--- sourceDocument: Australia Retail Industry sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/retail-industry Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Retail Industry ft:clusterId : - rahi bundleId : - rahi workflow : - Customer and Industry --- # Retail MCP Server # Retail MCP Server {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated September 23, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Retail MCP Server The Retail MCP Server enables store staff to interact with Retail Service Management directly through AI assistants such as ServiceNow Otto, Now Assist, and Claude. It allows associates to find their store and devices, and to raise, track, and update Store Services cases without leaving the AI conversation or accessing the portal separately. This integration uses the associate's authenticated identity and access rights, ensuring secure and personalized service management. Show full answer Show less The server acts as a single MCP server for all retail tools, simplifying connection and enabling the addition of new retail capabilities without deploying additional servers. ## Key Features * **Store and Device Identification:** Tools to identify the store associated with the user and the devices registered to that store, enabling precise issue reporting. * **Case Management Tools:** Four tools to create break-fix cases for faulty devices, create inquiry cases for questions about store policies or operations, list cases raised by the user, and update cases with comments or resolutions. These require the Retail Store Services plugin to be active. * **Access Control:** Tools operate under the calling user's authenticated session, returning and modifying only data accessible to that user. Specific roles are required to invoke tools, ensuring appropriate permissions. * **Single MCP Server Architecture:** All retail tools register under one Retail MCP Server, easing AI client discovery and integration. ## Key Outcomes * Store associates can efficiently report broken equipment, ask questions, and manage cases entirely through their AI assistant, improving workflow and reducing portal dependency. * Secure and role-based access ensures data privacy and compliance with user permissions. * Read-only device access and limited case update capabilities maintain data integrity while allowing useful case interactions such as commenting and closing. * Eliminates the need for multiple MCP servers or manual switching, streamlining retail service management integration with AI assistants. ## What It Does Not Do * Does not provide a user interface; interactions occur solely through AI assistants. * Does not allow creation, update, or deletion of devices; device access is strictly read-only. * Supports only break-fix and store inquiry cases; other case types are not supported. * Does not permit changing case state, priority, assignment, or resolution codes directly; users can comment, respond to resolutions, or close cases only. * Does not select a primary store if a user belongs to multiple stores; the AI assistant prompts the user to choose. ## Implementation Guidance To enable these capabilities, install the Retail MCP Server, connect your AI client (e.g., ServiceNow Otto) to it, and assign the necessary roles to store staff. This setup allows store associates to: * Report broken or faulty devices via AI assistant without portal access. * Raise store inquiry cases for questions about policies and operations. * Track, comment on, respond to, and close their service cases directly through the AI assistant. Access and tool invocation are controlled by roles and the user's existing data permissions, ensuring secure and compliant operations. The Retail MCP Server exposes Retail Service Management capabilities as Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools, so store staff can find their store and devices and raise, track, and update Store Services cases from their AI assistant. Without the Retail MCP Server, a store associate who uses an AI assistant has to leave the conversation and open the portal to find their store, check on a case, or report broken equipment. The Retail MCP Server lets the assistant do this work on the associate's behalf, using the associate's own identity and access rights. ## One server for all retail tools {#rahi-retail-mcp-server-overview__rahi-retail-mcp-server-overview-hub} The application registers a single MCP server, Retail MCP Server. MCP-compatible AI clients, such as ServiceNow Otto, Now Assist, and Claude, discover and connect to this one server. Every retail tool registers under it, so new retail capabilities become available to the assistant without a new server being set up. ## Available tools {#rahi-retail-mcp-server-overview__rahi-retail-mcp-server-overview-tools} The Retail MCP Server provides six tools. The assistant usually chains them: it identifies the store first, then the device, and then the case. Get my retail store : Returns the stores the signed-in user belongs to. Get store devices : Returns the devices registered to a store, so the assistant can match "the freezer in aisle 3" to a real device. Create store break-fix case : Reports a broken or faulty device to HQ. Create store inquiry case : Sends HQ a question about store policy, process, or operations. Get my store services cases : Lists the break-fix and store inquiry cases the user raised. Update store services case : Comments on, accepts or rejects a proposed resolution for, or closes one of the user's cases. The four case tools install only when the Retail Store Services plugin is active. The store and device tools work without it. ## Access and identity {#rahi-retail-mcp-server-overview__rahi-retail-mcp-server-overview-access} Each tool runs as the calling user. The tools identify the user from the authenticated session, never from a user name or ID that the assistant supplies, and they return only records that the user can already read in the platform. Each tool also requires a specific role before it can be invoked. For details, see [Retail MCP Server roles and data access](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/3IDbL~n0Cl3kgOT_Y_ln_A "Access to the Retail MCP Server is controlled at two levels: roles determine who can invoke each tool, and the caller's own record access determines what data each tool returns or changes."). ## What the Retail MCP Server doesn't do {#rahi-retail-mcp-server-overview__rahi-retail-mcp-server-overview-scope} * It provides no user interface. Store staff work entirely in their AI assistant. * It doesn't create, update, or delete devices. Device access is read-only. * It supports only break-fix and store inquiry cases. * It doesn't let callers change a case's state directly, or its priority, assignment, or resolution code. Callers can only comment, respond to a proposed resolution, or close the case. * It doesn't choose a primary store for a user who belongs to several stores. The assistant asks the user which store to use. * **[Set up the Retail MCP Server](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jKnddkQV2uyerIT9TUo7Xw)** Install the Retail MCP Server, connect your AI client to it, and give store staff the roles they need, so they can work with Retail Service Management from their AI assistant. * **[Report a broken device from your AI assistant](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/sr2kLSMD1uoEx6sOAh6L4g)** Create a break-fix case for broken or faulty equipment in your store by describing the problem to your AI assistant, without opening the portal. * **[Ask HQ a question from your AI assistant](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/8bOhmsXOaw4yLu3hOTOK4g)** Get an official answer from HQ about store policy, process, or operations by raising a store inquiry case from your AI assistant. * **[Track and update your cases from your AI assistant](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/1r3RUMJ~4~a5m7BfM_Jl2g)** Check the status of your break-fix and store inquiry cases, answer questions from HQ, respond to proposed resolutions, and close cases, all from your AI assistant. * **[Retail MCP Server tools](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/~BNcBi_Rrx29Yf63s4wT7A)** The Retail MCP Server provides six tools. Each entry lists the tool's purpose, inputs, what it returns, whether it changes data, and what it requires. * **[Retail MCP Server roles and data access](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/3IDbL~n0Cl3kgOT_Y_ln_A)** Access to the Retail MCP Server is controlled at two levels: roles determine who can invoke each tool, and the caller's own record access determines what data each tool returns or changes. **Related tasks** * [Set up the Retail MCP Server](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jKnddkQV2uyerIT9TUo7Xw "Install the Retail MCP Server, connect your AI client to it, and give store staff the roles they need, so they can work with Retail Service Management from their AI assistant.") **Related reference** * [Retail MCP Server tools](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/~BNcBi_Rrx29Yf63s4wT7A "The Retail MCP Server provides six tools. Each entry lists the tool's purpose, inputs, what it returns, whether it changes data, and what it requires.") * [Retail MCP Server roles and data access](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/3IDbL~n0Cl3kgOT_Y_ln_A "Access to the Retail MCP Server is controlled at two levels: roles determine who can invoke each tool, and the caller's own record access determines what data each tool returns or changes.") *