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MCP

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Navigation bar for MCP

What is MCP?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) extends QAnswer by connecting external tools and services. Connected tools allow the AI assistant to check calendars, access files, query databases, and more.

Accessing MCP Tools in the Playground

  • Navigate to the Playground or AI Assistant Chat Task: Open the Playground or an AI Assistant chat task. A chat box is displayed.
  • Open the Actions Menu: Click the Actions icon button in the chat box. A modal opens listing all available tools.
MCP tool list
  • Enable/Disable Tools:
    • Toggle individual tools on or off as needed
    • Multiple tools can be enabled simultaneously
  • Set Confirmation Mode (Optional)
    • Activate "Ask for confirmation" when enabling a tool
    • Before execution, approve:
      • The tool being called
      • The parameters being used
    • Modify parameters before accepting the request

Using MCP Tools in Chat

Basic Usage

With tools enabled, chat with the AI assistant naturally:

Example:

You: "What are the events in my calendar today?"

Two Scenarios:

Scenario 1: Connection Already Exists

  • The LLM automatically calls the appropriate tool
  • If confirmation mode is enabled, approve the action before it runs
  • The response is returned immediately
AI assistant response about calendar events

Scenario 2: No Connection

  • Add a connection when prompted
  • Complete the connection setup process
  • Return to the chat
  • The tool is called automatically and returns an answer
AI assistant response about calendar events

Managing MCP Servers

Accessing the Tools Page

  • Navigate to the Tools tab in the navigation bar
  • A list of all available MCP servers is displayed
List of MCP servers

Adding Your Own MCP Server

  • Click the Add MCP Server button
  • Fill in the required information:
    • Server name
    • Server URL/endpoint
    • Authentication details (if required)
    • Other configuration parameters
  • Click Save
Adding an MCP server

Configuring Your MCP Server

After adding a server:

Add a Connection

  • Set up the connection credentials
  • Provide any necessary API keys or authentication tokens

Test the Connection

  • Use the built-in test feature to verify everything works
  • Check for any connection errors

View Available Tools

  • Browse all tools that this MCP server provides
  • Read descriptions of what each tool does

Enable Tools

  • Select which tools you want to make available in the app
  • You can enable or disable tools individually
Configuring an MCP server

Return to Playground

  • Return to the Playground or AI Assistant
  • Select which enabled tools the AI should use
  • The tools are now available in chat

Exploring Pre-configured MCP Servers

Browsing Available Servers

  • Click any server on the Tools page to:
    • Read detailed descriptions
    • View the list of tools they offer
    • Understand their capabilities
    • See usage examples

Available Integrations

The following integrations are available as MCP servers:

  • Atlassian (Jira & Confluence) — manage issues and pages directly from QAnswer
  • GitLab — interact with repositories, issues, and merge requests
  • Google Workspace — access Drive, Calendar, Gmail, and more

Permission Levels

Actions available by role:

Regular Users

  • Modify your own MCP servers
  • Update configurations and settings
  • Manage connections
  • Enable/disable tools for personal use
  • Add personal MCP server connections
  • Use enabled tools in the Playground and AI Assistants

Organization Admin

  • Enable or disable any MCP server for your organization
  • Manage which tools your team can access

Admin (Platform)

  • Enable or disable any MCP server platform-wide
  • Full access to all server configurations

Setting Confirmation Defaults

You can define a default ask-for-confirmation behaviour per MCP tool. When a default is set, the tool always uses that behaviour without requiring per-session configuration.

MCP tools list

Best Practices

  1. Start with Confirmation Mode
    • Enable "Ask for confirmation" when testing new tools for the first time
    • Review parameters before execution
    • Disable confirmation mode once the tool behaves as expected
  2. Test Connections
    • Always test connections after adding a new MCP server
    • Verify tools are working before relying on them
  3. Enable Only What You Need
    • Avoid enabling all tools at once
    • Keep the Actions menu focused on relevant tools
    • Fewer active tools improves AI performance and reduces ambiguity
  4. Read Tool Descriptions
    • Understand what each tool does before enabling
    • Check required parameters
    • Note any limitations or requirements

Troubleshooting

Tool Not Working?

  • Verify the connection is active
  • Test the connection from the Tools page
  • Check if the tool is enabled
  • Ensure you have proper permissions

Can't See a Tool?

  • Check if the MCP server is enabled for your organization
  • Verify the tool is enabled in the server settings
  • Confirm you've selected it in the Actions dialogue

Connection Issues?

  • Re-test the connection
  • Verify credentials and API keys
  • Check server status
  • Contact your organization admin
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