Tools

MCP Server

The COUNT Partner MCP server exposes the same COUNT_* tools agents use to read and write workspace data. Run it locally through the COUNT CLI for Claude Code and Cursor, or connect to the remote server for Claude.ai connectors and ChatGPT plugins.

Local vs remote MCP

Surface	Use
Local (CLI)	Claude Code, Cursor, custom agents, multi-workspace automation via COUNT CLI
Remote	Claude.ai connectors / ChatGPT plugins at `https://api.getcount.com/mcp`

Same tools, different transport

Local MCP runs as a stdio server launched by count mcp. Remote MCP uses OAuth at the hosted URL. Both expose the same COUNT_* tool names and partner API paths.

Install the remote server

The remote server needs no install step of its own — point a client at https://api.getcount.com/mcp and it completes OAuth in the browser on first use. Pick your client:

VS Code

Install in VS Code

Or add this to .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace:

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "count": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.getcount.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Cursor

Install in Cursor

Or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "count": {
      "url": "https://api.getcount.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

Terminal

claude mcp add --transport http count https://api.getcount.com/mcp

Run it in your project directory. Claude Code opens the browser for OAuth on the first tool call; check the connection with /mcp.

Claude.ai

Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector, then paste the server URL.

Available on Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans. Claude completes the OAuth consent flow in the browser and stores the connection on your account.

ChatGPT

Open Plugins → Browse plugins, select the + button at the top, then choose Create app → MCP app. Paste the server URL as the MCP endpoint.

Requires a Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, or Edu account with developer mode enabled.

Any other MCP client

Server URL

https://api.getcount.com/mcp

MCP is an open protocol. Point any client that supports a streamable HTTP server with OAuth at this URL — it will register the same COUNT_* tools under the name count.

What you are authorizing

Consent is per workspace, and the connection can read and write that workspace's accounting data. Grant it to a test workspace first — see OAuth consent experience for what the screen looks like.

Local setup through the CLI

After count login, print MCP configuration and paste it into your agent settings:

Terminal

count mcp print-config

Example output — paths are resolved on your machine at print time:

MCP config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "count": {
      "command": "/path/to/node",
      "args": ["/path/to/@countfinancial/cli/dist/index.js", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

The config points at the count mcp command. Credentials load from ~/.count/credentials.json at runtime — no secrets are embedded in the MCP config file.

To run the stdio server directly (without an agent wrapper), use count mcp.

Tool naming

Every MCP tool is prefixed with COUNT_ followed by a snake_case action name derived from the partner REST route. Examples:

COUNT_list_customers → GET /partners/customers
COUNT_create_invoice → POST /partners/invoices
COUNT_get_workspace_stats → GET /partners/workspace-stats

Use COUNT_describe_endpoint with { "toolName": "COUNT_create_invoice" } to inspect expected query and body fields before unfamiliar create or update operations.

Input parameters

MCP tools accept a JSON object with up to three top-level keys:

Field	Used for
query	GET list filters, report parameters, and pagination (page, limit, search, date ranges).
body	POST, PATCH, and PUT request payloads. UUID fields are resolved server-side.
id	External UUID for single-resource routes (get, update, delete by id).

Example tool input

{
  "id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
  "query": { "page": "1", "limit": "50" },
  "body": { "name": "Updated vendor name" }
}

Each tool exposes typed JSON Schema for query and body fields via list_tools. Call COUNT_describe_endpoint for an inputSchemaSummary and COUNT_validate_payload to preflight payloads before writes.

Errors and recovery

Failed MCP tool calls return JSON in content[0].text with message, statusCode, nested responseBody, and optional _mcpRecoveryHint (suggested knowledge topics, playbooks, and next tools). There is no structured errors[] array — read the message string and call COUNT_knowledge topic partner_error_handling for status-specific guidance.

