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App Builders: Connect App Builder Platforms to Time Doctor

Note: This feature is available on all Time Doctor subscription plans and can be accessed by Owners, Admins, and Managers.

TL;DR:

  • Time Doctor MCP gives AI app builders such as Replit, Lovable, and Bolt access to real Time Doctor data while building, so screens and features can be designed around actual numbers instead of placeholders.
  • The connection only works during the build session; a published app does not carry the Time Doctor connection with it.
  • Connect using the shared server URL and an Owner, Admin, or Manager login, or use an API key for automated setups.
  • Disconnect anytime from the platform side or from Settings / Company Settings / AI Connections in Time Doctor.

 

What This Feature Does, and Does Not Do

Understand this distinction before starting, since it is the most common point of confusion.

What it does: It gives the platform's AI builder access to Time Doctor data during building. Ask the builder questions about real data, design screens around the actual shape of reports, and test ideas against live numbers instead of made-up examples.

What it does not do: It does not connect Time Doctor to the published app. The connection belongs to the individual builder session, not to the finished app. When someone else opens the published app, it has no Time Doctor connection of its own.

💡To show Time Doctor data to users of a published app, build the connection properly using a Time Doctor API key stored securely on a server. See Connect Autonomous AI Agents to Time Doctor.

 

Before Starting

Confirm the following before connecting:

  • A Time Doctor login with the Owner, Admin, or Manager role
  • Time Doctor MCP enabled by an Owner or Admin in Settings / Company Settings / AI Connections
  • An account on the platform to connect (Replit, Lovable, or Bolt)
  • The Time Doctor server URL, which is the same for every platform: https://api2.timedoctor.com/api/2.0/mcp/mcp

Each platform opens a sign-in window the first time it connects. Sign in with Time Doctor and select Allow Access.

 

Connect Replit

  1. Open Settings, then select the MCP Servers pane.
  2. Select + Add MCP Server.
  3. Enter Time Doctor as the display name. The Replit Agent uses this name when referring to the connection in chat.
  4. Paste the Time Doctor server URL into the URL field.
  5. Select Test & Save, then complete the Time Doctor sign-in when prompted.

Time Doctor then appears in the MCP Servers list with its connection status. Replit displays a warning to connect only to trusted servers; Time Doctor MCP is read-only and cannot change data.

For current steps, see Replit's own connection guide.

 

Connect Lovable

  1. Open Connectors, select the plus (+) button at the top right, and choose MCP Server.
  2. Enter Time Doctor as the server name.
  3. Paste the Time Doctor server URL into the server URL field.
  4. Leave the authentication method as OAuth (the default), then select Add & Authorize.
  5. Complete the Time Doctor sign-in and select Allow Access.

Custom MCP servers are available on all Lovable plans. If the option appears greyed out, a workspace administrator has turned custom MCP servers off in Connectors, then Admin Settings, then Chat Connectors.

For current steps, see Lovable's connection guide and workspace connector guide.

 

Connect Bolt

  1. Open the Connectors (MCP) page and select Custom MCP Server.
  2. Enter Time Doctor as the name.
  3. Paste the Time Doctor server URL into the URL field.
  4. For transport type, choose HTTP (the default and correct choice for Time Doctor).
  5. For authentication, choose MCP OAuth to use the sign-in flow.
  6. Select Connect, then complete the Time Doctor sign-in. Bolt displays the connector as Connected once ready.

For current steps, see Bolt's connection guide.

 

Test the Connection

Once connected, ask the builder a question about real data, for example:

"Using Time Doctor, show hours tracked by project last month, then design a dashboard screen around that data."

Starting from real numbers instead of placeholder data is the main reason to connect at all.

 

Connect With an API Key (Advanced)

All three platforms also accept an API key instead of a sign-in. Create one in Settings / Company Settings / AI Connections, then:

  • Replit: Open Advanced Settings when adding the server and add a header named x-api-key with the key as its value.
  • Lovable: Choose the bearer token or API key option instead of OAuth, then select Add Server.
  • Bolt: Choose API Key instead of MCP OAuth and enter the key.

Sign-in is the better choice for everyday building, since there is no key to leak. Treat an API key like a password: keep it private, never include it in code the platform might publish, and revoke it anytime from Settings / AI Connections.

 

Troubleshooting

Problem

Fix

The option to add a custom MCP server is greyed out or missing

In Lovable, a workspace administrator can turn custom MCP servers off. Ask the administrator to turn it back on in Connectors, then Admin Settings, then Chat Connectors.

The sign-in window does not open

Check that the browser did not block the pop-up, then start the connection again.

Sign-in fails, or a permissions error appears

Confirm with a Time Doctor Owner or Admin that Time Doctor MCP is enabled in Settings / AI Connections, and that the account has the Owner, Admin, or Manager role.

The connection saves but the builder ignores it

Name Time Doctor directly in the prompt, for example: "Using Time Doctor, show hours tracked this week."

The published app cannot see Time Doctor data

This is expected. The connection works only during building, not in a published app. See What This Feature Does, and Does Not Do above.

The connection worked, then stopped

Reconnect and sign in again. If this keeps happening, confirm that Time Doctor access has not changed with an Owner or Admin.

A screen does not match the steps above

These platforms change often. Check the platform's own guide, linked in each section, for its current layout.

 

Disconnecting

  • Bolt: On the Connectors page, select the connector, select the three dots, select Delete, then confirm with Delete Server.
  • Replit and Lovable: Remove the Time Doctor server from the same screen used to add it.

Access can also be revoked from the Time Doctor side in Settings / AI Connections, which immediately stops that platform from reading data.

 

Next Step

See Getting Started: What to Ask a Time Doctor MCP Connection.

 

 

 

Should there be any inconsistencies or concerns regarding the article, contact support@timedoctor.com for prompt assistance.