usefulapiSortly MCP server
Search inventory items and folders, low-stock alerts, jobs and purchase orders, and update stock. Hosted by usefulapi: connect it to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client.
What can I ask?
Turn on the Sortly connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.
- Which items in my inventory are running low on stock right now?
- Show me everything in the Warehouse folder with its current quantity.
- List my open purchase orders and which ones are still waiting to be received.
- Set the quantity of Blue Widgets to 120 after today's stock count.
What you can do with Sortly in Claude and ChatGPT
For teams who track inventory, jobs and purchase orders with Sortly.
Find items that are running low on stock
Lists stock and date alerts and shows which have fired, then reads the quantity and minimum quantity of the items involved.
List what is in a folder with its quantities
Lists the items and folders in a folder, including subfolders if you want, or searches by name, and opens an item for its quantity, price and tags.
See which items changed since a date
Lists items and folders changed since a time you give, to see what moved since yesterday.
Check open purchase orders and what was received
Lists purchase orders by number or status, reads one with its lines (quantity against received quantity) and checks its latest receive status.
Update an item's quantity or name, or move stock
Sets a new quantity after a stock count, renames an item, or moves part or all of its quantity to another folder.
Changes dataRecord the stock a job uses
Creates a job, pulls items into it to record usage, and returns items from it to inventory when they are not used.
Changes dataHow do I connect Sortly?
Before you connect
The login page asks for your Sortly API secret key.
Generate one in Sortly at app.sortly.com/public-api (Settings → Public API; Enterprise plan only). Your key is used only to call the Sortly API on your behalf and to derive a private account id; it is never shown to anyone.
Claude claude.ai · Desktop
- Open Customize → Connectors, then click + Add → Add custom connector.
- Enter the name Sortly and this URL, then click Add:https://
sortly. usefulapi. io/ mcp - Claude opens the login page: enter your Sortly API secret key.
- In a chat, click + → Connectors and turn on Sortly.
Team and Enterprise: an Owner adds the connector for the organization first.
ChatGPT chatgpt.com
- Open Plugins, click +, then Add custom MCP server.
- Enter the name Sortly and this URL, choose OAuth as the authentication, confirm the warning and create it:https://
sortly. usefulapi. io/ mcp - ChatGPT opens the login page: enter your Sortly API secret key.
- In Plugins, install Sortly, then choose it in a chat.
No Add custom MCP server option? It depends on your account or workspace settings: see OpenAI's guide.
Claude Code
Run this command, then run /mcp in Claude Code to log in:
Cursor
Add to Cursor or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"sortly": {
"url": "https://sortly.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
} VS Code
Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
{
"servers": {
"sortly": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://sortly.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
} Codex
Run these commands. The second one opens the login page:
Other clients
Windsurf, Cline, Zed and other MCP clients: add this URL as a remote MCP server (Streamable HTTP). The client then opens the login page in your browser.
Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Sortly API secret key. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 50 tool calls / month |
| Proper user | $9/mo · $90/yr | 10,000 tool calls / month |
| Pro+per user | $39/mo · $390/yr | 100,000 tool calls / month |
Each paid plan covers this Sortly server only. Ask your AI to run sortly_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. The change requires your confirmation, keeps your billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. Cancel any time with sortly_cancel_subscription: your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and asking to resume the same plan with sortly_upgrade before then undoes the cancel. Or write to support@usefulapi.io.
