Integration · Payroll & HR

Connect Claude & ChatGPT to ClayHR

Ask your AI who is off next week, which leave requests are waiting for you, or to log three hours on a project in ClayHR. It can search and update employees, clock you in and out, save time entries, approve or reject timesheets and add job candidates. It also reads goals, performance reviews, positions, org units and expense reports.

Connect ClayHR free

Free plan, no credit card. Takes about a minute.

Try asking

“Who is off between 14 and 18 October?”
The AI lists who is on leave from the start date to the end date you give.
“Which leave requests are waiting for me?”
It lists the leave requests waiting for your approval or rejection.
“Log 3 billable hours on the Website project for today.”
It finds the project and saves a time entry with the date, elapsed time and billable set to Y.

What your AI can do

Employees and organisation

Search, read, create and update employees, and list positions, org units and projects.

Time off and timesheets

See who is off, request leave, clock in and out, save time entries and approve or reject timesheets.

Hiring, goals and expenses

Add and search candidates, list goals and performance reviews, and list or create expense reports.

“Approve Maria's timesheet for last week.”
It finds the timesheet among those awaiting approval and sets its status to approved, with a comment if you add one.
“Add Jonas Berg as a candidate, [email protected], source LinkedIn.”
It creates the candidate with name, email and source.
“Request time off for me from 2 to 6 December.”
It looks up your PTO policies and creates a leave request for those dates under the policy you pick.

28 tools for ClayHR

These tools are switched on when you connect. You can switch any of them off, or require your approval before it runs.

clock_inChanges dataClock the connected user in now, optionally for a `project_id` with `notes` or `description`.
clock_outChanges dataClock the connected user out now, optionally with `notes`.
create_candidateChanges dataAdd a job candidate with `name`, `email`, `phone` and `source`.
create_employeeChanges dataCreate a new employee user with `email` and `first_name`.
create_expense_reportChanges dataCreate an expense report with a `name`, optional `amount` and `description`.
create_leave_requestChanges dataRequest time off: pass `date` (start), `leave_end_date`, `user_pto_id` (the PTO policy) and an optional `description`.
get_candidateGet one candidate's full details by the candidate's `recruitid`.
get_employeeGet one employee's details by `user_id`.
get_projectGet one project by `project_id`.
get_timesheetGet one timesheet by `timesheet_id`.
list_employee_goalsList the goals of one employee by `user_id`.
list_expense_reportsList expense reports, optionally for one `expense_report_id` or user `guid`.
list_goalsList all goals.
list_leaves_for_approvalList leave requests waiting for the connected user's approval or rejection.
list_my_pto_policiesList the PTO (time-off) policies of the connected user.
list_org_unitsList the organisation units.
list_performance_reviewsList performance reviews visible to the connected user.
list_positionsList positions, searchable with `search`. Paginated.
list_projectsList projects.
list_timesheet_approvalsList timesheets awaiting approval between `start_date` and `end_date`.
list_timesheetsList timesheets, optionally for a `user_id` and between `start_date` and `end_date`.
list_who_is_offList who else is on leave from `start_date` (to optional `end_date`).
save_timesheet_entryChanges dataCreate or update a time entry: `date`, `project_id` and `elapsed_time` are required; add `user_id`, `activity`, `billable` (Y/N), `category_code` (RG regular, OT overtime) and `notes`. Pass `card_id` to update an existing entry.
search_candidatesSearch job candidates by `search` text. Paginated.
search_employeesSearch employees by `name` or `search` text, filtered by `status` (A active, I inactive, F future joiner) or start/end date ranges. Paginated.
search_leave_requestsSearch leave (time-off) requests between `start_date` and `end_date`, optionally filtered by employee `email` or `leave_userid` and `status`.
set_timesheet_statusChanges dataApprove, reject or change the status of a timesheet by `timesheet_id`: `status` is PD pending, PAP partially approved, AP approved, NEW or RJ rejected; add `comments`.
update_employeeChanges dataUpdate an employee by `user_id`: name, email, phone, position, location, status, start/end date and more. Only the fields you pass change.

Set up in three steps

1
Pick the app
Create a free PipMCP account and choose ClayHR from the app list.
2
Paste your key
Enter your ClayHR subdomain (the "acme" in acme.clayhr.com), your numeric ClayHR user ID and an API key. In ClayHR, hover over your user record in the top right corner, click My Integrations, switch to Manage API Keys and click Generate API Key. Copy the key right away, because it is shown only once.
3
Add the link to your AI
You get a personal MCP link. Add it to Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor:
1. Click your name, then Settings › Connectors › Add custom connector.
2. Paste your link as the Remote MCP server URL.
3. Switch it on from the + menu in a chat.

Questions

What can the AI do in ClayHR?

It can search and read employees, projects, positions, org units, timesheets, leave requests, goals, performance reviews, expense reports and candidates. It can create and update employees, request leave, clock in and out, save time entries, change a timesheet's status, create expense reports and add candidates.

Does the AI see my ClayHR credentials?

No. Your subdomain, user ID and API key are encrypted at rest and never shown to the AI. After you save them, they are not shown again, not even to you. The AI only sees the results of the tools it calls.

Can I control what the AI is allowed to do?

Yes. You choose which tools are switched on, so you can start read-only. Changes like approving or rejecting a timesheet or updating an employee can require your approval before they run. Every tool call is logged.

Does it work with ChatGPT?

Yes. In ChatGPT go to Settings › Apps & Connectors › Advanced and turn on Developer mode, then add your PipMCP link. Developer mode needs a paid ChatGPT plan: Plus, Pro, Business or Enterprise. The same link also works in Claude (Settings › Connectors › Add custom connector), Cursor and other MCP clients.

What does it cost?

PipMCP has a free plan with no credit card required. Paid plans bill per completed task. You also need your own ClayHR account.

What access does the AI get in ClayHR?

The API key has the same access as the ClayHR user who generated it. The AI can only see and change what that user can, and only through the tools you switch on. Clocking in and out also applies to that user.