MCP - Using AI Assistants with Softools Data

Overview

Once an AI assistant is connected to Softools through MCP (Model Context Protocol), you can ask questions about your Softools data using everyday language.

Instead of opening individual Apps, filtering reports and reviewing Records one at a time, you can ask an AI assistant to retrieve, organise, search and summarise information across multiple Apps.

This article explains how to use the available MCP tools, with practical examples using a Projects App, its linked Actions and Risks, and a separate Resources App.

• Understanding the Available MCP Tools
• Querying and Organising Records
• Finding Records Assigned to You
• Working Across Related Apps
• Searching with Data Lens
• Opening Records Directly in Softools
• Working with Documents
• Retrieving Complete Results
• Checking AI Responses
• Troubleshooting

Understanding the Available MCP Tools

When an App Builder publishes a Softools View for MCP, the connected AI assistant can access tools associated with that View.

There are three main types of tool:

The AI assistant decides which available tools to use based on your question. You can also be more specific in your prompt when you need an exact list or a meaning-based search.

Note: The information available depends on the published MCP-enabled Views, the Fields included in them and your Softools access permissions.

Querying and Organising Records

The Query tool is useful when you want to retrieve Records using specific Fields, conditions or sorting rules.

For example, ask:

Show all Projects in Softools, including their RAG Status, Priority and Delivery Date. Group them by RAG Status, with Red first, followed by Amber and Green, and sort each group by Delivery Date, earliest first.

The assistant can retrieve the Project data and present it in a structured format without requiring you to build a separate report for that particular question.

You can then ask follow-up questions, such as:

• Which Red Projects have the earliest Delivery Dates?
• Show only high-priority Projects that are In Progress.
• Which Projects have a Delivery Date within the next 30 days?
• Summarise the Projects that require immediate attention.

In this example, RAG Status (Red, Amber or Green) is different from the workflow Status (such as In Progress, On Hold or Complete). Using the correct Field in your question helps the assistant return the intended results.

Finding Records Assigned to You

Softools also provides a Current Softools User tool, allowing the AI assistant to identify the user who authenticated the MCP connection.

For example:

Show me the Projects where I am the Project Lead that have a Red or Amber RAG Status.

The assistant can use your Softools user identity to filter a relevant Person Field rather than relying on a name typed into the prompt.

This is useful for questions such as What Actions are assigned to me?, Which Projects am I responsible for? and What outstanding work needs my attention?

The relevant Person Fields must be available through the published Views.

Working Across Related Apps

One of the most useful capabilities of MCP is the ability to combine information from several Softools Apps in a single conversation.

For example, consider the following Apps:

• Projects — containing Project details, RAG Status, Priority and Delivery Dates.
• Actions — a Child App containing tasks and actions linked to Projects.
• Risks — a Child App containing Risks linked to Projects.
• Resources — a separate App containing available people, roles and capacity.

The screenshot shows how Actions and Risks are linked to the ERP Upgrade Project in Softools. Each App needs an appropriate published MCP-enabled View, and the relationship Fields must be available where needed.

Reviewing outstanding Actions

You could ask:

For the Red Projects, show the outstanding Actions, highlighting anything overdue and who is responsible.

The assistant can retrieve information from both the Projects and Actions Views and organise the results under the relevant Project.

Identifying open Risks

You can extend the analysis by asking:

What open Risks are associated with these Projects, and which should be reviewed first?

The assistant can combine Project status information with the Risks recorded in the Child App to help identify areas requiring attention.

Comparing available Resources

The analysis does not have to be limited to Parent and Child Apps.

For example, you could ask:

Review the delayed Projects and identify any available Resources with suitable roles or capacity that might help.

The assistant can compare the information in the standalone Resources App with the issues identified in the Projects, Actions and Risks Apps.

This can help identify possible options, although suggested Resources should be reviewed before any allocation decisions are made.

Tip: The AI assistant can work across multiple published Views in one conversation, but it should not assume that Records are linked unless the available data supports that relationship.

Searching with Data Lens

The standard Query tool works well when you know the Fields and conditions you want to use.

Data Lens provides a different approach. It allows the assistant to search selected Fields by meaning rather than relying only on exact values or keywords.

For example:

Search my Softools Projects for any that mention delivery delays, resource shortages or risks to completion. Summarise the issues identified and which Projects may need attention.

If the AI assistant is configured to require approval before running the tool, it will prompt you to authorise the search.

