Ask Máximo vs MCP
Ask Máximo and MCP both let an AI work with your Máximo catalog and settings. The difference is where that AI runs.
Ask Máximo: built in, no setup
Section titled “Ask Máximo: built in, no setup”Ask Máximo is the assistant inside the Máximo admin. Open the launcher, ask a question, and it’s already looking at your shop; there’s nothing to configure. It’s the right choice for a quick question or change while you’re already working in Máximo. See Ask Máximo overview and Capabilities.
MCP: connect your own AI tool
Section titled “MCP: connect your own AI tool”MCP (Model Context Protocol) is how an AI tool you already use (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor) connects to Máximo from outside the admin. You add Máximo’s server URL to that tool and sign in with your email. It’s the right choice when you want to work from a tool you already have open, script something repeatable, or combine your Máximo data with other tools in the same conversation. See MCP overview.
Same data, same permissions
Section titled “Same data, same permissions”Both surfaces read and write the same underlying Máximo data, and both act with your role. Ask Máximo only ever sees the store you’re signed into. An MCP connection reaches the stores you work in (all of them, or only the ones you chose when connecting), with your role in each, and never a store where you’re not on the staff.
Neither applies a change straight away. Ask Máximo shows you exactly what it’s about to do and waits for your approval. Over MCP, every change starts as a preview: Máximo asks your AI tool to show it to you, and applies exactly that change only when the tool calls again to confirm it. Only connect AI tools you trust to show you those previews.
Which to use
Section titled “Which to use”| Ask Máximo | MCP | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Inside the Máximo admin | An outside AI tool (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor) |
| Setup | None | Add the server URL to your tool and sign in with your email |
| Stores | The one you’re signed into | The stores you work in, or the ones you chose |
| Confirms changes before applying | Always | Every change is previewed, then applied on a confirming call |
| Good for | Quick questions and changes while working in Máximo | Working from a tool you already use, or repeatable/scripted requests |