Connect Orvo to Gemini CLI

Who this is for

Developers using Google’s Gemini CLI who want their people notes and open actions within reach of the agent.

Before you start

• An up-to-date Gemini CLI on macOS, Linux or Windows.
• A browser on the same machine for sign-in (use a token on headless machines, over SSH or in containers).
• An Orvo account with web access (the free trial works).

Your Orvo MCP server URL.

Fastest: paste a setup prompt into Gemini CLI

Gemini CLI can add Orvo to its own MCP configuration. Paste this prompt, then sign in with Orvo when your browser opens. No token needed.

1. Copy the prompt below. It’s also in Orvo under Settings → Integrations when you choose Gemini CLI.
2. Paste it into Gemini CLI’s chat and send it. Gemini CLI adds Orvo to its configuration. Approve its changes when it asks, and restart it if it tells you to.
3. When your browser opens Orvo, sign in, choose Read only (recommended) or Read and make changes, and click Authorise & Connect. Adding notes, actions or other changes needs Read and make changes.

Please connect Orvo, my personal CRM, to this app as a remote MCP server by adding it to your own MCP configuration.

- Server name: orvo
- URL: https://www.getorvo.com/api/mcp
- Transport: Streamable HTTP
- Authentication: OAuth sign-in through my browser. Orvo needs no API key or token, so do not add an Authorization header.

How to do it in Gemini CLI: run this command (user scope, so Orvo works in every folder):
gemini mcp add --transport http --scope user orvo https://www.getorvo.com/api/mcp
Keep the server name orvo (no underscores). Then tell me to run /mcp auth orvo in Gemini CLI (restart it first if orvo isn't listed in /mcp). My browser opens on Orvo. Afterwards /mcp lists the Orvo tools.

Please also:
- Replace any existing server called orvo instead of adding a second one, and keep it in my own user-level settings, not in a project file.
- When the sign-in starts, tell me what happens next: my browser opens an Orvo page where I sign in and choose "Read only (recommended)" or "Read and make changes", then click "Authorise & Connect". Adding notes, actions or other changes needs "Read and make changes".
- After I have signed in, check the connection and list the Orvo tools you can see. If they only appear after a restart, tell me.

If sign-in doesn’t work: a setup prompt with a token

Use this only where Gemini CLI can’t sign in through a browser, for example on a remote machine.

1. In Orvo, open Settings → Integrations, find AI assistants (MCP), choose Gemini CLI and open Use a token instead.
2. Click Generate token, then Copy setup prompt with token. The token is shown once, and generating a new one turns off the old one.
3. Paste the prompt into Gemini CLI’s chat and send it.

Please connect Orvo, my personal CRM, to this app as a remote MCP server by adding it to your own MCP configuration.

- Server name: orvo
- URL: https://www.getorvo.com/api/mcp
- Transport: Streamable HTTP
- Authentication: send the header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ORVO_TOKEN"

How to do it in Gemini CLI: add Orvo to my user settings file ~/.gemini/settings.json (not a project .gemini folder; keep any other servers) under "mcpServers":
"orvo": { "url": "https://www.getorvo.com/api/mcp", "type": "http", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer ${GEMINI_CLI_ORVO_TOKEN}" } }
Then set an environment variable GEMINI_CLI_ORVO_TOKEN=YOUR_ORVO_TOKEN for my user, so Gemini CLI sees it when it starts. Keep that exact name: Gemini CLI removes variables whose names contain TOKEN, KEY or AUTH before filling MCP headers, unless they start with GEMINI_CLI_. Only if that isn't possible, put "Bearer YOUR_ORVO_TOKEN" directly in the header instead.
Keep the server name orvo (no underscores). Run "gemini mcp list" to check it, then tell me to restart Gemini CLI and run /mcp to see its tools.

Please also:
- Replace any existing server called orvo instead of adding a second one.
- Keep the token in my own user-level settings only, never in a project file, a repository or anything that is shared. Do not repeat the token in your replies.
- When you are done, check the connection and list the Orvo tools you can see. If they only appear after a restart, tell me.
- The token may be read-only. If Orvo refuses a change later, tell me to switch on "Allow changes with this token" in Orvo under Settings > Integrations (https://www.getorvo.com/setting?tab=integrations).

Set it up by hand: sign in with Orvo

1. Add the server for your user (the default scope is the current project):
   Terminal Copy

   gemini mcp add --transport http --scope user orvo https://www.getorvo.com/api/mcp

2. Start Gemini CLI and run /mcp auth orvo. Your browser opens on Orvo.
3. Sign in to Orvo if asked, choose Read only (recommended) or Read and make changes, and click Authorise & Connect. Gemini CLI stores the sign-in and refreshes it.
4. Run /mcp to check that Orvo’s tools are listed, then ask your question.

Set it up by hand with a token

1. In Orvo, open Settings → Integrations, find AI assistants (MCP), choose Gemini CLI and click Generate token. Copy it; it’s shown once.
2. Add Orvo to ~/.gemini/settings.json and read the token from an environment variable:
   ~/.gemini/settings.json Copy

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "orvo": {
         "url": "https://www.getorvo.com/api/mcp",
         "type": "http",
         "headers": {
           "Authorization": "Bearer ${GEMINI_CLI_ORVO_TOKEN}"
         }
       }
     }
   }

3. Set GEMINI_CLI_ORVO_TOKEN to your token in the shell that starts Gemini CLI. Keep the GEMINI_CLI_ prefix: Gemini CLI hides other variables whose names contain words like TOKEN or KEY from MCP servers, so a name like ORVO_TOKEN would arrive empty.

Read only, or read and make changes

With browser sign-in, you choose on Orvo’s page. Run /mcp auth orvo again to sign in afresh and pick the other option.

Gemini CLI asks before each tool call (proceed once, always allow the tool, or always allow the server). Leave trust off for Orvo so changes are always confirmed.

Either way, deleting never erases anything: People and notes go to Recently deleted for 30 days, daily limits cap how much an assistant can change, and changes to a person (their profile, tags, notes and linked actions) show in their activity as made via AI assistant. How Orvo keeps you in control.

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