start_timer
Starts the one timer the person the token acts as may have running, on a work item; a timer on another item is stopped and logged first, and a timer on the same item keeps its start.
Start the clock when you begin working on an item, so the time is measured rather than guessed. Give work_item_id. One timer runs per person: starting on another item stops the running one first and logs its minutes on that item with the defaults (development, billable), which announces work_item.time_logged; starting again on the same item keeps the start it already has. The answer names the item, when the timer started and the minutes so far. Stop it with stop_timer when you finish, with the kind of work and a note. A client guest's token is refused.
Requires ability
The token behind the MCP session must hold it, or the call is refused with TOKEN_MISSING_ABILITY.
Runs the same action as
The REST endpoint and this tool share one action, so validation, permissions and events are identical.
Fires one event
Delivered to every endpoint subscribed to it once the change is made.
Annotations
Sending the same arguments twice changes nothing the second time.
Arguments
work_item_id*stringUUID of the work item to time.
What it returns
{ "data": { "work_item_id": "b2c3d4e5-f6a7-4b8c-9d0e-1f2a3b4c5d6e", "project_id": "7f3d1c92-8b45-4e6a-9d21-5c8e0a4b6f13", "reference": "CRM-142", "title": "Tier upgrade email", "started_at": "2026-11-02T09:00:00+00:00", "elapsed_minutes": 1, "elapsed": "1m" }}How it fails
RESOURCE_NOT_FOUNDunknown work_item_id, or an item outside the token's scope.
FORBIDDENthe holder's role on the project does not carry time-log:create, or the token is a client guest's.
TOKEN_MISSING_ABILITYtoken lacks time-log:create.
How is this guide?
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