MCP Server 🤖¶
Valt includes a built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables natural language interaction with your finances through AI models. With over 45 tools available, you can query data, create transactions, manage accounts, and more - all through conversations with your favorite AI.
What is MCP 🔗¶
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open protocol created by Anthropic that standardizes communication between applications and language models (LLMs). Instead of each application creating its own integration with each AI, MCP provides a universal interface.
Benefits¶
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Security | Data stays on your computer, AI only accesses what you allow |
| Standardization | A single protocol works with multiple LLMs |
| AI-Optimized | Tools are described in a way that AI understands how to use |
Learn More
For detailed technical information about the protocol, visit the official MCP documentation.
Enabling the Server ⚙️¶
Activating the Feature¶
- Open Valt
- Go to Settings > Advanced
- Enable "Enable MCP Server feature"
- Click Save
Turning On the Server¶
After enabling the feature in settings:
- On the main screen, locate the MCP button in the top right corner
- Click to turn on the MCP server
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| MCP Feature | Enables/disables MCP functionality | Off |
| Port | Port where the server listens for connections | 5200 |
Security
The MCP server listens only on localhost by default, meaning only applications on your own computer can access it. Do not expose the server to the internet without additional security measures.
Connecting with LLMs 🔌¶
Claude Desktop¶
Anthropic's Claude Desktop offers native MCP support.
Configuration file location:
| System | Path |
|---|---|
| Windows | %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json |
| Linux | ~/.config/claude/claude_desktop_config.json |
Configuration using mcp-remote:
{
"mcpServers": {
"valt": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"http://localhost:5200/mcp"
]
}
}
}
Verifying the Connection
After configuring, restart Claude Desktop. You'll see a hammer icon (🔨) indicating that MCP tools are available. Click it to see Valt's tools.
Ollama¶
Ollama is an open-source solution for running LLMs locally.
Prerequisites:
- Ollama installed (ollama.ai)
- A model with function calling support (e.g.,
llama3.1,mistral,qwen2.5)
Via Open WebUI¶
If you use Open WebUI with Ollama:
- Access Settings > Tools
- Add a new MCP tool
- Server URL:
http://localhost:5200/mcp
Via CLI¶
For command-line usage, you can use libraries like mcp-client or integrate directly via API.
ChatGPT¶
ChatGPT can connect to the MCP server through Custom GPTs (requires ChatGPT Plus).
Configuration:
- Create a Custom GPT at chat.openai.com/gpts/editor
- In the Actions section, click Create new action
- For "Authentication", select None
- In "Schema", import Valt MCP's OpenAPI specification
External Access
ChatGPT runs on OpenAI's servers, so it cannot access your localhost directly. You would need to expose your server via a tunnel (e.g., ngrok), which is not recommended for security reasons.
Other LLMs¶
Any application that supports MCP can connect to Valt's server.
| Application | Type | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Cline | VS Code Extension | Configuration in settings.json |
| Continue | VS Code Extension | config.json file |
| Cursor | IDE | Native MCP configuration |
| LangChain | Framework | Python/JS MCP client |
| LlamaIndex | Framework | MCP integration |
| Claude Code | CLI | Native support via .mcp.json file |
Connection endpoint:
http://localhost:5200/mcp
Available Tools 🛠️¶
Valt's MCP server exposes over 45 tools organized by category.
