QC Database MCP Server
A small program that lets an AI assistant (like Claude) do your everyday QC Database work for you — set the project you're working on, upload records, read what the AI pulled off a document, and find and close out the items still needed for a complete, traceable turnover package.
It runs on your own computer. Your AI assistant talks to it; it talks to QCDatabase.AI on your behalf, using your own login.
Built on the official Model Context Protocol Python library and the public QC Database MCP specification.
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What you can ask your assistant to do
Once it's connected, you can talk to it in plain language. For example:
- "Connect to QC Database." → signs you in (opens your browser once).
- "Work on the Riverside Unit 2 project." → pins that project for the session.
- "Upload this MTR to the Mill Test Reports folder."
- "What's still missing for turnover on this project?"
- "Show me the open reference requests assigned to me."
- "Attach this photo to that weld."
- "Mark this inspection complete." (it will remind you that the sign-off is
recorded under your name — that's your call, not the AI's).
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Before you start
You need Python 3.10 or newer on your computer.
- Windows: install from the Microsoft Store (search "Python") or from
python.org/downloads. During the python.org install, tick "Add Python to PATH."
- Mac:
brew install pythonor get it from
To check it's installed, open a terminal (PowerShell on Windows, Terminal on Mac) and run:
python --version
You should see Python 3.10 or higher. (On some Macs the command is python3.)
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Install
From a terminal, in this folder:
pip install .
That's it. This installs the server and a command called qcdatabase-mcp.
If
pipisn't found, trypython -m pip install .(orpython3 -m pip install .).
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Install in Claude Desktop
Claude Desktop launches this server for you and shows its tools in your chats. Set it up once:
1. Install the Claude Desktop app
If you don't have it, download it from claude.ai/download and sign in.
2. Open the config file
In Claude Desktop:
- Open Settings
(Windows: menu ☰ → File → Settings; Mac: Claude → Settings).
- Go to the Developer tab.
- Click Edit Config.
This opens (and, if needed, creates) a file named claude_desktop_config.json. You can also open it directly:
- Windows:
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json - Mac:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
3. Add the QC Database server
Put this in the file. If the file already has other servers, just add the "qcdatabase" block inside the existing "mcpServers" section.
Windows:
{
"mcpServers": {
"qcdatabase": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["-m", "qcdatabase_mcp"]
}
}
}
Mac (Python is usually python3 there):
{
"mcpServers": {
"qcdatabase": {
"command": "python3",
"args": ["-m", "qcdatabase_mcp"]
}
}
}
Save the file.
If Claude can't start it (you see "python not found" or the server fails), use the full path to Python instead of just
"python". Find it by runningwhere python(Windows) orwhich python3(Mac) in a terminal, then paste that path as the"command". For example on Windows: ``json { "mcpServers": { "qcdatabase": { "command": "C:\\Users\\you\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python312\\python.exe", "args": ["-m", "qcdatabase_mcp"] } } }`(Use double backslashes\\` in Windows paths inside JSON.)
4. Restart Claude Desktop
Fully quit and reopen the app (on Windows, also close it from the system tray; on Mac, Quit with Cmd-Q — closing the window isn't enough). The new server only loads on a fresh start.
5. Confirm it loaded
Start a new chat and look for the tools/connector indicator (a slider or tool icon near the message box). Click it and you should see qcdatabase with its tools listed. If you don't, see Troubleshooting.
Then ask Claude to "connect to QC Database" to sign in — see below.
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First time you use it
- Sign in. Ask the assistant to connect to QC Database (the
login
tool). Your web browser opens; log in and pick which company workspace you want to connect. That choice locks the connection to that one organization. You only do this once — it's remembered.
- Pick your project. Ask it to work on a project by name, or list your
projects first. Almost every action happens "inside" a project, so the server asks you to choose one before it will do project work. You can switch projects any time.
- Get to work. Upload documents and drawings, check what's missing for
turnover, create and close reference requests, add notes and photos, and so on.
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What it can do (tool groups)
- Session:
login,logout,auth_status - Find your way around:
list_tenants,list_projects,set_project,
get_active_project, list_project_members, list_lists, list_list_items, list_map_item_schemas, list_document_folders
- Upload records:
upload_document,upload_drawing,
upload_large_format_drawing, attach_photo
- Fillable PDF forms:
list_fillable_templates,get_fillable_template,
download_fillable_template, submit_fillable_template
- Structured data:
get_document,set_document_extracted_data,
list_documents, list_map_items, create_map_item
- Inspection forms & notes:
list_form_submissions,create_form_submission,
complete_form_submission, create_note, list_notes, resolve_note
- Sign-offs (your call):
mark_map_item_complete,mark_map_item_accepted,
list_itp_line_items, mark_itp_complete, mark_itp_accepted
- Turnover (the important part):
list_reference_requests,
create_reference_request, list_references, create_reference, turnover_report
---
A note on sign-offs
Marking work complete or accepted is a buy-off — the system records it under your name and the current time. The assistant can do these for you, but every one of those tools tells you plainly that you are responsible for the action. The server never signs anything off silently. Treat those as your decisions, made with your go-ahead.
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Privacy & safety
- The server runs locally and only talks to
https://qcdatabase.ai. - Your login is pinned to one organization (chosen at sign-in) and your
session is pinned to one project — so the assistant can't reach into a different workspace or project by accident.
- The server only requests the permissions an everyday user needs; admin
actions are out of scope by design.
- You can disconnect any connected app at any time from your QC Database account.
Your login is stored on your own computer in a per-user folder:
- Windows:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\qcdatabase-mcp\store.json - Mac:
~/Library/Application Support/qcdatabase-mcp/store.json - Linux:
~/.config/qcdatabase-mcp/store.json
Run the logout tool (or delete that file) to forget the login.
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Troubleshooting
- "qcdatabase" doesn't show up in Claude Desktop after restarting.
- Make sure you fully quit the app (system tray on Windows, Cmd-Q on Mac)
and reopened it.
- Check the config file is valid JSON — a missing comma or brace stops every
server from loading. Paste it into a JSON checker if unsure.
- If it still doesn't load, set
"command"to the full path to Python (see
the install note above).
- Look at the Claude Desktop logs for an error: Windows
%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\, Mac ~/Library/Logs/Claude/.
- "Not logged in." Ask the assistant to connect to QC Database and finish
the sign-in in your browser.
- "No project is set." Ask it to work on a project, or to list projects.
- The browser didn't open during login. The assistant will show you a link —
open it manually to finish, then sign in again.
- The sign-in page can't connect / port already in use. The login uses a
local web address on port 8765. If another program is using it, set a different free port before launching the app by adding an environment variable QCDB_CALLBACK_PORT (for example 8766), then sign in again.
- It can't find
python. Reinstall Python with "Add to PATH" ticked
(Windows), or use python3 in the config.
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For developers
pip install -e . # editable install
python -m qcdatabase_mcp # run the stdio server directly
Layout:
src/qcdatabase_mcp/
__main__.py # entry point (stdio server)
server.py # FastMCP server + all tools
client.py # HTTP client: bearer auth, auto-refresh, errors, pagination
auth.py # OAuth2 (PKCE + dynamic client registration) login & refresh
config.py # local token / project storage
Environment variables:
QCDB_CALLBACK_PORT— local OAuth callback port (default8765).QCDB_CONFIG_DIR— override where tokens/settings are stored.
Licensed under the MIT License (see LICENSE).






