Outlign has a built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that lets AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, Claude Code and Cursor securely connect to your Outlign workspace.
Once connected, your AI assistant can look up projects, create and update tasks, post messages, add comments and more, all through normal conversation.
The AI assistant acts as you. It can only see and do what your own Outlign account can see and do. Internal team content stays internal, and client users only ever see client-facing content.
Find things: Search across projects and tasks, or list projects, clients, templates, phases, tasks, messages and milestones.
Manage projects: Create projects from scratch or from one of your project templates, and update project details.
Manage tasks: Create tasks in a specific phase, update their content or due dates, mark them complete and assign team members.
Communicate: Post messages to a project’s client-facing or team-only feed, and add or edit comments on tasks.
Plan: Create and update phases and milestones, or write planning documents within a project.
Content is exchanged as Markdown. Rich elements such as file attachments, form fields and embeds are preserved automatically when your assistant edits content, so it cannot accidentally remove something you have attached.
You don’t need an API key. Connecting works much like Sign in with Outlign.
The Outlign MCP server URL is:
https://go.outlign.co/mcp
ChatGPT currently supports MCP connections through Developer mode on the web. It is available on Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education accounts.
Open ChatGPT and go to Settings → Security and login.
Turn on Developer mode.
Open Plugins in ChatGPT.
Click the + button to create a new Developer mode app.
Enter the following details:
Name: Outlign
MCP server URL: https://go.outlign.co/mcp
Continue with the connection. Your browser will open an Outlign login page.
Sign in with your normal Outlign account and approve the access request.
Outlign will now appear under Drafts in your ChatGPT app settings.
Once connected, you can use Outlign from a normal ChatGPT conversation. Simply start a chat and ask ChatGPT to do something in Outlign.
For example:
Use Outlign to find the Ply client, locate the AI Process Improvements project and show me its open tasks.
ChatGPT should automatically use Outlign when it is relevant. If it doesn’t, try starting your request with “Use Outlign to…” so it knows exactly which app to use.
ChatGPT may ask you to review and approve actions that change something in Outlign, such as creating a task, assigning someone or posting a message. Check the details and approve the action to continue.
In Claude on the web or desktop:
Go to Settings → Connectors.
Select Add custom connector.
Enter https://go.outlign.co/mcp.
Sign in to Outlign and approve the connection.
Run the following command:
claude mcp add outlign --transport http https://go.outlign.co/mcp
Your browser will open an Outlign login page. Sign in and approve the connection.
Add the following URL as a new MCP server in your editor’s MCP settings:
https://go.outlign.co/mcp
Your browser will open an Outlign login page. Sign in and approve the connection.
Access tokens are short-lived and refresh automatically. A connection that goes unused for around 90 days will expire, and you will be asked to sign in again.
Morning catch-up: “What’s on my plate today in Outlign? Is anything overdue?”
Meeting notes to tasks: “Here are my notes from the ACME kickoff call. Create tasks in the internal Concept phase of the ACME Rebrand project for each action item, and assign the design tasks to Sarah.”
Project setup: “Create a new project for ACME using our Website Design template, and rename the client phases to match their brand launch.”
Status updates: “Draft a client-facing status message for the ACME project summarising what was completed this week, and post it once I approve.”
Triage: “List all incomplete tasks in the Bugs phase of the Product project and summarise which ones mention Safari.”
Handovers: “Reassign all of Tom’s open tasks in the ACME project to Priya and add a comment to each explaining the handover.”
A tip on internal and client-facing content: Every project can have team-only and client-facing phases and message feeds, which may have similar names. A well-behaved assistant should ask which side you mean when it is unclear. Being explicit, such as “post this to the client feed” or “add it to the internal Concept phase”, will give you the best results.
You authorise it and control it. The connection is approved by you in your browser. Your password and API keys are never shared with the AI tool.
It acts as you. The assistant has exactly the same permissions you do, including access to projects, companies and internal or client-facing content.
Review important actions. Your AI tool may ask you to approve actions that create, edit or publish information. Always check the details before approving.
Disconnect at any time. Go to Integrations → Connected AI Agents in Outlign to see everything connected to your account and disconnect it instantly.
You can’t see Developer mode in ChatGPT: Make sure you are using ChatGPT on the web with a Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Education account.
The + button doesn’t let you add an MCP server: Turn on Developer mode under Settings → Security and login first.
Outlign doesn’t appear in a conversation: Start a new chat, select Developer mode from the + menu and make sure Outlign is enabled.
New Outlign tools aren’t appearing: Open Outlign’s app details in ChatGPT and refresh the app to retrieve the latest tools and descriptions.
“Unauthorized” or connection expired: Disconnect Outlign from your AI tool and reconnect it. You will be asked to sign in again.
The assistant can’t find a project: Check that your Outlign account has access to it and try providing the exact client and project title.
The assistant asks you to approve an action: This is expected for actions that change information. Review the action and approve it to continue.
Rate limits: Heavy automated use may be throttled briefly. The assistant will usually retry on its own.
ChatGPT isn’t using Outlign: Check that Outlign is still connected under your ChatGPT Plugins. It can also help to begin your request with “Use Outlign to…” followed by what you want it to do.
