Benethos Lexware Office MCP

What benethos-lexware-office-mcp MCP server does

The benethos-lexware-office-mcp MCP server gives an MCP client access to a Lexware Office account through the documented public REST API. It covers common accounting data and documents: company profile information, contacts, articles, vouchers, sales documents, payment status, recurring invoice templates, master data, and stored files.

Read operations include searching for customers, vendors, articles, and vouchers; retrieving individual records; checking unpaid amounts; and obtaining links to records in the Lexware Office web application. Documents can be saved as rendered PDF or XML files, while uploaded receipts and other stored files can be downloaded and returned to clients that cannot follow resource links.

Write operations are also available when explicitly enabled. These include creating or updating contacts and articles, recording or changing vouchers, creating sales documents, uploading receipts, attaching files to vouchers, and deleting articles. Article deletion requires an explicit confirmation value, and the API cannot restore a deleted article.

How it works

The benethos-lexware-office-mcp MCP server supports stdio for clients that start the process locally and streamable HTTP for remote access. HTTP access uses a bearer token. In both modes, the MCP client sees only the tools permitted by the server’s policy configuration.

A single API client communicates with Lexware Office over HTTPS, with rate limiting applied to requests. The server uses an API key generated for the Lexware Office account. The key is kept in the environment configuration, is not returned by tools, and is redacted from error messages. The project is unofficial and is not affiliated with Lexware or Haufe-Lexware.

Setup and configuration

Installation is documented through PyPI, a Claude Desktop extension, and a published container image. The repository also provides Compose-based container operation. Running the setup process writes the environment configuration and the tool policy file; setup can be started with the setup command.

A policy file must name each permitted tool. A fresh installation exposes no tools until that policy exists, so read-only operation can be selected by enabling only search, read, and download capabilities. Individual write tools can be enabled separately rather than through a single broad permission level.

The API key should be placed in the environment file rather than a client configuration file. HTTP deployments additionally require the bearer-token arrangement described by the project’s configuration documentation.

Tools and capabilities

The available tools support these workflows:

• Check the connected company with get_profile.
• Search and inspect contacts, articles, vouchers, and sales documents.
• Check voucher payments and outstanding amounts.
• Create or modify contacts, articles, vouchers, and sales documents.
• Upload receipts and attach files to existing vouchers.
• Download sales documents as PDF or XML, or retrieve stored files.
• Generate web-app links for contacts, vouchers, and sales documents.
• Remove an article only when confirm: true is supplied.

Limitations and notes

Lexware’s article API does not support searching by title. Bookkeeping vouchers cannot be deleted through this API, and finalized sales documents are real accounting records that cannot be withdrawn through the server. The API may change, apply rate limits, or block requests.

Data may be incomplete or outdated. The project is not accounting, tax, or legal advice, and its documentation warns against relying on it for filings, audits, or bookkeeping obligations. Commercial users should review Lexware’s API terms and their own retention and documentation requirements.