# How to connect DeskTime to Hermes Agent (paste one key, 11 tools) > Connect DeskTime to Hermes with ClawLink: paste your DeskTime key once and 11 tools work from chat. No MCP server to run, nothing stored on your machine. Web version: https://claw-link.dev/hermes/desktime Most guides for giving Hermes Agent DeskTime access start with registering your own OAuth app or pasting API keys into env files, then leave the token refresh and tool wiring to you. ClawLink gives Hermes a more practical DeskTime setup: pair once in the browser and your always-on Hermes agent can act on DeskTime for you, reading and doing real work on your behalf with no auth, token refresh, or tool wiring to build yourself. ## Setup It takes three steps to connect Hermes to DeskTime. 1. **Install ClawLink** — add the plugin to Hermes Agent once. 2. **Connect DeskTime** — one-click OAuth in the ClawLink dashboard. 3. **Use it from chat** — ask Hermes Agent in plain English. **Paste this into Hermes to set up ClawLink:** > Set up ClawLink for Hermes and tell me when it's ready. > 1. Install the plugin: `hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable` > 2. Start pairing with `hermes clawlink begin`. It prints an approval link, so show me the link and stop, don't wait. > 3. I'll approve it in my browser, then reply "approved". > 4. When I say approved, finish setup: `hermes clawlink finish` > 5. Then run `hermes clawlink test` and tell me whether ClawLink is ready. **Alternative for any agent (no plugin needed):** if the Hermes Agent plugin route isn't available or doesn't work, any AI agent with shell access can use the ClawLink CLI instead: ```bash npx -y @useclawlink/cli login # sign in via browser — no API key to paste npx -y @useclawlink/cli connect desktime # connect DeskTime (browser OAuth) npx -y @useclawlink/cli actions desktime # list available actions npx -y @useclawlink/cli run desktime --input '' # execute (add --confirm for writes) ``` ### Install by command The prompt above walks Hermes through this. By hand, it is four commands and a browser approval: ```bash hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable hermes clawlink begin # prints an approval link — open it and approve hermes clawlink finish # after approving in the browser hermes clawlink test ``` Then connect DeskTime in the [ClawLink dashboard](https://claw-link.dev/dashboard) — paste your DeskTime API key once. Verify the connection by asking Hermes: > Pull the relevant data from DeskTime, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. ### Using a different agent? The Hermes plugin is one client of ClawLink's MCP server. Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or any agent that can run a shell command pairs with the same ClawLink account through the CLI: ```bash npx -y @useclawlink/cli login ``` `login` opens the same browser approval and stores a credential locally. Once DeskTime is connected in the dashboard, that agent calls the same 11 DeskTime tools over MCP. Full setup for MCP clients and shell agents: [connect apps to any AI agent](https://claw-link.dev/learn/connect-apps-to-any-ai-agent). ## DeskTime MCP for Hermes Looking for a DeskTime MCP server for Hermes Agent? ClawLink connects DeskTime to Hermes Agent and exposes 11 DeskTime tools your agent can call over [MCP](https://claw-link.dev/learn/what-is-an-mcp-server), with [hosted auth](https://claw-link.dev/learn/oauth-for-ai-agents) and nothing to run or maintain yourself. Using OpenClaw instead? The [OpenClaw DeskTime integration](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/desktime) works the same way. ## What the Hermes Agent DeskTime integration can do 11 DeskTime tools are ready for Hermes Agent once the account is connected. ### All 11 DeskTime tools for Hermes | Tool | What it does | |---|---| | **Get account details** `desktime_get_account_details` | Retrieves company account configuration including work schedule and timezone settings | | **Get all company employees** `desktime_get_all_company_employees` | List all employees in the company, including their roles and statuses | | **Get employee** `desktime_get_employee` | Retrieve information about a single employee including user info, work settings, and tracking | | **Get employee apps** `desktime_get_employee_apps` | Retrieves employee tracking data including tracked apps for a specific date | | **Get employee projects** `desktime_get_employee_projects` | Retrieves comprehensive employee project tracking data including project assignments, time | | **Get employee projects and apps** `desktime_get_employee_projects_and_apps` | Retrieve an employee's basic information and daily tracking statistics from DeskTime | | **Get projects list** `desktime_get_projects_list` | Retrieve all active projects for the company, including related tasks | | **Ping request** `desktime_ping_request` | Check the API's availability and confirm the service is operational | | **Create project with task** `desktime_create_project_with_task` | Create a new project with an optional initial task | | **Start project task** `desktime_start_project_task` | Starts time tracking for a specified project and optional task in DeskTime | | **Stop project task** `desktime_stop_project_task` | Stop tracking time for a specified project and optional task | ## Example prompts **Get Account Details** > Pull the relevant data from DeskTime, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. **Get All Company Employees** > Pull the relevant data from DeskTime, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. **Get Employee** > Pull the relevant data from DeskTime, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. **Get Employee Apps** > Pull the relevant data from DeskTime, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. ## ClawLink vs. building it yourself The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual API key setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for Hermes Agent. