Manage MCP tool access
Enable or disable MCP tools, choose per-department permissions, and decide when human approval is required.
Connecting an MCP server makes its advertised tools visible. It does not mean every department can use every tool. Review and grant access after the connection succeeds.
Start with the simple tool list#
Open a connected MCP server from Connectors. The default view lists every tool the server advertises. Use the control beside a tool to enable or disable it for your AI departments.
The mode label tells you whether enabled use is expected to run automatically or wait for approval. Open Advanced configuration when different departments need different access.
Understand the three permission modes#
| Mode | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Runs automatically | The selected department can call the tool without a separate approval for each use |
| Ask me first | The department can propose the tool call, but it waits for approval in the Inbox |
| Not allowed | The department cannot see or call the tool |
Changes take effect for the next department message or task. They do not change an action already completed.
Configure each department#
In the advanced view, read across one tool and choose the appropriate mode for each compatible department. It is normal for the same tool to be automatic for one department, approval-required for another, and unavailable to the rest.
Use Not allowed when a department has no business reason to use the tool. Use Ask me first for sending, publishing, record changes, purchases, deletion, or any unfamiliar capability. Reserve automatic use for well-understood, reversible work within an approved process.
Read publisher labels cautiously#
Labels such as READ and WRITE come from the tool publisher and are not an independent verification by Winglo. A missing WRITE label does not prove that a tool cannot change state.
Open the tool details and inspect its description and declared inputs. For an unfamiliar or custom server, assume a tool may write until you have verified otherwise.
Use bulk read access carefully#
When a reviewed directory server offers a bulk read-only action, it applies only to tools the publisher describes as read-only. Tools described as writing, and tools without a clear classification, remain unchanged.
Custom servers may not offer this shortcut. Review their tools individually.
Review proposed calls#
For a tool set to Ask me first, the proposal appears in Inbox and approvals. Check the tool, target, and information being sent before approving it. Approval allows that exact proposed action; it is not a permanent permission change.
After approval, inspect the result. A tool call can still fail or produce an uncertain external outcome.
Revoke access#
Set a tool to Not allowed or disable it when the work no longer needs it. Disconnect the server when no department should use any of its tools. Review the provider's own access settings as part of offboarding.
For connection-level guidance, see MCP servers and tools.