Asana advanced features MCP server

Asana's advanced APIs enable sophisticated project management capabilities beyond basic task operations. An AI agent with access to these features can create and manage automation rules, build portfolios for executive visibility, design templates for process standardization, and execute complex searches across workspaces.

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.

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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:

• Claude Desktop
• Claude Code
• Cursor
• VS Code
• Windsurf

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 advanced features use the same OAuth 2.0 authentication as the standard Asana server. The authorization endpoint is https://app.asana.com/-/oauth_authorize and the token endpoint is https://app.asana.com/-/oauth_token. Configure scopes for the advanced features you need: portfolios:read, portfolios:write, rules:read, rules:write, forms:read, forms:write, goals:read, goals:write, workflows:read, and workflows:write. Some advanced features like portfolio management and goals require a Business or Enterprise Asana plan.

Available tools

The advanced features MCP server provides tools for managing portfolios, automation rules, templates, and complex workflows that span multiple projects and teams.

Tool	Description
Create portfolio	Create a portfolio to consolidate and track status across multiple projects
Update portfolio	Modify portfolio settings and add or remove associated projects
List portfolios	Retrieve all portfolios in a workspace with their current status
Create rule	Define automation rules that trigger actions based on task or project changes
List rules	Retrieve all automation rules in a project with their trigger and action configurations
Update rule	Modify rule conditions and actions to refine automation behavior
Create template	Save a project as a reusable template for consistent workflow setup
List templates	Retrieve available templates in a workspace for creating new projects
Create from template	Instantiate a new project from a template with custom settings
Search tasks	Execute advanced searches across projects using filters and custom field criteria
Create goal	Define strategic goals and link work to track progress
Update goal status	Update goal completion percentage and key result metrics
Create form	Design intake forms to collect structured requests and route them to projects
Manage form submissions	Process and convert form responses into tasks or projects

Tips

Test automation rules in development first — automation rules can affect many tasks. Test rule configurations in a non-production project to verify the correct tasks are being affected before applying to production workflows.

Use templates for process standardization — templates ensure consistent project structure across teams. Save templates with pre-configured task lists, custom fields, and team members to reduce setup time for recurring work.

Ensure consistent custom fields across projects that contribute to a portfolio — portfolios track status using custom fields. All projects contributing to a portfolio must use the same custom field names and values for accurate status aggregation.

Link goals to quarterly or annual planning cycles by setting realistic milestones and updating progress regularly to maintain visibility.

Pre-populate form fields with default values to reduce submission errors, and use form field configurations to route incoming requests to the correct project or team.

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