Accounts (AccountTools)¶
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
GetAccounts |
Lists all accounts |
CreateAccount |
Creates a new account |
EditAccount |
Edits an existing account |
DeleteAccount |
Removes an account |
GetAccountBalance |
Gets an account's balance |
GetAccountHistory |
Account balance history |
Transactions (TransactionTools)¶
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
GetTransactions |
Lists transactions with filters |
AddFiatExpense |
Adds a fiat expense |
AddFiatIncome |
Adds fiat income |
AddBitcoinExpense |
Adds a Bitcoin expense |
AddBitcoinIncome |
Adds Bitcoin income |
AddFiatToFiatTransfer |
Transfer between fiat accounts |
AddBitcoinToBitcoinTransfer |
Transfer between wallets |
AddBitcoinPurchase |
Bitcoin purchase |
Categories (CategoryTools)¶
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
GetCategories |
Lists all categories |
CreateCategory |
Creates a new category |
EditCategory |
Edits a category |
DeleteCategory |
Removes a category |
Fixed Expenses (FixedExpenseTools)¶
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
GetFixedExpenses |
Lists fixed expenses |
CreateFixedExpense |
Creates a fixed expense |
EditFixedExpense |
Edits a fixed expense |
DeleteFixedExpense |
Removes a fixed expense |
GetFixedExpenseHistory |
Payment history |
Goals (GoalTools)¶
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
GetGoals |
Lists all goals |
CreateStackBitcoinGoal |
Stack Bitcoin goal |
CreateDCAGoal |
DCA goal |
CreateFiatIncomeGoal |
Fiat income goal |
CreateBitcoinIncomeGoal |
Bitcoin income goal |
CreateSpendingLimitGoal |
Spending limit goal |
CreateReduceCategoryGoal |
Reduce category goal |
CreateHodlBitcoinGoal |
HODL goal |
Average Price (AvgPriceTools)¶
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
GetAvgPriceProfiles |
Lists average price profiles |
CreateAvgPriceProfile |
Creates a profile |
EditAvgPriceProfile |
Edits a profile |
DeleteAvgPriceProfile |
Removes a profile |
GetAvgPriceLines |
Lists lines from a profile |
AddAvgPriceBuyLine |
Adds a purchase |
AddAvgPriceSellLine |
Adds a sale |
AddAvgPriceTransferInLine |
Adds an incoming transfer |
AddAvgPriceTransferOutLine |
Adds an outgoing transfer |
EditAvgPriceLine |
Edits a line |
DeleteAvgPriceLine |
Removes a line |
Reports (ReportTools)¶
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
GetMonthlyTotals |
Monthly totals by category |
GetWealthOverview |
Wealth overview |
GetWealthHistory |
Wealth evolution history |
GetCategoryStatistics |
Statistics by category |
GetIncomeVsExpenses |
Income vs expenses comparison |
GetTopExpenseCategories |
Top spending categories |
Currencies (CurrencyTools)¶
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
GetSupportedCurrencies |
Lists supported currencies |
GetExchangeRate |
Current exchange rate |
GetHistoricalPrice |
Historical price |
ConvertCurrency |
Converts values between currencies |
Use Cases 💡¶
Querying Data¶
The MCP server allows you to ask questions in natural language:
Example questions:
- "What's my total wealth in Bitcoin?"
- "How much did I spend on food this month?"
- "What are my fixed expenses?"
- "How are my goals progressing?"
- "What was my average Bitcoin purchase price?"
Example conversation:
You: What was my total spending in December?
AI: Let me check your December transactions...
According to Valt data, in December you had:
- Total expenses: $4,523.45
- Top categories:
1. Food: $1,200.00
2. Transportation: $650.00
3. Entertainment: $480.00
Batch Import 📥¶
One of the most powerful features is the ability to import transactions using natural language. You provide a file and describe the format - the AI understands and performs the import.
How It Works¶
- You provide a file (bank statement, spreadsheet, CSV)
- Describe the format and what each column represents
- The AI analyzes, categorizes, and imports the transactions
Example 1: Bank Statement PDF¶
You: [Attach Chase statement PDF]
I need to import this statement. It's from my Chase account in USD.
Expenses are negative and income is positive.
AI: Got it! I'll analyze the statement and import the transactions.
I found 47 transactions from 12/01 to 12/31:
- 35 expenses
- 8 income entries
- 4 transfers
I'll automatically categorize based on descriptions:
- "GROCERY STORE" → Food
- "UBER" → Transportation
- "NETFLIX" → Subscriptions
Should I proceed with the import?
