> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.serval.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AI Tools (MCP)

> Connect Claude and other AI assistants to Serval

You can connect AI assistants like Claude directly to Serval. Once connected, you can create tickets, run workflows, check request status, look up people, and more — all through natural conversation with your AI assistant.

<Info>
  Your admin may need to enable MCP access for your organization. If you don't see a way to connect, ask your IT admin.
</Info>

***

## How It Works

1. **Configure** your AI tool with Serval's server URL (one-time setup)
2. **Approve access** through your browser when the tool first connects
3. **Ask naturally** — your AI assistant calls Serval on your behalf

***

## Setup

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Claude (claude.ai)">
    Your organization admin may have already added Serval as a connector. Check **Settings > Connectors** to see if it's available.

    If you need to add it yourself:

    1. Go to **Settings > Connectors**
    2. Click **Add custom connector**
    3. Enter a name (e.g., "Serval") and the server URL:

    ```
    https://public.api.serval.com/mcp/
    ```

    4. Your browser will open to approve access to your Serval account
    5. After approval, Serval tools are available in your conversations

    <Info>
      Custom connectors require a Pro, Team, or Enterprise plan.
    </Info>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Claude Desktop">
    Add the following to your Claude Desktop config file:

    * **macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
    * **Windows**: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "serval": {
          "command": "npx",
          "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://public.api.serval.com/mcp/"]
        }
      }
    }
    ```

    Restart Claude Desktop. On first use, your browser will open to approve access.

    <Info>
      Node.js v18+ is required. Install it with `brew install node` (macOS) or `winget install OpenJS.NodeJS` (Windows) if you don't have it.
    </Info>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Other AI Tools">
    Any AI tool that supports MCP can connect to Serval. Set the server URL to:

    ```
    https://public.api.serval.com/mcp/
    ```

    Your client will discover authentication endpoints automatically and open your browser to approve access.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Approving Access

The first time your AI tool connects, your browser will open an approval page. Click **Approve** to grant access. Your AI tool can only do what you can do in Serval — it uses your account and permissions.

You won't need to re-approve unless you revoke access or your token expires.

***

## What You Can Ask

Once connected, just talk to your AI assistant naturally. For example:

* "Create a ticket — I can't connect to VPN"
* "What's the status of my laptop request?"
* "Show my pending access requests"
* "Update my ticket to say I've restarted the router"

If your role includes running workflows (team contributors and above), your assistant can also find and run them directly — for example, "Run the software license request workflow for Figma." Workflows that require approval still go through their normal approval process — your assistant starts the request, and approvers are notified as usual.

<Note>
  Your AI assistant uses your account and permissions, so it can only access your own tickets, requests, and data. The available actions depend on what your organization has configured.
</Note>

***

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need to be an admin to use this?">
    No. Any Serval user can connect their AI tools. You'll use your own account and permissions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does this cost extra?">
    The Serval MCP server is included with your Serval plan. You'll need your own AI tool subscription (e.g., Claude Pro).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can my AI tool see other people's tickets?">
    No. Your AI tool has the same access you do. It cannot see tickets or data that you wouldn't normally have access to.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I disconnect?">
    Remove the Serval configuration from your AI tool's settings. This immediately stops the connection.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is MCP?">
    MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI assistants connect to external services like Serval.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Claude Desktop: 'Failed to spawn process: No such file or directory'">
    Node.js is not installed or not visible to Claude Desktop. Install it globally (`brew install node` on macOS), then restart Claude Desktop.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Claude Desktop: 'Server disconnected' immediately after starting">
    Check MCP logs on macOS:

    ```bash theme={null}
    tail -n 50 ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp-server-serval.log
    ```

    Common causes: expired token or network issue reaching `public.api.serval.com`.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="MCP Server Reference" icon="code" href="/sections/api-reference/mcp-server">
    Technical details and full tool list
  </Card>

  <Card title="End User Guide" icon="book" href="/sections/documentation/end-user/end-user-guide">
    Other ways to get help through Serval
  </Card>
</CardGroup>