cpp-espace-mcp

MCP server that gives Claude Code access to the eSpace facilities management API — work orders, events, equipment, and maintenance schedules, all callable from within a Claude conversation. Built for Catholic Parishes in Partnership (CPP) staff.

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Quick Start

If you just want to get this running on your machine:

# 1. Install Node.js LTS if you don't have it
winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS
# (close and reopen PowerShell)

# 2. Clone and build
mkdir $env:USERPROFILE\code -Force
cd $env:USERPROFILE\code
git clone https://github.com/norm613/cpp-espace-mcp.git
cd cpp-espace-mcp
npm install
npm run build

# 3. Get your personal API key from your eSpace profile (see section below)

# 4. Register with Claude Code (user scope — available in every project)
claude mcp add espace --scope user --env ESPACE_API_KEY=YOUR_KEY_HERE -- cmd /c npx tsx "$env:USERPROFILE\code\cpp-espace-mcp\src\index.ts"

# 5. Verify
claude mcp list
# 'espace' should show: ✓ Connected

Then relaunch Claude Code. Ask it something like "check eSpace for any open work orders at PJCC" to confirm it works.

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Why Each Person Runs Their Own Instance

The eSpace API key isn't just a password — it's your identity to eSpace. Every API call this server makes is attributed to whoever owns the key. If two people share a key, both show up in the audit trail as the same person.

That's why each CPP staff member who uses Claude with eSpace needs:

1. Their own API key, generated under their own eSpace profile
2. Their own clone of this repo on their local machine
3. Their own Claude Code MCP registration using their own key

There's no shared server, no multi-tenant auth. One key = one person.

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Getting Your API Key

1. Sign in to eSpace on the web as yourself.
2. Navigate to your user profile / account settings.
3. Find the API access / tokens section and generate a new personal API key.
4. Copy the UUID-format string. Store it like a password — anyone with this key can make changes as you.

If you can't find where to generate a key, check with whoever administers your eSpace account.

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Prerequisites Checklist

Before running the install steps, make sure you have:

• Windows 10/11 with PowerShell
• Node.js LTS — node --version should return a number. If not: winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS, then close/reopen PowerShell so PATH updates.
• Git — git --version should work. If not: winget install Git.Git.
• Claude Code CLI — claude --version should work. Already installed if you've used Claude Code before.
• An eSpace API key (see above)

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Claude Code Configuration — Details

The command in the Quick Start registers the MCP server at user scope, meaning it's available in every Claude Code project you open (not tied to a specific folder). This is the right scope for eSpace — you'll want it available in Oscar, Robin, or any other vault.

If you need to update the key later (rotation, regenerated key, etc.):

claude mcp remove espace --scope user
claude mcp add espace --scope user --env ESPACE_API_KEY=NEW_KEY -- cmd /c npx tsx "$env:USERPROFILE\code\cpp-espace-mcp\src\index.ts"

To see current status:

claude mcp get espace

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Data Safety Rules (Read This)

Claude must never create, update, or delete eSpace records without your explicit confirmation first.

eSpace manages real facility work orders, events, equipment, and maintenance schedules. Unauthorized writes can create false work orders, cancel events, or corrupt maintenance records.

Before any write operation (POST / PUT / DELETE), Claude will:

1. Stop.
2. Show you exactly what it plans to create, modify, or delete.
3. Wait for your explicit "yes" before proceeding.

Read-only operations (listing, getting details) are always fine — no confirmation required.

If Claude ever performs a write without asking first, that's a bug — report it.

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Available Tools (29 total)

Category	Tools	Typical use
Work Orders	get-work-order, list-work-orders, create-work-order, update-work-order, delete-work-order, get-work-order-tasks, add-work-order-task, update-work-order-task, get-work-order-costs, get-work-order-attachments, get-work-order-priorities, get-work-order-statuses	"Show me all open work orders at SPE," "Create a work order for the boiler at PJCC," "What's the cost breakdown on work order 1234?"
Events	get-event, list-events, get-event-occurrences, get-event-spaces	"List next week's events at STC," "What spaces are booked for Holy Thursday?"
Maintenance	get-maintenance, list-maintenance, get-maintenance-types, get-maintenance-spaces, get-frequency-types	"Show me all scheduled maintenance coming due," "What PM frequency types are defined?"
Equipment	get-equipment, list-equipment, get-equipment-types	"List the HVAC equipment at SJD," "What equipment types do we track?"
Ministry / Org	get-locations, get-users, get-categories, get-service-categories, get-editors, get-task-templates	"List all the locations in our eSpace tenant," "Who has editor permissions?"

Full tool registration list is in src/index.ts.

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Troubleshooting

claude mcp list shows eSpace as "Failed to connect"

The mcp list output doesn't include the real error. To see it, run the stdio command by hand:

$env:ESPACE_API_KEY = "your-key"
cmd /c npx tsx "$env:USERPROFILE\code\cpp-espace-mcp\src\index.ts"

Common causes:

• Node.js not installed — node --version returns nothing → winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS
• Node installed but PATH not refreshed — close and reopen PowerShell
• Firewall blocking npm — npm install hung or failed during setup → talk to IT
• Wrong API key — you'll see a 401 from eSpace; generate a new key and re-register
• Repo not built — npm run build was skipped; run it
• File path has spaces or quotes — the path in the claude mcp add command should be wrapped in double quotes

"Add to user config" succeeded but path looks wrong (C:/ instead of /c)

If you ran claude mcp add from Git Bash, path conversion may have mangled the /c flag on cmd /c. Remove and re-add from PowerShell, not Git Bash:

claude mcp remove espace --scope user
claude mcp add espace --scope user --env ESPACE_API_KEY=YOUR_KEY -- cmd /c npx tsx "$env:USERPROFILE\code\cpp-espace-mcp\src\index.ts"

The key works for others but not me

Make sure the key is yours — generated under your eSpace profile. Keys are user-specific; another person's key won't authenticate you (and will wrongly attribute your actions).

Claude says it did something but eSpace doesn't reflect the change

• Did Claude confirm with you first? If no confirmation prompt, the write was likely blocked (safety rule) and Claude only simulated it.
• Is your key read-only in eSpace? Check your eSpace profile for write permissions.

I need to update types after an eSpace API change

cd $env:USERPROFILE\code\cpp-espace-mcp
git pull
npm install
npm run generate:types
npm run build

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Development

npm run dev              # run with tsx (hot reload during development)
npm run build            # compile TypeScript to dist/
npm run start            # run the compiled output
npm run generate:types   # regenerate TS interfaces + Zod schemas from swagger.json

Types in src/models/ are auto-generated from swagger.json. Don't edit them manually — regenerate with npm run generate:types.

Architecture is a layered pattern:

MCP Tool Handlers (one tool per API operation)
  → eSpaceProvider (singleton orchestrator)
    → Services (WorkOrderService, EventService, MaintenanceService, etc.)
      → eSpaceClient (JWT token lifecycle)
        → HttpClient (generic HTTP with bearer token injection)

Auth flow: POST { apiKey } to /api/v2/requesttoken → receive a JWT (valid ~1 year) → include it as Authorization: Bearer <jwt> on all subsequent requests.

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For Claude Sessions Working on This Repo

See CLAUDE.md — it has project-specific instructions for a Claude instance opened inside this repo (safety rules, architecture pointers, type regeneration steps).

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License

Private — all rights reserved. See LICENSE.

This repository is published publicly so authorized CPP staff can clone and install it without needing a GitHub account, but the code itself is not open-source. No license is granted to copy, modify, or redistribute.