# UKG Ready MCP > UKG Ready MCP Server connects your AI client directly to the UKG Ready HCM suite. Use it to manage the full employee lifecycle, running tools for applicants, current employees, timecards, and payroll history. It handles everything from job applicant pipelines to calculating projected overtime costs. ## Overview - **Category:** industry-titans - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** hcm-suite, payroll, applicant-tracking, time-tracking, employee-lifecycle, mid-market-hr ## Description Your agent connects directly to the UKG Ready HCM suite using the MCP Server. This gives you access to manage every step of an employee's journey, from when they apply for a job right up through payroll and time tracking. You can run tools covering applicants, current employees, timesheets, and historical pay data. When your agent uses **`applicants`**, it pulls a list of candidates stored in the UKG Ready Applicant Tracking System. This lets you see who's currently in the pipeline, giving you candidate names and their application status. You can check which job they applied for and when that record was created. The tool gives you enough data to track the entire hiring funnel. For current staff, **`employees`** pulls detailed records for every person on payroll. It provides full profiles including employee IDs, department assignments, titles, and manager information. You pull these complete employee details whenever you need a comprehensive view of who works there. This isn't just names; it's the whole profile. To track hours worked, **`timesheets`** lets you view all submitted or approved time entries for any specific staff member. It lists the dates covered, the number of hours logged, and whether those timesheets are pending review or already signed off. If you need to know what someone clocked in last week, this tool provides that exact breakdown. Finally, **`payroll`** handles all historical pay data. You can check past earning breakdowns and deductions over time for any employee. This includes tracking gross earnings and various withholdings. The server allows you to pull detailed records of previous payslips, letting you track how salary structures or deductions have changed year over year. Because it's connected to the full HCM suite, your agent even handles calculating projected costs, like potential overtime based on existing hours. The system treats all organizational data—employee profiles, department structures, time entries, and pay history—as one continuous context for your AI client. It doesn't just read static reports; it executes specific functions, like calling **`timesheets`** to list pending clock-ins or running **`payroll`** to calculate an estimated bonus payout based on current rates. ## Tools ### applicants Retrieves a list of job candidates stored in the UKG Ready Applicant Tracking System. ### employees Pulls detailed records for all current employees within the organization. ### payroll Lists historical payroll data, allowing you to track earnings and deductions over time. ### timesheets Provides a list of submitted or approved timesheet entries for any employee. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Show the timesheet for Employee ID 12345. ``` **Response:** ``` Employee 12345 logged 38.5 hours in the current pay period, pending manager approval. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Retrieve the current applicant pipeline for the 'Senior Accountant' role. ``` **Response:** ``` Connecting to UKG Ready HR ('get_applicant_pipeline')... Here is the funnel for 'Senior Accountant' (Job ID: 440): - Total Applicants: 14 - Telephone Screen: 5 - Interview: 2 - Offer Stage: 1 (Maria Lopez) ``` **Prompt:** ``` Calculate the projected overtime cost for the warehouse team this week. ``` **Response:** ``` Running UKG payroll models ('calculate_projected_overtime')... Warehouse Team has accumulated 112 overtime hours. Estimated Overtime Cost: $4,580.80 based on current blended time-and-a-half rates. ``` ## Capabilities ### List job applicants The agent retrieves a list of candidates currently in the system pipeline. ### Retrieve employee records You pull up detailed profiles for any current employees listed in UKG Ready. ### Check payroll history The agent pulls historical pay details and earning breakdowns for specific employees. ### List timesheets You view all submitted or approved time entries for any employee in the system. ## Use Cases ### Investigating a pay discrepancy A payroll admin finds an error in last month's paycheck. They ask their agent to check the `payroll` tool for that employee ID and cross-reference it with the `timesheets` tool to see exactly what hours were logged during the period in question. The system quickly highlights the discrepancy, saving hours of manual reconciliation. ### Auditing a terminated employee's data The HR team needs to verify that all final payments were correct. They instruct their agent to pull the `employees` record and then run the `payroll` tool, ensuring every paycheck up to termination date is accounted for. ### Reviewing job candidate pipelines A hiring manager needs a status update on several roles. They ask their agent to use the `applicants` tool to get a count of candidates at each stage and then pull specific profiles for follow-up. ### Approving complex time entries A department manager needs to approve overtime hours that look unusual. They ask their agent to list the `timesheets` for the week, review the totals, and confirm if those hours correlate with expected salary rates by checking `payroll`. ## Benefits - Instant compliance checks: You can run the `payroll` tool to instantly check historical pay rates and deductions, minimizing audit risk without needing to export CSVs. - Full lifecycle view: Pull applicant data using `applicants`, then use that information later to see if they are added as an active employee via the `employees` tool. - Time-to-payroll validation: Check submitted work hours with the `timesheets` tool, then cross-reference those entries against historical pay rates using `payroll` for quick approval. - Consolidated records: Get a single source of truth by pulling detailed employee profiles via the `employees` tool, eliminating the need to jump between HRIS and internal spreadsheets. - Workflow automation: Your agent can coordinate tasks—for example, listing applicants (`applicants`) and then calculating potential salary bands based on similar roles. ## How It Works The bottom line is that your AI client runs live queries against the UKG system instead of just looking at cached documents. 1. Tell your AI agent what you need (e.g., 'Show me payroll data for Jane Doe'). 2. The agent identifies the required tool (`payroll`) and executes it, passing necessary parameters (like employee ID). 3. You get a structured data response directly from UKG Ready, allowing you to analyze pay history or current time entries instantly. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do I use the UKG Ready MCP Server to check payroll history?** You instruct your agent to use the `payroll` tool and provide the employee ID. The server returns a structured list of historical pay records, including dates and gross amounts. **Can I find out who is working overtime with the timesheets tool?** Yes, you call the `timesheets` tool for an employee or team. The resulting data shows all recorded hours, allowing you to filter and identify any entries above standard work week limits. **What is the best way to check if a job applicant is already an employee?** First, use the `applicants` tool for their pipeline status. If they move forward, you can then run the `employees` tool with their potential ID to see if a matching record exists. **Does the UKG Ready MCP Server handle multiple department payroll checks?** Yes. You pass the range of employee IDs or departmental filters to the `payroll` tool, and it processes the records for all specified groups. **How can I use the `timesheets` tool to filter data for a specific pay period?** You pass start and end dates as required parameters. This limits results precisely to the timeframe you need, preventing your agent from dumping irrelevant historical records into the context. **What authentication method does the `employees` tool use to connect to UKG Ready?** The connection requires standard OAuth credentials provided by your organization’s IT team. Your AI client handles token refreshing automatically once initialized, keeping sessions active. **If I run `applicants`, how do I cross-reference job candidates against current employees?** You can pass a list of known employee IDs to the applicants tool. It returns any matching records and flags them in your agent’s output, letting you spot potential overlaps immediately. **What happens if my AI client exceeds the rate limit when listing payroll data using `payroll`?** The system returns a structured HTTP 429 error code. Your agent can then automatically implement an exponential backoff delay to safely retry the request without manual intervention. **What capabilities are exposed for UKG Ready?** AI agents can view employees, query payroll history, fetch candidate pipelines, check time off data, and read timesheets. **How do I authenticate with UKG Ready?** Provide your UKG Ready API Key, Company shortname, and user credentials. The server exchanges them for an active session token.