Documentation

Troubleshooting

Use this guide for issues that apply across multiple AI clients. For client-specific problems, also check the setup guide for your tool: supported AI assistants.

I can't connect to the MCP server

Check the server URL first.

https://core-api.ternary.app/mcp

Make sure:

  • The URL includes /mcp
  • There is no trailing slash
  • The region matches your Ternary account

Some MCP clients treat /mcp and /mcp/ as different servers.

I see "Unknown client"

Possible causes:

  1. The AI client is not currently approved by Ternary
  2. The MCP URL contains a typo
  3. The MCP URL has a trailing slash
  4. A client that requires an OAuth client ID is missing it

If your supported client asks for a client ID, use:

https://core-api.ternary.app/oauth/client-metadata.json

Do not provide a client secret. The client ID stays the same for US and EU. See Supported AI assistants.

Sign-in fails or keeps looping

Your email must already belong to a Ternary user in the region you are connecting to. Connecting MCP does not create a new Ternary account.

US and EU are separate. Confirm that:

  • Your Ternary tenant is hosted in the selected region
  • Your user exists in that region
  • The MCP URL uses the same region

No tenants appear

Your Ternary user may not have an explicit role on any tenant. Ask your Ternary administrator to grant you a role on the tenant or tenants you need.

⚠️

An empty tenant list should not be interpreted as zero spend.

The AI client connects but never uses Ternary

Check that:

  • Ternary is enabled for the current conversation or agent session
  • Ternary tools are enabled
  • Your question actually requires Ternary data

Make the source explicit if needed:

Using Ternary, show last month's spend by provider.

A Ternary capability is missing in ChatGPT

ChatGPT copies the MCP tool definitions when the Ternary plugin is created. When Ternary adds or changes capabilities, ChatGPT may continue using an older tool list.

To refresh:

  1. Open Settings → Plugins.
  2. Select Ternary.
  3. Find Information.
  4. Select Refresh.
  5. Start a new chat.

If Refresh fails or does not update the tools, remove the Ternary plugin and add it again. Reconnecting authentication is not the same as refreshing the tool definitions.

ChatGPT only shows search and fetch

You are likely using Deep research. Deep research uses the MCP search/fetch contract and does not have access to the complete Ternary domain tool set.

Use a regular ChatGPT conversation with Ternary enabled for cost queries, budgets, dashboards, alerts, recommendations, and AI ROI.

My client asks for a client ID

Use:

https://core-api.ternary.app/oauth/client-metadata.json

Do not enter a client secret. This is expected for clients such as Cursor, Cline, Gemini CLI, Kiro, and OpenCode.

Follow the dedicated setup guide for your client because the configuration field name differs.

My client only supports API keys or bearer tokens

The client cannot currently complete Ternary's required browser OAuth flow. Use a supported MCP client instead, or contact Ternary Support with the client name, version, and MCP documentation.

I can access something in Ternary but MCP cannot find it

Check whether the product area is currently exposed through MCP.

Current MCP coverage includes:

  • FOCUS cost queries
  • Saved reports
  • Budgets
  • Dashboards
  • Cost alerts
  • Savings recommendations
  • AI spend against revenue (AI ROI)
  • Private report creation

Current MCP does not expose:

  • Forecasting
  • Commitment data
  • Cases
  • Label or billing-rule management
  • Non-FOCUS datasets through ad-hoc cost queries

See Capabilities and limitations.

The numbers don't match what I expected

First check the financial context:

  • Tenant
  • Date range
  • Measure
  • Grouping
  • Filters
  • Currency
  • Comparison baseline
  • Whether the result is complete or truncated

Then check the capability-specific limitations.

Budgets

Budget figures come from the budget's latest evaluation and may represent an earlier period.

Dashboard comparison

Invoice-month reports are compared using usage timestamps, not their normal invoice-month accrual basis.

Some widgets cannot be compared and are returned with a reason rather than a figure.

General period comparisons

Outside dashboard comparison, the AI assistant may run multiple cost queries and calculate differences itself.

If the result is finance-critical, ask for the exact periods and source values used in the comparison rather than relying only on the narrative.

AI ROI returns AI cost but no ratio

Ternary needs revenue data before it can calculate a ratio. Check that:

  • Revenue for the requested window has been imported through bring-your-own-data
  • For a per-product or per-team view, a billing rule assigns that Custom Label to your revenue rows
  • The question uses one Custom Label

Ternary returns AI cost alone and names what is missing rather than estimating a ratio.

The assistant says "why" but only shows contributors

A group that moved with the total is not automatically the root cause. Ask the assistant to distinguish:

  • Observed fact
  • Period variance
  • Contributor
  • Hypothesis
  • Unknown cause

For current Ternary MCP, avoid treating general cost movers as causal evidence unless the underlying Ternary product explicitly provides that relationship.

Still blocked?

When contacting Ternary Support, include:

  • AI client name
  • Client version
  • Ternary region — US or EU
  • The exact error message
  • Whether browser sign-in opened
  • Whether authentication completed
  • Whether any Ternary tools are visible after connection

Do not send access tokens, OAuth tokens, or other credentials.

Updated about 5 hours ago

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