Paylocity

You can run a local, read-only MCP server that exposes Paylocity data to LLMs through a simple MCP interface. This lets you ask natural language questions and receive live Paylocity data without writing SQL, while keeping data access secure and scoped to read-only operations.

How to use

Start the MCP server on your machine and connect your MCP client (such as Claude Desktop) to it. You will interact with the server through the built-in MCP tools that let you inspect the data source, fetch table and column information, and run queries. You don’t need to write SQL to get the data you want; simply describe what you need, and the client will use the available tools to retrieve the results.

How to install

Prerequisites: you need Java installed to run the MCP server. You may also use Maven to build the project from source.

# 1) Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/cdatasoftware/paylocity-mcp-server-by-cdata.git
cd paylocity-mcp-server-by-cdata

# 2) Build the server and create the runnable JAR
mvn clean install
# This creates the JAR file: CDataMCP-jar-with-dependencies.jar

# 3) Download and install the CData JDBC Driver for Paylocity
# Visit the driver download page and install it according to the platform

4. License the CData JDBC Driver using the Driver’s license utility, then configure the JDBC connection and create a .prp file for your data source as shown.

# License the driver (adjust path to your installation)
java -jar cdata.jdbc.paylocity.jar --license

# Open the connection string utility and test a connection
java -jar cdata.jdbc.paylocity.jar
# After testing, copy the produced connection string for later use

Create a properties file for the JDBC connection (for example, paylocity.prp) using the following structure. Replace placeholders with your actual values.

Prefix=paylocity
ServerName=CDataPaylocity
ServerVersion=1.0
DriverPath=PATH\TO\cdata.jdbc.paylocity.jar
DriverClass=cdata.jdbc.paylocity.PaylocityDriver
JdbcUrl=jdbc:paylocity:InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;
Tables=

Additional setup for Claude Desktop integration

Create a Claude Desktop configuration file to add the new MCP server. Include the java runtime and the MCP JAR with the path to your paylocity.prp file.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paylocity_mcp": {
      "command": "PATH\\TO\\java.exe",
      "args": [
        "-jar",
        "PATH\\TO\\CDataMCP-jar-with-dependencies.jar",
        "PATH\\TO\\paylocity.prp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Running the server

Start the MCP server on the local machine using the exact command shown. This server runs via stdio and the client on the same machine can communicate with it.

java -jar /PATH/TO/CDataMCP-jar-with-dependencies.jar /PATH/TO/paylocity.prp

Usage details

Once configured, you can ask your AI client to read data, and you’ll be able to list tables, fetch columns, and run read-only queries through the available tools. The MCP server exposes tools that typically follow the pattern of getting tables, getting columns for a table, and running a query.

Tools & Descriptions

The MCP server exposes a set of tools derived from the server name. For this Paylocity MCP server, the tools include: paylocity_get_tables, paylocity_get_columns, and paylocity_run_query. Each tool retrieves information or executes a read-only query against the Paylocity data source.

JSON-RPC Request Examples

If you script requests to the MCP server, you would follow the JSON-RPC 2.0 payload format for calling the available tools. Use the tool names described above and pass the appropriate arguments.

Troubleshooting

If the MCP server doesn’t appear in your client, ensure you have fully stopped and restarted the client after starting the server. Verify the paylocity.prp file contains the correct JDBC URL and driver class, and confirm the Java process is running. If the client cannot retrieve data, re-create the connection string and ensure the data source is accessible. If you continue to have issues, contact CData Support or reach out to the CData Community for assistance.

License

This MCP server is released under the MIT License. You may use, modify, and distribute the software in accordance with the terms of the MIT License.

All Supported Sources

The Paylocity MCP server exposes Paylocity data via a JDBC driver, enabling live queries through the MCP interface.

Available tools

paylocity_get_tables

Retrieves a list of tables available in the Paylocity data source. Output is in CSV format with the first line containing column headers.

paylocity_get_columns

Retrieves a list of columns for a specific table. Output is in CSV format with the first line containing column headers.

paylocity_run_query

Executes a SQL SELECT query against the Paylocity data source and returns the results.