---
title: "Add an MCP server to Assist"
slug: add-an-mcp-server-to-assist
url: https://invertbio.com/docs/faq/add-an-mcp-server-to-assist
keywords: ["MCP","Model Context Protocol","MCP servers","connected accounts","tool approval","Benchling","Work IQ","Article Galaxy"]
---

# Add an MCP server to Assist

An MCP server lets Assist use tools from another product, such as Benchling or Article Galaxy. An admin adds the server once for your organization. Every other user then connects their own account, so Assist sees only what that user can already see in that product.

## Before you start

-   You need the **Admin** role in Invert.
-   Assist must be enabled for your organization.
-   Assist works only with MCP servers from the vendors below. To use another vendor, contact Invert support and ask us to add it.

<!-- Keep this table in sync with APPROVED_MCP_HOSTS in https://github.com/invert-inc/invert/blob/main/ai_api/ai_api/mcp/allowed_hosts.py. Change both together. Some hosts there are for internal use only; the comment there says which. -->

| Vendor | MCP server host |
| --- | --- |
| Benchling | `<your-tenant>.mcp.benchling.com` |
| Article Galaxy | `mcp.articlegalaxy.com` |
| Microsoft Work IQ (Microsoft 365) | `workiq.svc.cloud.microsoft` |

For Microsoft 365, follow [Connect Microsoft 365 to Assist (Work IQ)](/docs/faq/connect-microsoft-365-to-assist) instead. It has steps your Microsoft admin must do first.

## Step 1: Add the server

1.  In Invert, go to **Settings** → **MCP servers** and click **Add server**.
2.  Keep **Other MCP server** selected.
3.  Enter the **MCP server URL** and a **Display name**. Invert fills in the **Server key** from the display name.
4.  Leave **Client ID** and **Client secret** empty, unless the vendor tells you to register a client with them first. In that case, enter the client ID and secret from the vendor.
5.  Click **Add server**.

The sign-in window for the vendor opens. When you sign in, Invert loads the server's tools.

## Step 2: Check the tools

Each tool on the server row has a status. Invert sets it from what the server says about the tool:

-   **Approved:** the server says the tool only reads data. Assist can use it.
-   **Blocked:** the server says the tool can change or delete data. Assist can't use it.
-   **Not approved:** the server does not say if the tool is read-only. Assist can't use it.

To change a status, click **Approve** or **Block** next to the tool. To approve, you must add a note. When you approve a tool, Assist can call it in sessions for every connected user in your organization. Automations never get tools that can change data.

## Step 3: Other users connect their account

You are already connected, because you signed in when you added the server. Every other user does this:

1.  In Invert, go to **Settings** → **Preferences**.
2.  Under **Connected accounts**, click **Connect** next to the server.
3.  Sign in to the vendor's product.

Assist can now use the approved tools in that user's sessions.