Reading submissions is common; writing the result back as a column, created on the fly, is what makes this a loop rather than a report. Paired with `fetch_file` extracting PDF text, a batch of applications can be read, judged and tagged without anything leaving the form.
A hosted MCP server at https://app.formester.com/mcp that gives an assistant access to Formester form submissions. It reads responses, filters across a form, writes values back as custom fields, and returns file attachments in a form a model can actually read.
- read_submission — one submission by UUID, including custom fields written by earlier runs; `include_files: true` adds attachment metadata
- query_submissions — search across a form with filters for date range, starred, spam and a named custom field and value; paginated, 1–100 per page
- update_submission — write values back as custom fields, creating the column automatically. Types include `shorttext`, `longtext`, `number`, `date`, `time`, `radio`, `multiple-checkbox` and `checkbox`
- fetch_file — download an attachment for processing. Images come back as base64 for vision models, PDFs as extracted text by default, text files as plain text. File size limit 10 MB
- Scopes are per tool: reads need `submission:read`, writes need `submission:write`
A Formester account. Interactive clients — Claude, Cursor, VS Code — use OAuth: add the URL and approve in the browser, no token to manage. Scripts and clients without OAuth use an API token created under API in the Formester sidebar, sent as `Authorization: Bearer`, and scoped when you create it to View Submissions, Update Submissions and optionally View Forms, and to specific forms if you do not want the whole organisation.
One command plus a key — claude mcp add --transport http formester https://app.formester.com/mcp, then supply credentials