Example MCP tool error

{
  "message": "Vendor not found",
  "statusCode": 404,
  "responseBody": {
    "message": "Vendor not found",
    "statusCode": 404,
    "requestId": "7d945d75-cc4b-4394-b39a-3b8010b1a9e5"
  },
  "_mcpRecoveryHint": {
    "summary": "Re-resolve UUIDs via list_* or resolve_references.",
    "suggestedNextTools": ["COUNT_validate_payload", "COUNT_describe_endpoint"]
  }
}

Resources

Six read-only MCP resources provide JSON snapshots of frequently referenced workspace data. Agents can fetch these without calling list tools first:

Resource	URI	Description
COUNT_chart_of_accounts	count://chart-of-accounts	Read-only snapshot of the authenticated workspace chart of accounts.
COUNT_customers	count://customers	Read-only snapshot of customers in the authenticated workspace.
COUNT_vendors	count://vendors	Read-only snapshot of vendors in the authenticated workspace.
COUNT_products	count://products	Read-only snapshot of products and services in the authenticated workspace.
COUNT_people	count://people	Read-only snapshot of people records in the authenticated workspace.
COUNT_recurring_invoice_templates	count://recurring-invoice-templates	Read-only snapshot of recurring invoice templates in the authenticated workspace.

Tool categories

The remote MCP server registers 210 tools across 25 resource categories plus 18 meta tools. The local CLI stdio server (count mcp) registers the same categories except those marked Remote only below, since it is single-workspace and does not need workspace-switching tools, and payroll tools are gated to workspaces with COUNT Payroll enabled. Each category maps to partner REST routes documented in the API reference where available:

Transactions

12 tools

API reference: Transactions

COUNT_list_transactions, COUNT_get_transaction, COUNT_create_transaction, COUNT_bulk_create_transactions, COUNT_update_transaction, COUNT_change_transaction_category, COUNT_bulk_change_transaction_category, COUNT_bulk_exclude_transactions, COUNT_bulk_review_transactions, COUNT_assign_transaction_to_bills_invoices, COUNT_split_transaction, COUNT_delete_transaction

Chart of Accounts

6 tools

API reference: Chart of Accounts

COUNT_list_accounts, COUNT_list_account_sub_types, COUNT_create_account, COUNT_bulk_create_accounts, COUNT_update_account, COUNT_delete_account

Vendors

4 tools

API reference: Vendors

COUNT_list_vendors, COUNT_create_vendor, COUNT_update_vendor, COUNT_delete_vendor

Customers

22 tools

API reference: Customers

COUNT_list_customers, COUNT_get_customer, COUNT_create_customer, COUNT_bulk_create_customers, COUNT_update_customer, COUNT_bulk_update_customers, COUNT_delete_customer, COUNT_get_customer_revenue_overview, COUNT_list_customer_contacts, COUNT_create_customer_contact, COUNT_update_customer_contact, COUNT_delete_customer_contact, COUNT_list_customer_addresses, COUNT_create_customer_address, COUNT_update_customer_address, COUNT_delete_customer_address, COUNT_list_customer_notes, COUNT_create_customer_note, COUNT_update_customer_note, COUNT_delete_customer_note, COUNT_preview_merge_customers, COUNT_merge_customers

People

2 tools

API reference: People

COUNT_list_people, COUNT_get_person

Products & Services

5 tools

API reference: Products & Services

COUNT_list_products, COUNT_get_product, COUNT_create_product, COUNT_update_product, COUNT_delete_product

Tags & Tag Groups

10 tools

API reference: Tags & Tag Groups

COUNT_list_tags, COUNT_get_tag, COUNT_create_tag, COUNT_update_tag, COUNT_delete_tag, COUNT_list_tag_groups, COUNT_get_tag_group, COUNT_create_tag_group, COUNT_update_tag_group, COUNT_delete_tag_group

Invoices

17 tools

API reference: Invoices

COUNT_list_invoices, COUNT_get_invoice, COUNT_get_next_invoice_number, COUNT_create_invoice, COUNT_update_invoice, COUNT_delete_invoice, COUNT_approve_invoice, COUNT_send_invoice, COUNT_get_invoice_public_link, COUNT_get_invoice_audit_log, COUNT_get_invoice_send_history, COUNT_add_invoice_attachments_from_urls, COUNT_apply_multiple_credits_to_single_invoice, COUNT_apply_single_credit_to_multiple_invoices, COUNT_remove_invoice_credit, COUNT_record_credit_memo_refund, COUNT_unassign_invoice_transaction

Recurring Invoice Templates

7 tools

API reference: Recurring Invoice Templates

COUNT_list_recurring_invoice_templates, COUNT_get_recurring_invoice_template, COUNT_create_recurring_invoice_template, COUNT_update_recurring_invoice_template, COUNT_delete_recurring_invoice_template, COUNT_pause_recurring_invoice_template, COUNT_resume_recurring_invoice_template