The results can identify relevant Projects even where their summaries use different wording to describe similar problems.

You can then ask the assistant to investigate the matching Projects further, including their related Actions and Risks.

Data Lens searches only the Fields selected by the App Builder and returns up to 40 ranked matches. It is intended for finding relevant information, not producing a complete list or exact count of every matching Record.

For complete reporting, use the Query tool.

Opening Records Directly in Softools

AI-generated summaries are particularly useful when you can move directly from the answer to the underlying Softools Record.

An App Builder can include a Record Link URL Field in an MCP-enabled View. The AI assistant can then return links to the relevant Records.

For example:

Give me direct links to the ERP Upgrade Project and the Actions and Risks you think I should review first.

The assistant can return clickable links to the Project and its relevant Actions and Risks, allowing you to open the original Records in Softools.

This makes it easier to move from identifying an issue to reviewing or acting on it.

Note: Direct Record links must be available through the published Views. The assistant should use the actual Record Link Field rather than attempting to construct URLs itself. Users must still have the appropriate Softools permissions to open the Records.

For configuration instructions, see Preparing Softools Apps and Views for MCP.

Working with Documents

MCP can also provide access to information about documents attached to Softools Records, provided the relevant Document Fields are included in the published Views.

For example, the ERP Upgrade Project has an attached Project Charter.

Retrieving a document link

You could ask:

Give me the Project Charter link for the ERP Upgrade Project.

The assistant can return the document filename and a temporary link to the file.

Some AI assistants may be able to return the document link without being able to open the file directly from the external storage location.

Where permitted by your organisation, you can download the document and upload it to the AI conversation for further analysis.

Temporary document links expire, so a fresh link may need to be requested later.

Comparing documents with live App data

Once a document is available to the assistant, you can ask questions that combine its contents with current Softools Records.

For example:

Compare the delivery commitments in the ERP Upgrade Project Charter with the current Project status, Actions and Risks. Highlight any differences that need attention.

This can be useful for comparing project plans, requirements, policies or other supporting documents against the information recorded in Softools.

Important: Only upload documents to an AI assistant where your organisation's data-handling policies permit it. The assistant's conclusions should be checked against both the original document and the current Softools Records.

Retrieving Complete Results

When working with larger Apps, the AI assistant may need to retrieve Records in several batches.

The MCP Query tool supports pagination, with up to 250 Records per page. Additional pages can be retrieved using the pagination cursor.

For example, ask:

Retrieve every Project available to me, including all pages of results, and provide a total grouped by RAG Status.

For an accurate total, the assistant must retrieve all relevant pages rather than summarising only the first batch.

If the assistant cannot retrieve the full dataset, it should make clear that the results are incomplete.

Data Lens is not a substitute for this process, as it returns a limited set of ranked search matches.

Checking AI Responses

AI assistants can make complex information easier to understand, but their responses may omit context or contain interpretations that are not fully supported by the underlying data.

For important decisions, ask the assistant to explain its conclusions and identify the supporting Records.

For example:

Identify the Projects most at risk of delay. Explain the reasons using their current status, outstanding Actions and open Risks, and include links to the source Records.

This allows you to review the supporting evidence directly in Softools.

The assistant can help with analysis and prioritisation, but the original Records remain the source of information.

Troubleshooting

The assistant cannot find an App or View

Check that the View has been enabled for MCP and that the App has been published. Refresh or reconnect the AI assistant if necessary.

An MCP tool is unavailable

If the assistant reports an Unknown or unavailable tool error, refresh the connection, start a new conversation and test a simple Query.

Only some Records are returned

Check whether the assistant has retrieved every page of Query results. Also confirm that the relevant Records are available through the View and the signed-in user's permissions.

Data Lens does not find an expected Record

Check which Fields are included in Data Lens. Remember that Data Lens returns ranked matches rather than every potentially relevant Record.

The assistant cannot identify my Records

Confirm that Current Softools User is available and that the relevant Person Field is exposed through the View.

Direct Record links are missing

Ask your App Builder to include a Record Link URL Field in the MCP-enabled View.

A document cannot be opened

The temporary document link may have expired, or the AI provider may restrict access to the document-storage location. Request a new link and use your organisation's approved process for handling documents.

For a worked example combining Projects, Actions, Risks, Resources, Data Lens and document analysis, see Ask Your AI Assistant Questions Using Your Softools Data.