Claude Desktop connects to Microsoft Project through the CData MCP Server for Microsoft Project using the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

When you launch Claude, it automatically detects MCP connections registered during setup. These connections are created and saved using the MCP Configuration Tool, which is installed with the MCP Server.

Each saved connection is recognized by Claude and can be referenced by name when asking questions.

Installing Claude

Claude Desktop is a standalone application that enables natural language querying across supported data sources using the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

To connect to Microsoft Project via MCP, you first need to install the Claude Desktop application.

You can download the latest version from the official Claude Download Page.

After installing Claude Desktop, you can configure your MCP connection using the CData MCP Driver for Microsoft Project.

How Claude Uses the Server

When you ask Claude a question, it launches the corresponding MCP Server connection, reads the available tool descriptions provided by the connector, and generates a secure query in the background.

There is no need to write SQL or teach Claude how to query your data. Each tool is self-describing, and Claude consumes those descriptions to determine how to retrieve the right information.

Example Prompts

After setup, you can ask Claude natural-language questions like:

• "What are the working hours defined in the "Standard" calendar?"
• "How many hours are assigned to each resource in draft assignments?"
• "What phases are currently in progress across all enterprise projects?"
• "Which resources have not submitted their timesheets this week?"
• "Show all project milestones as events occurring in the next quarter"
• "List task assignments for each resource working more than 40 hours this week."
• "What open issues are blocking the completion of any stage?"
• "Which assignments are scheduled to end this week?"
• "What deliverables are due in the current fiscal quarter?"
• "Show resource costs grouped by fiscal period for the current year."

Claude securely executes the query using the MCP Server and responds using the live results from Microsoft Project.