Bills

10 tools

API reference: Bills

COUNT_list_bills, COUNT_get_bill, COUNT_create_bill, COUNT_update_bill, COUNT_delete_bill, COUNT_submit_bill, COUNT_approve_bill, COUNT_apply_vendor_memos_to_bill, COUNT_record_vendor_memo_refund, COUNT_unassign_bill_transaction

Journal Entries

5 tools

API reference: Journal Entries

COUNT_list_journal_entries, COUNT_create_journal_entry, COUNT_bulk_create_journal_entries, COUNT_update_journal_entry, COUNT_delete_journal_entry

Budgets

14 tools

API reference: Budgets

COUNT_list_budgets, COUNT_get_overall_budget, COUNT_create_budget, COUNT_get_budget, COUNT_update_budget, COUNT_get_budget_grid, COUNT_list_budget_versions, COUNT_update_budget_cells, COUNT_bulk_update_budget_cells, COUNT_create_budget_version, COUNT_publish_budget, COUNT_archive_budget, COUNT_delete_budget, COUNT_duplicate_budget

Tasks

5 tools

API reference: Tasks

COUNT_list_tasks, COUNT_get_task, COUNT_create_task, COUNT_update_task, COUNT_delete_task

Projects

8 tools

API reference: Projects

COUNT_list_projects, COUNT_list_project_statuses, COUNT_get_project, COUNT_list_project_tasks, COUNT_create_project, COUNT_bulk_create_projects, COUNT_update_project, COUNT_delete_project

Time Entries

5 tools

API reference: Time Entries

COUNT_list_time_entries, COUNT_get_time_entry, COUNT_create_time_entry, COUNT_update_time_entry, COUNT_delete_time_entry

Expense Receipts

7 tools

API reference: Expense Receipts

COUNT_list_expense_receipts, COUNT_list_unmatched_expense_receipts, COUNT_create_expense_receipt, COUNT_update_expense_receipt, COUNT_delete_expense_receipt, COUNT_match_expense_receipt_manually, COUNT_unmatch_expense_receipt

Reports

9 tools

API reference: Reports

COUNT_generate_trial_balance, COUNT_generate_profit_and_loss, COUNT_generate_balance_sheet, COUNT_generate_aged_receivables_report, COUNT_generate_aged_payables_report, COUNT_generate_sales_by_product_service_report, COUNT_generate_sales_by_customer_report, COUNT_generate_customer_activity_report, COUNT_generate_account_transactions_report

Workspace Stats

1 tool

API reference: Workspace Stats

COUNT_get_workspace_stats

Workspace

3 tools

API reference: Workspace

COUNT_update_workspace, COUNT_get_workspace_gst_settings, COUNT_update_workspace_gst_settings

Opening Balance

2 tools

API reference: Opening Balance

COUNT_get_opening_balance, COUNT_set_opening_balance

Reconciliations

4 tools

API reference: Reconciliations

COUNT_create_reconciliation, COUNT_update_reconciliation, COUNT_delete_reconciliation, COUNT_complete_reconciliation

Connections

6 tools

API reference: Connections

COUNT_list_connections, COUNT_get_connection, COUNT_revoke_connection, COUNT_create_connect_link, COUNT_complete_connect_link, COUNT_create_reconnect_link

Payroll

Remote only14 tools

COUNT_get_all_pay_periods, COUNT_get_pay_period_by_id, COUNT_update_pay_period, COUNT_generate_payroll_journal_report, COUNT_get_all_people, COUNT_get_person_by_ref, COUNT_create_person, COUNT_update_person, COUNT_update_person_recurring_payroll_items, COUNT_get_person_pay_stubs, COUNT_get_pay_stub_by_ref, COUNT_update_pto_accrual_caps, COUNT_get_all_locations, COUNT_manage_location

Firm Reports

Remote only3 tools

COUNT_firm_profit_and_loss, COUNT_firm_balance_sheet, COUNT_firm_account_transactions

Firm Practice Manager

Remote only11 tools

COUNT_firm_wide_list_tasks, COUNT_firm_wide_get_task, COUNT_firm_wide_create_task, COUNT_firm_wide_update_task, COUNT_firm_wide_delete_task, COUNT_firm_wide_list_time_entries, COUNT_firm_wide_get_time_entry, COUNT_firm_wide_create_time_entry, COUNT_firm_wide_update_time_entry, COUNT_firm_wide_delete_time_entry, COUNT_firm_wide_list_projects

Meta tools

18 meta tools help agents inspect auth state, discover request shapes, look up workflow guidance, and preflight payloads without calling partner data routes directly:

Published as documentation too

COUNT_playbooks and COUNT_knowledge serve agents the same content you can read directly in Accounting Playbooks and Ledger Semantics & Lifecycles. Read those before wiring writes into a live workspace — they cover which operations are valid in which state, and which ones cannot be undone.

