Kimai MCP Server

A comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for integrating with the Kimai time-tracking API. This server allows AI assistants like Claude to efficiently interact with Kimai instances to manage time tracking, projects, activities, customers, users, teams, absences, and more.

🚀 Quick Start

Local Installation (Single User)

# Install from PyPI
pip install kimai-mcp

# Run with your Kimai credentials
kimai-mcp --kimai-url=https://your-kimai.com --kimai-token=your-token

# Or use the interactive setup wizard
kimai-mcp --setup

🌐 Remote Server Deployment (Recommended for Teams)

For enterprise/team environments: Deploy the server once and let all users connect remotely!

Server Types

Quick Start with Docker (Streamable HTTP)

# 1. Generate a random slug for security (DO NOT use usernames!)
python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_urlsafe(12))"
# Output example: xK9mP2qW7vL4

# 2. Create config file with random slug
mkdir config
cat > config/users.json << 'EOF'
{
  "xK9mP2qW7vL4": {
    "kimai_url": "https://your-kimai.com",
    "kimai_token": "your-api-token",
    "kimai_user_id": "1"
  }
}
EOF

# 3. Start server
docker-compose up -d

Security Warning: Use random slugs, NOT usernames! Predictable URLs like /mcp/john can be easily guessed. Generate secure slugs with python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_urlsafe(12))"

Claude.ai Connectors Integration

The Streamable HTTP server works with Claude.ai custom connectors:

1. Deploy server with Docker (see above)
2. In Claude.ai: Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector
3. Enter URL: https://your-domain.com/mcp/xK9mP2qW7vL4 (your random slug)
4. Done! Works in Claude.ai web and mobile apps

Benefits:

• ✅ Works with Claude.ai web and mobile apps
• ✅ Each user gets their own endpoint (/mcp/{random-slug})
• ✅ Server-side credential management
• ✅ No client-side token exposure

Claude Desktop (SSE Server)

For Claude Desktop with remote server access:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kimai": {
      "url": "http://your-server:8000/sse",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer MCP-SERVER-TOKEN",
        "X-Kimai-Token": "YOUR-PERSONAL-KIMAI-TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

📖 See full deployment guide →

Command Line Options

🛠️ Available Tools

Core Management Tools

1. Entity Tool - Universal CRUD operations for projects, activities, customers, users, teams, tags, invoices, holidays
2. Timesheet Tool - Complete timesheet management (list, create, update, delete, export, batch operations)
3. Timer Tool - Active timer operations (start, stop, restart, view active/recent)
4. Rate Tool - Rate management across all entity types
5. Team Access Tool - Team member and permission management
6. Absence Tool - Complete absence workflow (create, approve, reject, list, attendance, batch operations, auto-split)
7. Calendar Tool - Unified calendar data access
8. Meta Tool - Custom field management across entities
9. User Current Tool - Current user information
10. Project Analysis Tool - Advanced project analytics
11. Config Tool - Server configuration (timesheet settings, color codes, plugins, version info)

Complete Kimai Integration

• Timesheet Management - Create, update, delete, start/stop timers, view active timers
• Project & Activity Management - Browse and view projects and activities
• Customer Management - Browse and view customer information
• User Management - List, view, create, update user accounts, and configure work contracts (preferences)
• Team Management - Create teams, manage members, control access permissions
• Absence Management - Create, approve, reject, and track absences
• Tag Management - Create and manage tags for better organization
• Invoice Queries - View invoice information and status

Advanced Features

• Real-time Timer Control - Start, stop, and monitor active time tracking
• Comprehensive Filtering - Advanced filters for all data types
• Permission Management - Respect Kimai's role-based permissions
• Error Handling - Proper error handling with meaningful messages
• Flexible Configuration - Multiple configuration methods (CLI args, .env files, environment variables)

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10+
• A Kimai instance with API access enabled
• API token from your Kimai user profile