Tools 24
Show all 24 tools (the AI picks them for you)
Read only · 12
- List items and folders
sortly_list_itemsList items and folders, newest first. By default the root level; pass folder_id for a folder's direct contents, plus include_subfolders for everything nested under it. Paginated via meta.next_page_url / total_pages. - Get one item or folder
sortly_get_itemFetch a single item or folder by numeric id: quantity, min_quantity, price, tags, sid, barcodes, and optionally custom field values and photos. - Search inventory
sortly_search_itemsSearch items and folders by name, optionally limited to items or folders and scoped to specific folders. Read-only despite being a POST. Paginated: send the same arguments with the next page number. - List recently updated items
sortly_list_recently_updated_itemsList items and folders changed since a Unix timestamp — the incremental-sync read ('what moved since yesterday?'). Without updated_since it behaves like sortly_list_items. - List custom fields
sortly_list_custom_fieldsList the account's custom fields (id, name, type, applies_to). Call this before writing custom_attribute_values to get the right custom_attribute_id. - List units of measure
sortly_list_unitsList the units of measure available to the account (unit_name, unit_type, scale) — the values measured_quantity and purchase-order lines expect. - List alerts
sortly_list_alertsList stock (Quantity) and date (DateReminder) alerts, with is_fired showing which have already triggered — the quick way to find low-stock items. - List jobs
sortly_list_jobsList jobs (work orders that pull stock out), most recently updated first, filterable by name prefix and status. Paginated via meta.pagination.has_next. - Get one job
sortly_get_jobFetch a single job: status, folder_id (where its pulled items sit), dates, notes, custom field values and the version needed for updates. - List purchase orders
sortly_list_purchase_ordersList purchase orders, most recently updated first, filterable by PO number and status. The list leaves out notes, terms, sub_total and line_items — use sortly_get_purchase_order for those. Needs Purchase Orders on the plan (else 402). - Get one purchase order
sortly_get_purchase_orderFetch a single purchase order with its line_items (quantity vs received_quantity), vendor, addresses, charges, totals and version. - Get a purchase order's receive status
sortly_get_purchase_order_receive_statusReport the most recent receive against a purchase order: pending / completed / failed, with the line ids received, pending and failed (and why). Returns 404 until something has been received.
Changes data · 8
- Create an item or folder
sortly_create_itemCreate a trackable item (type item) or a folder (type folder), optionally inside a folder via parent_id, with quantity, price, tags, custom fields, barcodes and a measured quantity. WRITE. - Update an item or folder
sortly_update_itemChange fields on an existing item or folder — e.g. set a new quantity after a stock count, rename it, or relocate a folder via parent_id. Only the fields you pass change; pass null to clear a nullable field. Sending tags or custom_attribute_values replaces them. WRITE. Sortly: PUT /api/v1/items/{item_id} (returns 204). - Move stock to another folder
sortly_move_itemMove some or all of an item's quantity to another folder (items only — relocate a folder with sortly_update_item parent_id). A partial move splits off a new item with the same sid; a full move relocates the item; a matching item at the destination is merged, and the returned id is the destination's. Undo by moving it back. WRITE. - Create an alert
sortly_create_alertCreate a stock alert on an item (type Quantity, e.g. threshold_method quantity_less_than with threshold_value 5, or less_than_or_equal_to_min_quantity), or a DateReminder on a datetime custom field (custom_attribute_id + before/after/same_day + threshold_interval). WRITE. - Create a job
sortly_create_jobCreate a job (and its job folder) in not_started status. Name must be unique in the company. Then use sortly_pull_items_into_job to record the stock it uses. WRITE. - Pull items into a job
sortly_pull_items_into_jobMove quantities of existing items (from any folders) into a job's folder — how usage on a job is recorded. Up to 100 items per call; items are processed independently, so ALWAYS check data.errors (a partial failure still returns 200). Undo with sortly_return_items_from_job. Returns 403 on a completed job. WRITE. - Return items from a job
sortly_return_items_from_jobMove items off a job's folder back into inventory (destination_folder_id, or All Items if omitted). Up to 100 per call; check data.errors — items are processed one by one. WRITE. - Draft a purchase order
sortly_create_purchase_orderCreate a purchase order in draft status (no stock or ordering happens until it is moved on in Sortly). Sortly computes amounts, sub_total and total from the lines; omit purchase_order_number to have one generated. Needs Purchase Orders on the plan (else 402). WRITE.
