Basecamp MCP Server

Create Kanban Card

basecamp_create_kanban_card

Create a card in a Basecamp kanban column, including optional checklist steps, assignees, due date, and HTML content for project tracking.

Instructions

Create a new card in a kanban column with optional checklist steps.

HTML rules for content:

Allowed tags: p, span, h2, h3, h4, br, strong, em, strike, code, a (with href attribute), pre, ol, ul, li, blockquote, mark, figure, figcaption, table, tbody, tr, th, td, div, bc-attachment.
Wrap every paragraph in ..., and put between one paragraph and the next. Both parts are necessary: newlines and blank lines in your HTML are discarded, and Basecamp shows no space around a on its own, so two paragraphs with nothing between them are shown as one block of text. Do not rely on line breaks in your HTML to separate paragraphs.
Headings: use , , as appropriate.
Inline code: text. Preformatted blocks: text.
Ordered lists: .... Unordered: ....
Tables: Heading...Cell...
To mention a person: . Put the tag where the name must show in the text, for example "Thanks for the fix". The person gets a notification. If the ID is not a person, the tool returns an error and writes nothing. Get person IDs from basecamp_list_people, or from the people in other responses (assignees, creators).
Single image:
Image gallery: wrap multiple in a .
A bc-attachment needs an attachable_sgid. For a file that is already in Basecamp, take the sgid from the HTML content of the message, comment or card that shows it, or use basecamp_list_recordings. For a file that is not in Basecamp yet, such as an image at an external URL or a screenshot on disk, upload it with basecamp_create_attachment and use the sgid that it returns. There is no tag, so an external image URL can never be embedded directly: upload it, or accept that it stays a plain link.
Basecamp auto-enriches bc-attachment tags after saving (adds url, href, filename, content-type, etc.) — you never need to write those.
When you see an existing, already-enriched tag (e.g. from a previous list/get call), leave its inner HTML alone. Before any content_append/content_prepend/search_replace runs, it is automatically collapsed back to its minimal form (sgid, presentation, caption, and content-type for mentions) — you don't need to strip it yourself, and doing so manually is unnecessary and risks mismatched find strings.
Background highlights: ...
Text color highlights: ...
For both, N is 1 (yellow), 2 (amber), 3 (red), 4 (pink), 5 (purple), 6 (blue), 7 (teal), 8 (near-white), or 9 (light gray).

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`steps`	No	Array of steps to create. Array order defines position.
`title`	Yes
`due_on`	No	Due date in YYYY-MM-DD format
`notify`	No	Whether to notify assignees
`content`	No
`column_id`	Yes	Basecamp resource identifier
`assignee_ids`	No	Array of user IDs to assign to the card

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed9 schema fields changedv1.2.1Jun 19, 2026
- addedInput schema / properties / assignee_ids / items / $ref
```
Added value: +"#/properties/column_id"
```
- removedInput schema / properties / assignee_ids / items / type
```
Removed value: -"number"
```
- removedInput schema / properties / bucket_id
```
Removed value: -{
-  "description": "Basecamp resource identifier",
-  "type": "number"
-}
```
- removedInput schema / properties / column_id / $ref
```
Removed value: -"#/properties/bucket_id"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / column_id / description
```
Added value: +"Basecamp resource identifier"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / column_id / type
```
Added value: +"number"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / steps / items / properties / assignee_ids / items / $ref
```
Added value: +"#/properties/column_id"
```
- removedInput schema / properties / steps / items / properties / assignee_ids / items / type
```
Removed value: -"number"
```
- changedInput schema / required
```
Previous value: -[
-  "bucket_id",
-  "column_id",
-  "title"
-]New value: +[
+  "column_id",
+  "title"
+]
```

Changed6 schema fields changedv1.0.0Jan 4, 2026

addedInput schema / $schema

Added value: +"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

addedInput schema / properties / assignee_ids

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Array of user IDs to assign to the card",
+  "items": {
+    "type": "number"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / due_on

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Due date in YYYY-MM-DD format",
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / notify

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Whether to notify assignees",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / steps

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Array of steps to create. Array order defines position.",
+  "items": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "assignee_ids": {
+        "description": "Array of user IDs to assign",
+        "items": {
+          "type": "number"
+        },
+        "type": "array"
+      },
+      "completed": {
+        "description": "Whether step is completed",
+        "type": "boolean"
+      },
+      "due_on": {
+        "description": "Due date (YYYY-MM-DD) or null",
+        "type": [
+          "string",
+          "null"
+        ]
+      },
+      "title": {
+        "description": "Step title",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "title"
+    ],
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}

First observedOct 25, 2025

TDQS

A3.7/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare non-read-only, non-destructive, non-idempotent, open-world behavior, so the bar is lower. The description adds real behavioral context beyond that: mention tags trigger a notification, an invalid person ID 'returns an error and writes nothing' (all-or-nothing), and bc-attachment tags are auto-enriched after saving. It does not describe error behavior for bad column_id or the response shape.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The purpose statement is front-loaded in the first sentence, followed by a well-organized bulleted HTML reference. The length is high, but nearly every rule is actionable guidance for the untyped 'content' field, so the bulk largely earns its place rather than being filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema and 7 parameters, the definition should ideally state the return value (e.g., the new card ID) and where column_id originates (basecamp_list_kanban_columns). Content formatting is covered exhaustively and annotations carry the safety profile, but the mutation lifecycle and required-ID sourcing are left incomplete.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 71%, so most parameters are documented in-schema, but the free-form 'content' parameter has no schema description at all. The description fully compensates by specifying allowed HTML tags, paragraph wrapping requirements, mention/attachment syntax, and highlight variables. Minor parameters (title, due_on, notify, steps) are not elaborated beyond the schema, hence not a 5.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The opening sentence 'Create a new card in a kanban column with optional checklist steps' gives a specific verb (create), resource (kanban card), and scope (column, optional steps). It does not explicitly distinguish itself from basecamp_update_kanban_card or basecamp_move_kanban_card, but the create framing is unambiguous.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

There is no explicit statement of when to use this tool versus basecamp_update_kanban_card or basecamp_create_todo. The description does route the agent to supporting tools for obtaining inputs ('Get person IDs from basecamp_list_people', 'upload it with basecamp_create_attachment'), which is useful workflow guidance, but it never addresses when this tool is the right choice.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Deploy Server

Create Kanban Card

Instructions

Input Schema

Schema Changelog

TDQS

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