

If you’re not sure which one it is, contact your Ressio admin or support.

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Need help?

If you still have unanswered questions or need further assistance, please contact our support team at support@ressiosoftware.com.