Install from PyPI (Recommended)

pip install kimai-mcp

Install from Source (Development)

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/glazperle/kimai_mcp.git
cd kimai_mcp

# Install in development mode
pip install -e ".[dev]"

Configuration

Getting Your Kimai API Token

1. Log into your Kimai instance
2. Go to your user profile (click your username)
3. Navigate to the "API" or "API Access" section
4. Create a new API token or copy an existing one
5. Note your Kimai instance URL (e.g., https://kimai.example.com)

Claude Desktop Integration

Step 1: Configure Claude Desktop

Add the Kimai MCP server to your Claude Desktop configuration file:

On macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

On Windows:
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Step 2: Add Configuration

Add the following to your Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kimai": {
      "command": "kimai-mcp",
      "args": [
        "--kimai-url=https://your-kimai-instance.com",
        "--kimai-token=your-api-token-here"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Important Notes:

• Replace https://your-kimai-instance.com with your actual Kimai URL
• Replace your-api-token-here with your API token from Kimai
• Optionally add --kimai-user=USER_ID for a default user ID
• The kimai-mcp command is available after pip install kimai-mcp

Alternative: If kimai-mcp is not in your PATH, use python -m kimai_mcp.server instead:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kimai": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": [
        "-m", "kimai_mcp.server",
        "--kimai-url=https://your-kimai-instance.com",
        "--kimai-token=your-api-token-here"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Restart Claude Desktop

After saving the configuration file, restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect.

Alternative Configuration Methods

Method 1: Using a .env File (Recommended for Development)

If you prefer using a .env file for configuration, create a .env file in your project directory:

# .env file in the kimai_mcp directory
KIMAI_URL=https://your-kimai-instance.com
KIMAI_API_TOKEN=your-api-token-here
KIMAI_DEFAULT_USER=1
KIMAI_SSL_VERIFY=true  # or path to CA certificate

Then use this Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kimai": {
      "command": "kimai-mcp",
      "cwd": "/path/to/your/kimai_mcp/directory"
    }
  }
}

Important Notes for .env Configuration:

• Replace /path/to/your/kimai_mcp/directory with the actual path to your kimai_mcp directory
• The cwd parameter ensures the .env file is found in the correct directory
• Keep your .env file secure and never commit it to version control
• On Windows, use forward slashes in the path or escape backslashes

Example Windows Path:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kimai": {
      "command": "kimai-mcp",
      "cwd": "C:/Users/YourName/Projects/kimai_mcp"
    }
  }
}

Method 2: Using Environment Variables (System-wide)

If you prefer system environment variables, you can set:

export KIMAI_URL="https://your-kimai-instance.com"
export KIMAI_API_TOKEN="your-api-token-here"
export KIMAI_DEFAULT_USER="1"  # Optional

Then use this Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kimai": {
      "command": "kimai-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Usage Examples

Timesheet Management

List Timesheets

{
  "tool": "timesheet",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "list",
    "filters": {
      "project": 17,
      "user_scope": "self"
    }
  }
}

Create a Timesheet Entry

{
  "tool": "timesheet",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "create",
    "data": {
      "project": 1,
      "activity": 5,
      "description": "Working on API integration",
      "begin": "2024-08-03T09:00:00",
      "end": "2024-08-03T10:30:00"
    }
  }
}

Start a Timer

{
  "tool": "timer",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "start",
    "data": {
      "project": 1,
      "activity": 5,
      "description": "Working on API integration"
    }
  }
}

Stop a Timer

{
  "tool": "timer",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "stop",
    "id": 12345
  }
}

Project & Activity Management

List Projects

{
  "tool": "entity",
  "parameters": {
    "type": "project",
    "action": "list",
    "filters": {"customer": 1}
  }
}

Get Project Details

{
  "tool": "entity",
  "parameters": {
    "type": "project",
    "action": "get",
    "id": 17
  }
}

