Skip to main content

Asana MCP server

Asana is a work management platform used by thousands of organizations to coordinate team work. An AI agent with access to Asana can manage tasks and projects across workspaces, automate routine updates, and provide visibility into project status and team workload without manual intervention.

Setting up an MCP server

This article covers the standard steps for creating an MCP server in AI Gateway and connecting it to an AI client. The steps are the same for every integration — application-specific details (API credentials, OAuth endpoints, and scopes) are covered in the individual application pages.

Before you begin​

You'll need:

  • Access to AI Gateway with permission to create MCP servers
  • API credentials for the application you're connecting (see the relevant application page for what to collect)

Create an MCP server​

Find the API in the catalog​

  1. Sign in to AI Gateway and select MCP Servers from the left navigation.
  2. Select New MCP Server.
  3. Search for the application you want to connect, then select it from the catalog.

Configure the server​

  1. Enter a Name for your server — something descriptive that identifies both the application and its purpose (for example, "Zendesk Support — Prod").
  2. Enter a Description so your team knows what the server is for.
  3. Set the Timeout value. 30 seconds works for most APIs; increase to 60 seconds for APIs that return large payloads.
  4. Toggle Production mode on if this server will be used in a live workflow.
  5. Select Next.

Configure authentication​

Enter the authentication details for the application. This varies by service — see the Authentication section of the relevant application page for the specific credentials, OAuth URLs, and scopes to use.

Configure security​

  1. Set any Rate limits appropriate for your use case and the API's own limits.
  2. Enable Logging if you want AI Gateway to record requests and responses for auditing.
  3. Select Next.

Deploy​

Review the summary, then select Deploy. AI Gateway provisions the server and provides a server URL you'll use when configuring your AI client.

Connect to an AI client​

Once your server is deployed, you'll need to add it to the AI client your team uses. Select your client for setup instructions:

Tips​

  • You can create multiple MCP servers for the same application — for example, a read-only server for reporting agents and a read-write server for automation workflows.
  • If you're unsure which OAuth scopes to request, start with the minimum read-only set and add write scopes only when needed. Most application pages include scope recommendations.
  • You can edit a server's name, description, timeout, and security settings after deployment without redeploying.

Authentication​

Asana uses OAuth 2.0 authentication. You'll need to create an OAuth app in Asana's developer console and configure it with your AI Gateway's redirect URI. The authorization endpoint is https://app.asana.com/-/oauth_authorize and the token endpoint is https://app.asana.com/-/oauth_token. When creating the app, configure these scopes based on your needs: tasks:read, tasks:write, projects:read, projects:write, workspaces:read, teams:read, users:read, attachments:read, stories:read, stories:write, portfolios:read, portfolios:write, goals:read, goals:write, rules:read, rules:write, forms:read, forms:write, workflows:read, workflows:write, and webhooks:read or webhooks:write depending on your use case.

Available tools​

This MCP server enables an AI agent to interact with Asana's core project management capabilities. The tools support task and project operations, portfolio tracking, team coordination, and workflow management.

ToolDescription
Create taskCreate a new task in a project with title, description, and assignments
Update taskModify task properties including status, priority, due date, and custom fields
List tasksRetrieve tasks filtered by project, assignee, status, or custom criteria
Get task detailsFetch complete information about a specific task including subtasks and comments
Create projectCreate a new project in a workspace with settings and team members
List projectsRetrieve projects in a workspace with filtering and sorting options
Get project statusCheck current progress, milestones, and team workload for a project
Add task to projectMove or link tasks to specific projects and sections
Create portfolioCreate a portfolio for tracking multiple related projects
Get portfolio statusView cross-project progress and health metrics
Add commentAdd status updates or notes to tasks for team visibility
Manage attachmentsUpload files and link external content to tasks
List team membersRetrieve users in a workspace or team with availability information

Tips​

Use specific workspaces and project IDs — Asana requires workspace and project GIDs for most operations. Save these identifiers from the Asana UI to streamline requests.

Respect rate limits by batching operations where possible and implementing exponential backoff for retries. Asana enforces 1,500 requests per minute.

Use the exact field GID when updating custom fields on tasks — field names alone won't work.

Configure webhooks for real-time updates if you need near-real-time synchronization. This notifies your system when tasks or projects change rather than polling the API.

Verify portfolio management requirements before attempting portfolio operations — portfolio APIs require a Premium or higher Asana plan.