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ODBC MCP Server

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables LLM tools like Claude Desktop to query databases via ODBC connections. This server allows Claude and other MCP clients to access, analyze, and generate insights from database data while maintaining security and read-only safeguards.

Features

Connect to any ODBC-compatible database
Support for multiple database connections
Flexible configuration through config files or Claude Desktop settings
Read-only safeguards to prevent data modification
Easy installation with UV package manager
Detailed error reporting and logging

Prerequisites

Python 3.10 or higher
UV package manager
ODBC drivers for your database(s) installed on your system
For Sage 100 Advanced: ProvideX ODBC driver

Installation

git clone https://github.com/tylerstoltz/mcp-odbc.git
cd mcp-odbc
uv venv
.venv\Scripts\activate # On Mac / Linux: source .venv/bin/activate (untested)
uv pip install -e .

Configuration

The server can be configured through:

A dedicated config file
Environment variables
Claude Desktop configuration

General Configuration Setup

Create a configuration file (.ini) with your database connection details:

[SERVER]
default_connection = my_database
max_rows = 1000
timeout = 30

[my_database]
dsn = MyDatabaseDSN
username = your_username
password = your_password
readonly = true

SQLite Configuration

For SQLite databases with ODBC:

[SERVER]
default_connection = sqlite_db
max_rows = 1000
timeout = 30

[sqlite_db]
dsn = SQLite_DSN_Name
readonly = true

Sage 100 ProvideX Configuration

ProvideX requires special configuration for compatibility. Use this minimal configuration for best results:

[SERVER]
default_connection = sage100
max_rows = 1000
timeout = 60

[sage100]
dsn = YOUR_PROVIDEX_DSN
username = your_username
password = your_password
company = YOUR_COMPANY_CODE
readonly = true

Important notes for ProvideX:

Use a minimal configuration - adding extra parameters may cause connection issues
Always set readonly = true for safety
The company parameter is required for Sage 100 connections
Avoid changing connection attributes after connection is established

Claude Desktop Integration

To configure the server in Claude Desktop:

Open or create claude_desktop_config.json:
- Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
- macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Add MCP server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "odbc": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "C:\\path\\to\\mcp-odbc",
        "run",
        "odbc-mcp-server",
        "--config", 
        "C:\\path\\to\\mcp-odbc\\config\\your_config.ini"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Usage

Starting the Server Manually

## Start with default configuration
odbc-mcp-server

## Start with a specific config file
odbc-mcp-server --config path/to/config.ini

Using with Claude Desktop

Configure the server in Claude Desktop's config file as shown above
Restart Claude Desktop
The ODBC tools will automatically appear in the MCP tools list

Available MCP Tools

The ODBC MCP server provides these tools:

list-connections: Lists all configured database connections
list-available-dsns: Lists all available DSNs on the system
test-connection: Tests a database connection and returns information
list-tables: Lists all tables in the database
get-table-schema: Gets schema information for a table
execute-query: Executes an SQL query and returns results

Example Queries

Try these prompts in Claude Desktop after connecting the server:

"Show me all the tables in the database"
"What's the schema of the Customer table?"
"Run a query to get the first 10 customers"
"Find all orders placed in the last 30 days"
"Analyze the sales data by region and provide insights"

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

If you encounter connection problems:

Verify your ODBC drivers are installed correctly
Test your DSN using the ODBC Data Source Administrator
Check connection parameters in your config file
Look for detailed error messages in Claude Desktop logs

ProvideX-Specific Issues

For Sage 100/ProvideX:

Use minimal connection configuration (DSN, username, password, company)
Make sure the Company parameter is correct
Use the special ProvideX configuration template
If you encounter Driver not capable errors, check that autocommit is being set at connection time

Missing Tables

If tables aren't showing up:

Verify user permissions for the database account
Check if the company code is correct (for Sage 100)
Try using fully qualified table names (schema.table)