> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.realtimelca.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect to RTLCA × Autodesk

> Connect AI clients to the Real-Time LCA MCP server scoped to Autodesk Forma and Revit

The Autodesk-scoped MCP endpoint exposes Real-Time LCA's project, material,
and EPD tools alongside tools that read from your **Autodesk Forma hub** and
**Revit** projects. Use it when your design data lives in Forma or Revit and
you want an AI client to query, map, and report against it without
manual export/import.

All clients connect to `https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp` and
authenticate via **Autodesk Platform Services (APS)** — there is no
client-side "Sign in" button to click. The first time you send a prompt,
the response will include a link; click it to sign in with your Autodesk
account, then resend the prompt.

<Note>
  Don't use Forma or Revit? Use the standard
  [Connect to RTLCA](/ai-tools/rtlca-mcp) page instead — it doesn't
  require an Autodesk account.
</Note>

## Prerequisites (all clients)

* Autodesk account with access to an active Forma hub
* Real-Time LCA account (for the LCA-side tools exposed on this endpoint)
* AI client of your choice (see tabs below)

## How authentication works

Unlike the standard RTLCA endpoint, the Autodesk endpoint defers
authentication until you actually call a tool:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the server (no auth at this point)">
    Configure your client to point at
    `https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp`. No token, key, or "Sign in"
    step in the client config.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send your first prompt">
    The MCP server detects that you're not yet authenticated and returns a
    response containing an **APS authentication link**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click the link and sign in with Autodesk">
    Sign in with your Autodesk account and approve access. APS hands the
    token back to the MCP server.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Resend the prompt">
    The original prompt now succeeds. The token persists for subsequent
    calls; you won't be asked again until it expires.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The steps below show the **client-side configuration only** — the auth
flow above applies identically to every client.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Claude.ai">
    Connect the Claude web app at [claude.ai](https://claude.ai). You don't
    need Claude Desktop installed — this works in any browser.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open connector settings">
        At [claude.ai](https://claude.ai), open **Settings → Connectors**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add a custom MCP connector">
        Choose **Add custom connector** → **MCP server**. Fill in:

        * **Name**: `Real-Time LCA (Autodesk)`
        * **Server URL**: `https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp`

        Save. Skip any "Sign in" button on the connector — auth happens
        later, on first prompt.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Send a prompt and follow the APS link">
        Start a chat and ask, for example:

        ```
        List the Forma proposals in my hub
        ```

        Claude will surface an APS sign-in link. Click it, sign in with
        your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Claude Desktop">
    Connect the Claude Desktop app. The flow is the same as
    [Claude.ai](#claude-ai) — done through the in-app **Connectors** UI,
    not a config file.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open the Connectors page">
        In Claude Desktop, open **Settings → Connectors**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add a custom connector">
        Click the **+** sign → **Add custom connector**. Paste the URL:

        ```
        https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp
        ```

        Skip any "Sign in" button on the connector — auth happens later,
        on first prompt, via APS.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Send a prompt and follow the APS link">
        Ask, for example:

        ```
        List the Forma proposals in my hub
        ```

        Claude will surface an APS sign-in link in the response. Click it,
        sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Claude Code">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Install Claude Code">
        Skip if already installed.

        ```bash theme={null}
        npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add the realtimelca-autodesk MCP server">
        ```bash theme={null}
        claude mcp add realtimelca-autodesk \
          --transport http \
          https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Verify the connection">
        ```bash theme={null}
        claude mcp list
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Send a prompt and follow the APS link">
        Start a session and ask, for example:

        ```
        List the Forma proposals in my hub and the GWP for each
        ```

        Claude Code will print an APS sign-in URL. Open it in a browser,
        sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Codex">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open Codex">
        Launch the Codex app.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Open the config file">
        **Settings → Configurations → Open `config.toml`**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add the rtlca-autodesk MCP server">
        Paste the following at the top of `config.toml`:

        ```toml theme={null}
        [mcp_servers.rtlca-autodesk]
        url = "https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp"
        ```

        Note: don't click **Authenticate** under Settings → MCP Servers for
        this connection — auth runs through APS on first prompt instead.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Restart Codex">
        Quit Codex completely, then start it again.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Send a prompt and follow the APS link">
        <Prompt description="Which Forma proposals are in my hub?" icon="folder">
          Which Forma proposals are in my hub?
        </Prompt>