List Activities

{
  "tool": "entity",
  "parameters": {
    "type": "activity",
    "action": "list",
    "filters": {"project": 17}
  }
}

User & Team Management

List Users

{
  "tool": "entity",
  "parameters": {
    "type": "user",
    "action": "list"
  }
}

Create a Team

{
  "tool": "entity",
  "parameters": {
    "type": "team",
    "action": "create",
    "data": {
      "name": "Development Team",
      "color": "#3498db"
    }
  }
}

Add Team Member

{
  "tool": "team_access",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "add_member",
    "team_id": 1,
    "user_id": 5
  }
}

Absence Management

Create an Absence

{
  "tool": "absence",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "create",
    "data": {
      "comment": "Vacation in the mountains",
      "date": "2024-02-15",
      "end": "2024-02-20",
      "type": "holiday"
    }
  }
}

List Absences

{
  "tool": "absence",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "list",
    "filters": {
      "user": "5",
      "status": "all"
    }
  }
}

Check Attendance (Who is Present Today)

{
  "tool": "absence",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "attendance",
    "date": "2024-12-29"
  }
}

Returns a report showing present and absent employees with absence reasons.

Batch Operations

Batch operations allow executing multiple API calls in parallel for efficient bulk processing.

Batch Delete Absences

{
  "tool": "absence",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "batch_delete",
    "ids": [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  }
}

Batch Approve Absences

{
  "tool": "absence",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "batch_approve",
    "ids": [10, 11, 12, 13]
  }
}

Batch Delete Timesheets

{
  "tool": "timesheet",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "batch_delete",
    "ids": [100, 101, 102, 103]
  }
}

Batch Export Timesheets

{
  "tool": "timesheet",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "batch_export",
    "ids": [200, 201, 202]
  }
}

Batch Delete Entities

{
  "tool": "entity",
  "parameters": {
    "type": "project",
    "action": "batch_delete",
    "ids": [5, 6, 7]
  }
}

Rate Management

List Customer Rates

{
  "tool": "rate",
  "parameters": {
    "entity": "customer",
    "action": "list",
    "entity_id": 1
  }
}

Current User Information

Get Current User

{
  "tool": "user_current"
}

Smart Features

Automatic Absence Splitting

The MCP automatically handles Kimai's limitations when creating absences:

Year-Boundary Splitting: Kimai doesn't allow absences spanning multiple years. The MCP automatically splits them.

{
  "tool": "absence",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "create",
    "data": {
      "date": "2025-09-01",
      "end": "2026-03-31",
      "type": "parental",
      "comment": "Parental leave"
    }
  }
}

This automatically becomes two entries:

• 2025-09-01 to 2025-12-31
• 2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31

30-Day Limit Splitting: Kimai limits absences to 30 days maximum. Longer absences are automatically split into 30-day chunks.

{
  "tool": "absence",
  "parameters": {
    "action": "create",
    "data": {
      "date": "2025-09-01",
      "end": "2025-11-29",
      "type": "parental",
      "comment": "Parental leave (90 days)"
    }
  }
}

This automatically becomes three 30-day entries with output:

Created 3 absence(s) for parental
Period: 2025-09-01 to 2025-11-29 (90 days)
IDs: 123, 124, 125
(Automatically split due to Kimai limitations)

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Connection Problems

1. Verify Kimai URL: Ensure your Kimai URL is correct and accessible
2. Check API Token: Verify your API token is valid and not expired
3. API Access: Ensure your Kimai instance has API access enabled
4. Network: Check if there are any firewall or network restrictions

Permission Errors

• Creating timesheets for other users requires admin permissions
• Managing users and teams requires appropriate role permissions
• Some absence operations require manager permissions

Configuration Issues

1. Claude Desktop Config: Verify the JSON syntax is correct
2. Path Issues: Ensure Python can find the kimai_mcp module
3. Arguments: Check that command-line arguments are properly formatted