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want DeskTime working from chat. | | Manual | ClawLink | |---|---|---| | **Credential handling** | Collect, validate, store, and rotate the DeskTime API key yourself, then make sure every tool call uses the right account. | Users complete the hosted ClawLink setup once and the connected DeskTime account becomes available to the agent without you building credential management. | | **Ongoing maintenance** | You own refresh logic, permission debugging, environment config, and every provider-specific edge case for DeskTime. | ClawLink handles the repetitive integration plumbing so your team can focus on the workflow instead of the infrastructure. | | **Agent usability** | You still need to expose the right DeskTime actions to the runtime in a format your agent can reliably use. | 11 tools for DeskTime are already exposed through ClawLink, so the agent can read and act from chat immediately. | ## ClawLink vs. Composio Composio also exposes DeskTime to AI agents. It is developer infrastructure: Python and TypeScript SDKs, an MCP server, and a catalog past 1,000 apps, aimed at teams shipping agent products. ClawLink is built for Hermes Agent users instead. You install the plugin once, connect DeskTime in the browser, and the 11 tools above work from chat. There is no SDK and no config file, and the DeskTime key you paste at setup is stored server-side rather than kept in your environment. Choosing between them? Read the full [Composio alternatives](https://claw-link.dev/hub/composio-alternatives) comparison. ### Hermes paired but still can't use DeskTime Pairing is a two-step handshake: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, then run `hermes clawlink finish`. If you ran finish before approving, or the approval link expired, run `hermes clawlink begin` again to get a fresh link. Confirm the plugin was installed with `--enable`, then verify with `hermes clawlink test`. ### Connection succeeds but no tools appear Reconnect DeskTime from the dashboard, then start a fresh chat if the runtime still has the old tool catalog loaded. ### "Tool schema not loaded yet" error when calling DeskTime tools DeskTime tool schemas load on demand the first time a tool runs and are cached after that, so this error usually clears on its own: wait a few seconds and retry the same request. If every DeskTime call keeps failing with it in a fresh chat, reconnect from the dashboard, and contact support if it still persists — that pattern points to a configuration problem on our side, not something you can fix by reconnecting again. ### DeskTime returns 403 or "permission denied" on one action while others work Two usual causes. The connected account may not have access to the specific workspace, inbox, store, or project in the request — check that first. If access looks right, the agent may have sent a placeholder value (like "YOUR_ID" or an example id from documentation) instead of a real one: ask it to run a list or search tool first, then retry the action with a real id from those results. Most failures at this stage are one of these two, not ClawLink bugs. ### API key setup works but results look incomplete Double-check that the API key for DeskTime has the right scopes or account access. A valid key can still be too limited for some reads or writes. ### Is there a Hermes Agent DeskTime integration? Yes. ClawLink is the fastest way to connect Hermes to DeskTime: link your DeskTime account once in the browser and Hermes Agent can call the DeskTime API through 11 ready-made tools — no custom code or token handling. ### How do I connect DeskTime to Hermes with ClawLink? Install the plugin with `hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable`, then pair once: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, and run `hermes clawlink finish`. Connect DeskTime in the dashboard and Hermes can use it from the next message — no config files, and the DeskTime key you paste is stored server-side instead of in your environment. ### How long does it take to connect DeskTime to Hermes Agent? About two minutes. Sign in, click Connect next to DeskTime in the dashboard, authenticate, and Hermes Agent can use it from the next chat message. ### Why use ClawLink instead of wiring DeskTime up myself? The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual API key setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for Hermes Agent. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want DeskTime working from chat. ### Hermes paired but still can't use DeskTime Pairing is a two-step handshake: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, then run `hermes clawlink finish`. If you ran finish before approving, or the approval link expired, run `hermes clawlink begin` again to get a fresh link. Confirm the plugin was installed with `--enable`, then verify with `hermes clawlink test`. ## Related - [Trello tools](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/trello) — Manage boards, lists, and cards - [Connect Moco](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/moco) — MOCO is a business management software offering project management, time tracking, and invoicing solutions. - [Connect ClickUp](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/clickup) — Manage tasks, docs, goals, and sprints