Example 2: Custom Layout CSV¶
You: I have this CSV from my personal tracking:
date;amount;type;note
01/15;150.00;O;Grocery
01/16;5000.00;I;Salary
01/17;50.00;O;Uber
"O" means outgoing, "I" means incoming.
The account is "Chase [USD]".
AI: I understand the format:
- Separator: semicolon
- Date: MM/DD (I'll assume current year)
- Amount: standard decimal format
- O = expense, I = income
I'll import 3 transactions to the Chase account:
1. 01/15 - Grocery: -$150.00 (Food)
2. 01/16 - Salary: +$5,000.00 (Salary)
3. 01/17 - Uber: -$50.00 (Transportation)
Confirm?
Example 3: Exchange History for Average Price¶
You: [Attach Coinbase CSV]
This is my trade history from Coinbase.
I need to add it to the "Main Bitcoin" average price profile.
AI: Analyzing the Coinbase history...
I found 23 BTC/USD operations:
- 18 purchases totaling 0.15 BTC
- 5 sales totaling 0.02 BTC
I'll add to the "Main Bitcoin" profile:
- Current profile average price: $65,000
- After import: $62,500 (weighted average)
Should I add the operations?
Import Tip
The more context you provide about the file format, the better the result. Include the currency, column meanings, and any special patterns.
Practical Examples 📝¶
Creating a Goal via Conversation¶
You: I want to create a goal to stack 500k sats by the end of the month.
AI: I'll create a "Stack Bitcoin" goal for you:
- Type: Stack Bitcoin
- Period: Monthly
- Month: January/2025
- Target: 500,000 satoshis
Goal created! You can track progress in the Transactions tab.
Currently you have 125,000 sats stacked this month (25% of the goal).
Complete Financial Analysis¶
You: Give me a complete analysis of my finances this month.
AI: Analyzing your finances for January/2025...
📊 **MONTHLY SUMMARY**
💰 **Total Wealth**: $45,230.00
- Fiat: $12,500.00 (28%)
- Bitcoin: 0.085 BTC ≈ $32,730.00 (72%)
📈 **Income**: $8,500.00
- Salary: $7,000.00
- Freelance: $1,500.00
📉 **Expenses**: $5,890.00
- Food: $1,200.00 (20%)
- Housing: $1,800.00 (31%)
- Transportation: $450.00 (8%)
- Entertainment: $640.00 (11%)
- Other: $1,800.00 (30%)
💾 **Savings**: $2,610.00 (31% of income)
₿ **Bitcoin**
- Purchases this month: 0.015 BTC
- Average purchase price: $63,000
- DCA completed: 3 of 4 purchases (75%)
🎯 **Goals**
- Stack 1M sats: 65% ✓
- Spending limit $6,000: 98% ⚠️
Troubleshooting 🔧¶
Server doesn't start¶
Symptom: Valt cannot start the MCP server.
Possible causes:
- Port in use: Another application is using port 5200
-
Solution: Change the port in Valt settings
-
Firewall blocking: The firewall is preventing local connections
- Solution: Add an exception for Valt in the firewall
LLM cannot connect¶
Symptom: Claude Desktop or another LLM cannot find the server.
Checks:
- Confirm the MCP feature is enabled in Settings > Advanced and the server is turned on from the main screen
- Verify the URL is correct:
http://localhost:5200/mcp - Test by accessing the URL in a browser (should return connection data)
- Restart both Valt and the LLM application
Tools don't appear¶
Symptom: The LLM connects but doesn't show Valt's tools.
Solutions:
- Completely restart the LLM application
- Check Valt logs for errors
- Confirm the MCP configuration is correct
Data doesn't update in the interface¶
Symptom: Transactions created via MCP don't appear in Valt's interface.
Solution: Refresh the view in Valt (navigate to another tab and back, or restart the application). Transactions are saved immediately, but the interface may need a refresh.
Next Steps¶
- Transactions - Understand transaction types
- Import and Export - Traditional CSV import
- Reports - Visual financial analysis
- Average Price - Track your Bitcoin acquisition cost