Your usefulapi plan · 4
- Usage status (free-tier meter)
sortly_usage_statusReport the caller's current usage: the plan, calls used this month, the limit of the plan (the free monthly cap or the Pro fair use limit), remaining, and whether the limit is reached. Read-only; does not count against the meter. - Request a missing feature
sortly_request_featureTell usefulapi that the user needs something the Sortly tools cannot do yet (a missing tool, field or filter). Call it only when the user asks for something none of the tools can do, and tell the user that you send the request. Do not call it for errors or for normal requests. Do not include personal data, credentials or customer records. Stored with the product name and the client type (for example Claude or Cursor), without the user's account. At most 5 requests per day. Does not count against the meter. - Upgrade to Pro or Pro+
sortly_upgradeGet a paid plan for Sortly (the free tier caps monthly usage). Pro: 10,000 tool calls a month, for normal use — plan "monthly" ($9/month) or "yearly" ($90/year, 2 months free). Pro+: 100,000 tool calls a month, for automations and heavy use — plan "plus" ($39/month) or "plus_yearly" ($390/year). Without a plan it returns both Pro and Pro+, each with a payment link, for the user to choose; with a plan, one link. An existing Pro subscription changes to Pro+ in place: call without confirm first, as the reply states the exact charge for this account (the price difference for the rest of the period, or in a free Pro trial the full Pro+ price, as the trial ends); then call with confirm: true. Cancel any time: the plan then runs to the end of the paid period, so it also suits a one-time job. A link opens Stripe Checkout in the browser; after payment the account upgrades automatically. Does not count against the meter. - Cancel the Pro subscription
sortly_cancel_subscriptionCancel the caller's Sortly Pro subscription at the end of the paid period (no refund for the current period; Pro continues until then, then the free tier applies). Requires confirm: true. Run sortly_upgrade later to undo the cancel before the period ends. Does not count against the meter.
FAQ
What can I do with Sortly in Claude or ChatGPT?
Find items that are running low on stock. List what is in a folder with its quantities. See which items changed since a date. Check open purchase orders and what was received. Update an item's quantity or name, or move stock. Record the stock a job uses. See what you can do for the details.
Is this an official Sortly product?
No. usefulapi is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sortly. The server calls the Sortly API with your own Sortly access, so it sees only the data that your account can see.
Can I connect Sortly to Claude or ChatGPT?
Yes. In Claude, add this server's URL as a custom connector. In ChatGPT, add it as a custom MCP server in Plugins. Then log in once. Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code and Codex work too. See the setup steps.
What do I need to connect?
The login page asks for your Sortly API secret key. See Before you connect for where to find it.
Do I put my Sortly key or an Authorization header in the client config?
No. Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Sortly API secret key. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
How do you keep my Sortly credentials?
The login stores them encrypted in the authorization grant of your connection. The server uses them to call the Sortly API for you and to derive a private account id for usage metering. usefulapi does not show them on any page or in any reply. To stop all access, remove the connector and change or delete these credentials in Sortly.
Can the AI change my Sortly data?
Yes, if you approve it. 8 of the 20 Sortly tools can create or change data. The other 12 are marked read-only. Most MCP clients ask you to approve a tool call before it runs.
What does it cost?
The Free plan gives 50 tool calls / month. Pro costs $9/mo or $90/yr, with 10,000 tool calls / month. Pro+ costs $39/mo or $390/yr, with 100,000 tool calls / month. Each subscription covers this Sortly server only. Cancel any time: your paid plan then runs to the end of the paid period. Run sortly_usage_status to see how many calls you used.
How do I subscribe or cancel?
Ask the AI to run sortly_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. After you confirm, your existing subscription changes in place, keeps its billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. To cancel, run sortly_cancel_subscription. Your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period.
What if a Sortly tool that I need is missing?
Tell the AI what you wanted to do. It can send the request with sortly_request_feature. We store the text with the server name, the type of AI client and the tool you tried, not with your account, and read every request when we plan new tools. You can send up to 5 requests per day.
Which AI clients can I use?
Any client that supports remote MCP servers (Streamable HTTP) with OAuth login: Claude (web and desktop), Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf and others.
This is a Model Context Protocol endpoint — meant to be connected from an AI client, not opened in a browser. An invalid_token response at the URL is the auth gate working as designed; clients authenticate automatically.
Need a tool this server does not have, or a connection to another system? We build custom integrations and MCP servers.