Productivity & Project Management · Magnetic + Claude
Magnetic MCP with Claude: Smarter Project, Resource and Finance Workflows
The short answer
Claude works with Magnetic through the Model Context Protocol, an open standard that acts as a secure adapter between the two. Once connected with an API key, Claude can read project and resource information and carry out approved updates, such as logging time or adjusting budgets, using plain-English instructions your team controls.
What is Magnetic?
Magnetic is an all-in-one platform for managing projects, resources and finances. It is built for professional services firms, such as consultancies, agencies, engineering practices and accountancies, that want to run their business with less administration. Teams use it to plan work, allocate staff, track time and keep financial records in one place, reducing the need to juggle separate spreadsheets and tools.
How Claude connects to Magnetic 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 business tool. Through Magnetic's MCP server or direct API, Claude can access the information and actions your organisation allows, using an API key that your IT team issues and can revoke at any time.
Once connected, Claude can typically look up projects, check resource availability, review budget positions and draft updates to timesheets or financial records. A project manager might ask in plain English for a summary of overdue milestones across all active engagements, and Claude gathers the answer from Magnetic in seconds.
Permissions and approvals keep people in charge. Access is limited to the least privilege needed for each workflow, and consequential actions such as changing a budget or issuing a financial update can require human sign-off before they take effect. Every interaction can be logged for audit, so leaders can see exactly what was read and changed.
What you can automate
Weekly project status summaries
Project managers often spend hours compiling status updates for clients and partners. Claude can pull active project data from Magnetic, highlight tasks behind schedule, flag budget variances and draft a clear summary for review before it is sent. The manager checks the draft, edits where needed and shares it, saving time each week.
Resource allocation checks
Resourcing managers need to know who is free, who is overbooked and where skills gaps exist. Claude can review staff assignments and capacity in Magnetic and suggest reallocations in response to questions such as which consultants are available next month with data analytics experience. Final assignments remain with the resourcing lead.
Time entry reminders and cleanup
Incomplete timesheets delay invoicing and distort project profitability. Claude can identify staff with missing or unusual time entries in Magnetic and prepare reminders or a list for the finance team to follow up. This tends to shorten the gap between work done and work billed.
Budget and financial updates
Finance teams can ask Claude to compare actual spend against budget for each engagement, then propose updates to forecasts or project financials. Because changes to financial records are sensitive, these updates can be routed for approval before they are applied, giving controllers clear oversight.
Onboarding new projects
Setting up a new engagement usually means creating the project, assigning a team, setting a budget and scheduling milestones. Claude can help draft these records from a brief or statement of work, present them for review and then create the approved setup in Magnetic, reducing repetitive data entry.
An end-to-end workflow: Monthly project profitability review
TriggerThe first working day of each month, when the operations lead asks Claude for the profitability review.
Claude retrieves time entries and budget figures for all active projects from Magnetic.
Claude compares actual hours and costs against budget and flags engagements running over.
Claude cross-checks the billed amounts against invoices held in the organisation's accounting system.
Claude drafts a profitability report and a short list of recommended actions for each flagged project.
The operations lead reviews the report and approves any budget adjustments, which Claude then records in Magnetic.
The approved report is saved to the shared drive and sent to partners.
OutcomePartners receive a consistent monthly view of project profitability, issues are caught earlier, and budget changes are documented with an approval trail.
How we set it up
Free automation audit
We review how your teams use Magnetic today and identify the workflows most worth automating, such as reporting, resourcing or time tracking. You receive a clear list of options and their likely benefits at no cost.
Secure connection
We connect Claude to Magnetic using the API key sign-in method. Your IT team issues a key with least-privilege permissions, which we store securely and can rotate or revoke on request.
Workflow design
We design the end-to-end process across Magnetic and your other systems, such as Microsoft 365, your CRM, ERP or ticketing tool. We agree which actions Claude can take alone and which need human approval.
Testing with real cases
We test the workflows against past projects and real examples from your business to confirm accuracy. Your team reviews the results and we refine the design before anything goes live.
Launch, monitoring and training
We launch with audit logging and monitoring in place, then train your team on how to use Claude with Magnetic safely and effectively. We keep reviewing performance in the first months after launch.
Who benefits
- Engagement and project managers
- Faster status reporting and fewer hours spent gathering data from different sources.
- Resourcing leads
- Clearer visibility of capacity and skills, supporting better staffing decisions.
- Finance and operations directors
- More timely profitability insight and a documented approval trail for financial changes.
- Managing partners and owners
- A consistent, up-to-date view of the business without waiting for month-end compilation.
Security and control
- API keys are issued with least-privilege permissions and can be rotated or revoked at any time.
- Consequential actions, such as budget or financial changes, can require named human approval.
- All Claude interactions with Magnetic can be logged for audit and review.
- Access is limited to the projects and data each user is authorised to see in Magnetic.
- We test workflows on real cases before launch and monitor performance afterwards.
For teams in the US, UK, India and the Middle East
Organisations in the United States and the United Kingdom can host the Claude workflows in their chosen region to meet internal and regulatory expectations. Companies in India must comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, so we can host in India to keep personal data within the country. Organisations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are subject to local data protection laws, and we select the hosting region to meet those requirements. The right setup depends on your data and obligations, which we confirm during the audit.
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 Magnetic MCP server do?
The Magnetic MCP server acts as a secure bridge between Claude and your Magnetic account. It allows Claude to read project, resource and financial information and carry out permitted actions, using natural-language requests. The server only exposes the actions your organisation chooses to allow, so your team stays in control of what Claude can see and change.
Is connecting Claude to Magnetic secure?
Security depends on how the connection is configured. Access uses an API key that can be limited to specific permissions and revoked at any time. We recommend least-privilege access, approval steps for sensitive changes and audit logging. Your IT team stays involved in reviewing permissions, and we help document the controls so they can be checked.
What can Claude do with Magnetic once connected?
Typically, Claude can look up projects and their status, review resource availability, check time entries and budget positions, and draft or record updates in permitted areas. For example, it can summarise overdue milestones or prepare a profitability overview. The exact capabilities depend on the permissions you set and the workflows we design together.
How long does setup take?
Timelines vary with the number of workflows and the other systems involved. A focused setup covering a few workflows often takes a few weeks, including audit, design, testing and training. More extensive projects that connect several systems take longer. We confirm a realistic timeline after the free automation audit.
Which plan or permissions do I need?
You need access to Magnetic with the ability to generate an API key for your account, and your administrator must agree to the permissions Claude will use. Requirements can depend on your Magnetic subscription and internal policies, so we recommend confirming this with your Magnetic administrator. We check the details during the audit so there are no surprises.