Productivity & Project Management · Basecamp + Claude
Basecamp MCP with Claude: Manage Projects, Tasks and Messages in Plain Language
The short answer
Claude works with Basecamp through the Model Context Protocol, an open standard that acts as a secure adapter between the two. Once connected with the sign-in method Basecamp supports, Claude can read project information and take permitted actions such as creating projects, assigning tasks, posting messages and managing schedules, all through natural language instructions.
What is Basecamp?
Basecamp is a project management and team collaboration tool made by 37signals. It brings tasks, files and conversations for a project into one place, so teams do not need to switch between separate apps. Project managers, operations teams, agencies, and remote or distributed teams commonly use it to keep work organised, share documents and communicate clearly about who is doing what and by when.
How Claude connects to Basecamp through MCP
The Model Context Protocol, or MCP, is an open standard that lets Claude use other software securely. Think of it as a universal adapter between Claude and a tool like Basecamp. It lets Claude read information and take actions in the tool, with permissions your organisation controls.
Once Basecamp is connected, Claude can typically read projects, to-do lists, messages and schedules, and carry out actions such as creating a project, assigning a task to a named person, posting an update or adjusting a schedule. You simply describe what you need in everyday language, and Claude works out the steps within the access you have granted.
Permissions and approvals keep people in charge. Access is limited to what the workflow needs, and consequential actions, such as notifying a whole client team or changing a live schedule, can be set to require a person's approval before they happen. Activity is logged so every change can be reviewed.
What you can automate
Turning meeting notes into tasks
After a project meeting, Claude can review the notes and create clearly worded to-do items in the right Basecamp project. Each task can be assigned to the person named in the discussion, with a due date. This saves the project manager from copying actions by hand and reduces the chance that a commitment is lost.
Setting up new client projects
When a new client is signed, Claude can create a standard Basecamp project with the agreed to-do lists, folders and schedule. Operations teams use this to start every engagement in the same consistent way, which is useful for agencies and professional services firms handling many similar projects.
Weekly status updates
Claude can gather open tasks, overdue items and recent messages across several projects and draft a status summary. A team lead can review the draft and post it to the right message board. Leaders get a clear picture without opening every project one by one.
Managing schedules and reminders
Teams that work across time zones can ask Claude to adjust a schedule, move a deadline or add a milestone. Claude can point out which dependent tasks may be affected, so the person responsible can decide what to change before the update goes out.
Routing requests from other teams
Requests arriving by e-mail or a form can be turned into Basecamp to-dos in the correct project, labelled and assigned to the relevant owner. This gives internal teams such as finance, HR or marketing a single, trackable place for their work.
An end-to-end workflow: Client onboarding from signed contract to kick-off
TriggerA signed contract is recorded in the company's CRM, such as a new deal marked as won.
Claude reads the won deal and the client details from the CRM, including the account name, contact and agreed services.
Claude creates a new Basecamp project named after the client, with the standard to-do lists for kick-off, access setup and reporting.
Claude assigns each kick-off task to the responsible team member, using the owners listed in the company's staffing sheet in Microsoft 365.
Claude drafts a welcome message and kick-off schedule and sends them to the project manager for approval.
Once approved, Claude posts the message to the project and adds the milestone dates to the schedule.
OutcomeEvery new client starts with a complete, consistent project and clear owners on day one. Project managers spend less time on set-up and more time with the client, and the CRM and Basecamp stay aligned.
How we set it up
Free automation audit
We review how your teams use Basecamp today and identify the workflows that are worth automating, such as task creation, status reporting or onboarding.
Secure connection
We connect Claude to Basecamp using OAuth sign-in, the method Basecamp supports, so each user authorises access with their own account. Access is set to the least permissions the workflow needs.
Workflow design
We design the end-to-end process across Basecamp and your other systems, such as Microsoft 365, your CRM or ticketing tool, and agree which actions need a person's approval.
Testing against real cases
We test the workflow using past projects and realistic requests, checking accuracy and fixing edge cases before anything goes live.
Launch, monitoring and training
We launch with monitoring and audit logs in place, then train your team on how to use Claude with Basecamp day to day and how to review its outputs.
Who benefits
- Project managers
- Less time spent creating and updating tasks by hand, with clearer schedules and fewer missed follow-ups.
- Operations and department heads
- Consistent project set-up across teams and a single view of work in progress for reporting.
- Agency and client services leads
- Faster, more uniform client onboarding and status updates that clients can rely on.
- IT and business leaders
- Controlled, auditable access to work tools, with approvals for sensitive actions and clear logs for review.
Security and control
- Each user signs in with OAuth, so access follows their own Basecamp permissions.
- Claude is given least-privilege access, limited to the projects and actions each workflow requires.
- Consequential actions such as client-wide notifications or live schedule changes can require human approval.
- Every action is logged, giving you an audit trail to review and investigate if needed.
- Workflows are tested before launch and monitored afterwards, with changes reviewed by your team.
For teams in the US, UK, India and the Middle East
Organisations in the United States and the United Kingdom can host Claude in their own region to align with local data protection expectations. Companies in India must consider the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and we can host the workflow in India for that purpose. Organisations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are subject to their national data protection laws, and we select the hosting region to meet those requirements. The right hosting location is chosen as part of the design, not left to chance.
Learn more about Claude and MCP
Anthropic's AI model and assistant.
Secure links between Claude and business tools.
How engineers build and change software with Claude.
Hosted agents that run multi-step work.
The open standard Claude uses to connect to tools.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Basecamp MCP server do?
The Basecamp MCP server acts as the secure link between Claude and your Basecamp account. It allows Claude to read projects, tasks, messages and schedules, and carry out permitted actions such as creating projects, assigning tasks and posting messages. The server enforces the permissions of the account that signed in, so Claude only works within what that user is allowed to do.
Is connecting Claude to Basecamp secure?
Security depends on how the connection is set up. We use OAuth sign-in, so each user authorises access with their own account rather than sharing a password. We apply least-privilege access, require approval for sensitive actions and keep audit logs. We also review the design with your IT team before launch.
What can Claude do with Basecamp once it is connected?
Typically, Claude can create projects, add to-do lists and tasks, assign people, post messages, look up what is open or overdue, and manage schedules. You describe what you need in plain language, and Claude carries out the steps. The exact actions available depend on the permissions granted during setup.
How long does setup take?
Simple connections can be running in a short time, while a full end-to-end workflow that spans several systems usually takes longer because it includes design, testing and team training. The free automation audit gives you a realistic timeline for your situation before you commit to anything.
What plan or permissions do I need?
Generally, you need a Basecamp account with permission to access the projects you want Claude to work with, and an administrator or project owner may need to approve the connection. The specific account requirements depend on how your Basecamp is set up, and we confirm them during the audit.