Appian MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for seamless integration with Appian APIs using Node.js.

Overview

This MCP server provides a standardized interface to interact with Appian applications, allowing AI applications to:

• Query and manage records
• Create, update, and delete records
• Execute processes
• Query reports

Features

• Record Management: Get, create, update, and delete Appian records
• Process Execution: Execute Appian processes with input parameters
• Report Querying: Query Appian reports with filters
• TypeScript Support: Built with TypeScript for type safety
• Error Handling: Comprehensive error handling and logging
• Configurable Authentication: Support for API keys and OAuth

Prerequisites

• Node.js 16 or higher
• npm or yarn
• Appian configuration (tenant, credentials)

Installation

1. Clone or navigate to the project directory
2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Set up environment variables:

cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your Appian credentials

Configuration

Environment Variables

• APPIAN_TENANT: Your Appian tenant name (e.g., "mycompany")
• APPIAN_API_KEY: API key for authentication (recommended)
• APPIAN_CLIENT_ID: OAuth client ID (alternative authentication)
• APPIAN_CLIENT_SECRET: OAuth client secret (alternative authentication)
• APPIAN_BASE_URL: Custom Appian API base URL (optional)

MCP Configuration

The .vscode/mcp.json file configures the MCP server for use with LLM applications:

{
  "servers": {
    "appian-mcp-server": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

Available Tools

get_records

Retrieve records from an Appian record type.

Parameters:

• recordType (string, required): The name of the Appian record type
• limit (integer, optional): Maximum number of records to return (default: 100)
• offset (integer, optional): Number of records to skip for pagination (default: 0)

create_record

Create a new record in an Appian application.

Parameters:

• recordType (string, required): The name of the Appian record type
• data (object, required): The record data to create

update_record

Update an existing record.

Parameters:

• recordType (string, required): The name of the Appian record type
• recordId (string, required): The ID of the record to update
• data (object, required): The fields to update

delete_record

Delete a record from an Appian application.

Parameters:

• recordType (string, required): The name of the Appian record type
• recordId (string, required): The ID of the record to delete

execute_process

Execute an Appian process.

Parameters:

• processName (string, required): The name of the Appian process
• inputs (object, optional): Input parameters for the process

query_report

Query an Appian report.

Parameters:

• reportName (string, required): The name of the Appian report
• filters (object, optional): Filters to apply to the report

Building

Build the TypeScript source to JavaScript:

npm run build

Development

For development with automatic compilation:

npm run watch

Then in another terminal, start the server:

npm start

Running the MCP Server

Direct Execution

npm run dev

In VS Code

1. Ensure the project is built: npm run build
2. Use the MCP inspector tool or connect through an LLM application
3. The server will communicate via stdio

API Integration

The server uses axios for HTTP communication with Appian REST APIs. Update the appian-client.ts file to add additional Appian operations as needed.

Error Handling

The server includes comprehensive error handling for:

• Network failures
• Authentication errors
• Invalid record types or IDs
• API validation errors

Errors are returned in the MCP response format with detailed error messages.

Extending the Server

To add new Appian operations:

1. Add a new method to AppianClient in src/appian-client.ts
2. Add a new tool definition in the ListToolsRequestSchema handler in src/index.ts
3. Add a new case in the CallToolRequestSchema handler to call your method
4. Rebuild: npm run build

Security Considerations

• Store API keys securely (use environment variables or secret management)
• Never commit .env files to version control
• Use HTTPS for all Appian API communication
• Implement proper access controls in your LLM application

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

• Verify your APPIAN_TENANT is correct
• Ensure your API key is valid and has necessary permissions
• Check that your Appian instance is accessible from your network

Authentication Errors

• Verify credentials in your .env file
• Check that the API key hasn't expired
• Confirm proper authentication method is configured

Build Errors

• Ensure TypeScript is installed: npm install
• Check for TypeScript compilation errors: npm run build

License

MIT

Resources

• Model Context Protocol Documentation
• Appian REST API Documentation
• TypeScript MCP SDK