        Codex will surface an APS sign-in link in the reply. Click it, sign
        in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Cursor">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open Cursor's MCP settings">
        In Cursor, go to **Settings → Tools & MCP** and select
        **New MCP Server**. `mcp.json` opens for editing.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add the realtimelca-autodesk MCP server">
        ```json theme={null}
        {
          "mcpServers": {
            "realtimelca-autodesk": {
              "url": "https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp"
            }
          }
        }
        ```

        Save the file.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Click Connect to authenticate">
        Cursor lists the server as **Needs authentication**. Click the
        **Connect** button — your browser opens to the Real-Time LCA
        sign-in page. Sign in; the token returns to Cursor automatically.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Send a prompt and follow the APS link">
        Open a new chat and ask:

        ```
        List the Forma proposals in my hub
        ```

        For Forma- and Revit-scoped calls, Cursor will surface a second
        link in the reply — the APS sign-in. Click it, sign in with your
        Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="ChatGPT">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open ChatGPT settings">
        **Settings → Connectors**. On Plus, first enable **Developer Mode**
        under **Settings → Connectors → Advanced**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add a custom MCP connector">
        **Create / Add custom connector** → **MCP server**. Fill in:

        * **Name**: `Real-Time LCA (Autodesk)`
        * **Server URL**: `https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp`

        Save. Don't click "Sign in" on the connector — that path is for
        the standard RTLCA auth. For this endpoint, auth happens on first
        prompt via APS.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Enable the connector">
        Enable it for the Project or chat where you want to use it.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Send a prompt and follow the APS link">
        Start a chat with the connector enabled and ask:

        ```
        List the Forma proposals in my hub
        ```

        ChatGPT will surface an APS sign-in link in the reply. Click it,
        sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    <Note>
      ChatGPT's connector UI evolves frequently. If labels differ, follow
      OpenAI's [Custom Connectors documentation](https://help.openai.com/)
      — the server URL stays the same.
    </Note>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Mistral Le Chat">
    Create the connector in **AI Studio**, then attach it to any chat in
    [Le Chat](https://chat.mistral.ai).

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open AI Studio Connectors">
        In AI Studio, go to **Connectors → Add Connector**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Fill in the connector">
        * **Name**: any (e.g. `Real-Time LCA (Autodesk)`)
        * **Server URL**: `https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp`
        * **Workspace**: `Private`

        Click **Create**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Sign in with your RTLCA account">
        Creating the connector opens a browser window to the Real-Time
        LCA sign-in page. Sign in; once successful you're redirected back
        to AI Studio.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Use the connector in Le Chat and follow the APS link">
        Start a new chat in [Le Chat](https://chat.mistral.ai). Click the
        **+** symbol, open the **Connectors** tab, and select the
        connector. Then prompt:

        ```
        List the Forma proposals in my hub
        ```

        For Forma- and Revit-scoped calls, Le Chat will surface a second
        link in the reply — the APS sign-in. Click it, sign in with your
        Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="LM Studio">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Install LM Studio">
        Download from [lmstudio.ai](https://lmstudio.ai/) and launch it.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Load a tool-capable local model">
        **Discover** tab → download a tool-capable model (Llama 3.1, Qwen
        2.5, Mistral, etc.) → load it from the **Chat** tab's model
        selector.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add the Autodesk MCP server">
        In the **Program** / **MCP** panel, edit `mcp.json`:

        ```json theme={null}
        {
          "mcpServers": {
            "rtlca-autodesk": {
              "url": "https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp"
            }
          }
        }
        ```

        Save.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Click Authenticate in LM Studio">
        Once the server is in `mcp.json`, LM Studio shows an
        **Authenticate** button on the `rtlca-autodesk` entry. Click it
        — your default browser opens to the Real-Time LCA sign-in page.
        Sign in with your RTLCA credentials; LM Studio receives the token
        automatically.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Send a prompt and follow the APS link">
        With your model loaded, ask:

        ```
        List the Forma proposals in my hub
        ```

        For Forma- and Revit-scoped calls, LM Studio will surface a
        second link in the reply — the APS sign-in. Click it, sign in
        with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    <Note>
      Tool-calling quality varies between local models. If the model
      ignores tools or hallucinates arguments, try a larger or
      function-calling-tuned variant.
    </Note>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>