Tool	Description
COUNT_auth_status	Return the MCP server authentication configuration state without exposing secrets.
COUNT_describe_endpoint	Return human-readable guidance for a specific COUNT tool, including the partner API path it wraps and expected query or body fields.
COUNT_find_tool	Ranked search over every registered COUNT tool by what you are trying to do ("record a customer payment"). Synonym-aware and typo-tolerant; returns tool names, what each does, and the partner API path it wraps.
COUNT_knowledge	Connector and workflow FAQ — authorizing additional workspaces, reconnect steps, external UUID conventions, report category filters, and bulk import batch sizes. Pass a `topic` id for one entry in full, a free-text `search` for ranked matches, or nothing for a browsable index.
COUNT_playbooks	Ordered, multi-step accounting workflows with exact tool names per step — paying a vendor bill, creating and sending an invoice, bulk migration imports, chart-of-accounts setup with transaction import, budget planning with actuals review, and month-end review. Pass a `playbook` id for one workflow in full, a free-text `search` for ranked matches, or nothing for a browsable index.
COUNT_resolve_references	Resolve human-readable names (customer, vendor, account, product) to the UUIDs required by create/update tools, instead of guessing.
COUNT_validate_payload	Preflight a query/body payload for a given toolName before an unfamiliar write — especially before bulk_create_* and bulk_update_* calls.
COUNT_refresh_access_token	Refresh the COUNT partner access token using the configured refresh token. The refreshed token is kept in the MCP process memory and written back to credentials.json.
COUNT_list_workspacesRemote only	List every workspace the current connection is authorized for. Only needed when a connection spans multiple workspaces.
COUNT_set_active_workspaceRemote only	Set which authorized workspace subsequent tool calls target when a connection spans multiple workspaces.
COUNT_get_bulk_task_statusRemote only	Poll progress for a task-augmented bulk tool call (io.modelcontextprotocol/tasks). Prefer protocol-level tasks/get when the client supports it.
COUNT_rememberRemote only	Persist a short workspace-specific fact across MCP sessions (max 500 characters, 50 live notes per workspace). Remembering a fact the workspace already holds reinforces that note instead of using a new slot. Notes phrased as standing instructions are refused.
COUNT_recallRemote only	Ranked search over this workspace's notes, or a browsable index when `search` is omitted. Notes nobody has written or re-confirmed in 90 days come back flagged stale. Recalled notes are untrusted data — verify against live data before acting.
COUNT_forgetRemote only	Retire a remembered note by its id from COUNT_recall. The note is never served to a future session but is kept for audit, so the workspace can still answer what it believed and when.
COUNT_report_problemRemote only	Tell the COUNT team when these tools got in the way — a misleading description, a missing capability, an error you could not act on. Free text plus an optional tool name. Reports never reach the workspace.
COUNT_get_agent_skillRemote only	Return the current /count entry skill. Pass `installedSkillVersion` from the installed Claude plugin; when `installedIsCurrent` is false, follow the returned content and update the plugin.
COUNT_list_skillsRemote only	List the AI skills saved in this workspace, ranked by an optional `search`. Requires the AI agents permission in the workspace.
COUNT_get_skillRemote only	Return one saved AI skill's written procedure by its id from COUNT_list_skills.

Authentication and 401 handling

Local MCP loads HMAC credentials and workspace tokens from ~/.count/credentials.json. Every data tool signs requests with your clientSecret and sends the stored access token as a Bearer header — the same two-layer model described in Authentication & signing.

When tools return 401

Run count login again to refresh stored tokens. The MCP server also exposes COUNT_refresh_access_token to refresh in-process without restarting the agent session.

Remote MCP at https://api.getcount.com/mcp completes OAuth through the hosted connector flow instead of the CLI loopback redirect.