SSL Certificate Errors (Self-Hosted Instances)

If you're running a self-hosted Kimai instance with a custom CA certificate (e.g., self-signed certificates), you may encounter this error:

[SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED] certificate verify failed: self-signed certificate in certificate chain

Solution 1: Use the --ssl-verify CLI option

# Point to your CA certificate file
kimai-mcp --kimai-url=https://kimai.example.com --kimai-token=your-token --ssl-verify=/path/to/ca-bundle.crt

# Or disable verification (not recommended for production)
kimai-mcp --kimai-url=https://kimai.example.com --kimai-token=your-token --ssl-verify=false

Solution 2: Use environment variables

# Using httpx's built-in SSL environment variables
SSL_CERT_DIR=/etc/ssl/certs kimai-mcp --kimai-url=... --kimai-token=...

# Or using the KIMAI_SSL_VERIFY environment variable
KIMAI_SSL_VERIFY=/path/to/ca-bundle.crt kimai-mcp --kimai-url=... --kimai-token=...

Claude Desktop configuration with custom certificates:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kimai": {
      "command": "kimai-mcp",
      "args": [
        "--kimai-url=https://kimai.example.com",
        "--kimai-token=your-token",
        "--ssl-verify=/path/to/ca-bundle.crt"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Or using the environment variable:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kimai": {
      "command": "kimai-mcp",
      "args": ["--kimai-url=...", "--kimai-token=..."],
      "env": {
        "KIMAI_SSL_VERIFY": "/path/to/ca-bundle.crt"
      }
    }
  }
}

Debug Mode

For debugging, you can run the server directly:

# Using command line arguments
kimai-mcp --kimai-url=https://your-kimai.com --kimai-token=your-token

# Using .env file (make sure you're in the directory with the .env file)
kimai-mcp

# Alternative: using Python module execution
python -m kimai_mcp.server --kimai-url=https://your-kimai.com --kimai-token=your-token

Logging

The server includes comprehensive logging. Check the logs for detailed error information.

Security Considerations

• API Token Security: Keep your API token secure and never commit it to version control
• Network Security: Use HTTPS for your Kimai instance
• Permission Management: Use appropriate Kimai roles and permissions
• Regular Updates: Keep the MCP server and dependencies updated

Development

Project Structure

kimai_mcp/
├── src/
│   ├── kimai_mcp/
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   ├── server.py         # MCP server implementation
│   │   ├── client.py         # Kimai API client
│   │   ├── models.py         # Data models
│   │   └── tools/            # MCP tool implementations
│   │       ├── entity_manager.py
│   │       ├── timesheet_consolidated.py
│   │       ├── rate_manager.py
│   │       ├── team_access_manager.py
│   │       ├── absence_manager.py
│   │       ├── calendar_meta.py
│   │       ├── project_analysis.py
│   │       └── config_info.py
├── tests/
├── README.md
├── pyproject.toml
└── .gitignore

Running Tests

pytest tests/ -v

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests for new functionality
5. Submit a pull request

📝 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Licensing Information

• Kimai MCP Server: MIT License (this project)
• Kimai Core: AGPL-3.0 License (separate project)
• Model Context Protocol: Open standard by Anthropic

This MCP server is an independent integration tool that communicates with Kimai via its public API. It is not a derivative work of Kimai itself and can be freely used under the MIT license terms.

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request. For major changes, please open an issue first to discuss what you would like to change.

Development Setup

1. Clone the repository
2. Install development dependencies: pip install -e ".[dev]"
3. Run tests: pytest tests/ -v
4. Follow the existing code style and add tests for new features

📞 Support

• Issues: Please use the GitHub issue tracker
• Documentation: Check the examples in the examples/ directory
• Kimai Documentation: Visit kimai.org for Kimai-specific questions

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Anthropic for creating the Model Context Protocol
• Kimai Team for the excellent time-tracking software and API
• MCP Community for examples and best practices