MCP Services in the eLLM Admin Console

What this product is for

On its own, eLLM answers from documents and general knowledge. Connecting a tool service lets the assistant do more (for example look something up in another system or read a file) through a safe, controlled connection. The MCP services page is where administrators add those connections for the organisation and govern how they behave.

Main features

• Add, remove, enable, and disable tool services.
• Discover the tools a service offers.
• Assign which groups may use each tool.
• Choose whether a service's tools run automatically or wait for admin approval.
• Reload the tools after making changes.

How to use it

Adding a service

• Open the MCP page in the admin console.
• Add a service by giving it a name and its web address (and an access key if it needs one).
• Let eLLM discover the tools the service offers.
• Assign which groups may use each tool.

Controlling approvals

Each service has an auto-execute toggle:

• Off (default): when the assistant wants to use one of this service's tools, the action waits in the approvals queue for an administrator to approve it.
• On: the tool runs immediately, without review.
  Leave it off for anything sensitive so a person stays in control; turn it on for trusted, low-risk tools.

Refreshing tools

After adding, changing, or removing a service, reload the tool registry so the change takes effect across the system.

Common tasks

• Connect a new tool: add the service, discover its tools, and assign group access.
• Restrict a tool to certain teams: assign only those groups.
• Require oversight for a tool: keep auto-execute off so its actions need approval.
• Take a tool offline: disable or remove the service, then reload.

Things to know

• Organisation tool services are managed here and shared with groups. Individual users connect their own private tools in their settings instead; see the Settings and MCP articles.
• Service names are unique across the whole system.
• Every tool action is recorded in the audit log.
• When auto-execute is off, actions appear on the approvals page for an administrator to approve or reject.
• Changes are picked up across the system after a reload.

Troubleshooting

• Tool discovery finds nothing: check the service address and access key, and that the service is reachable from ELLM.
• A tool isn't available to a user: confirm the user's group is assigned to that tool.
• A tool action never runs: with auto-execute off, it waits for approval; check the approvals page.
• A change didn't take effect: reload the tool registry after editing a service.

Frequently asked questions

What is MCP?

It is the standard ELLM uses to connect tools the assistant can call. See the MCP article for a plain explanation.

What does auto-execute do?

It decides whether a service's tools run immediately or wait for admin approval.

Who can use a connected tool?

The groups you assign to it. Tools are off-limits to groups you don't assign.

How is this different from a personal tool link?

Organisation services are admin-managed and shared with groups. Personal links are set up by individual users for their own private use.

Summary

The MCP services page lets administrators connect organisation tools, discover what they offer, assign group access, and choose whether their actions run automatically or wait for approval. Combined with the audit log and approvals queue, it gives you controlled, accountable ways to extend what the assistant can do.