Claude Desktop is already great at analyzing data, writing content, and answering questions. But what if it could also generate real, formatted PDF documents?
With Rynko's MCP server, it can. This tutorial shows you how to set it up and start generating documents from Claude Desktop in under 5 minutes.
What You'll Build
By the end of this tutorial, you'll be able to:
Ask Claude to create document templates from a description
Generate PDF invoices, reports, and certificates from conversation
Preview documents before using credits
Generate Excel files from the same templates
Prerequisites
Step 1: Get a Personal Access Token
MCP connections use Personal Access Tokens (PATs) instead of API keys. Here's how to create one:
Log into app.rynko.dev
Go to Settings > Personal Access Tokens
Click Create Token
Give it a label like "Claude Desktop"
Set the expiry (up to 30 days)
Copy the token — it starts with pat_ and won't be shown again
Step 2: Install the Rynko Extension
There are two ways to install — pick whichever you prefer.
Option A: One-Click Install (Recommended)
The fastest way. Download the .mcpb extension package and drag it into Claude Desktop:
Download rynko-mcp-{version}.mcpb from the latest release
In Claude Desktop, go to Settings > Extensions
Drag the downloaded .mcpb file into the install area (or click Install from file)
Click Configure on the Rynko extension and enter your Personal Access Token
That's it — no config files, no terminal commands.
Option B: Manual Configuration
If you prefer editing config files directly, open your Claude Desktop configuration:
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Add the Rynko MCP server:
{
"mcpServers": {
"rynko": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@rynko/mcp-server"],
"env": {
"RYNKO_USER_TOKEN": "pat_your_token_here"
}
}
}
}
Save the file and restart Claude Desktop.
Step 3: Verify the Connection
Start a new conversation in Claude Desktop and type:
List my Rynko workspaces
Claude should respond with your workspace names and IDs. If it does, you're connected. If not, double-check your config file for JSON syntax errors and make sure the token is valid.
Generating Your First Document
Create a Template
Let's start by asking Claude to create an invoice template:
Create a Rynko invoice template with:
- Company header with logo placeholder and company name
- "Bill To" section with customer name, address, and email
- Invoice number and date fields
- A line items table with columns: Description, Quantity, Unit Price, Amount
- Subtotal, tax rate, tax amount, and total
- Payment terms at the bottom
Claude will use the create_draft_template tool to build a properly structured template. It handles the layout, component types, and variable definitions automatically.
Pro Tip: You can drag and drop your company logo into the chat and say "Upload this as my logo." Claude will save it to your Rynko asset library and automatically link it in the template.
Preview the Template
Before generating a real document, preview it with sample data:
Preview the invoice template I just created with this data:
- Company: Rynko Inc
- Customer: Acme Corp, 456 Business Ave, San Francisco CA
- Invoice #INV-2026-001, dated today
- Items: 10 hours of consulting at $150/hr, 1 software license at $500
- Tax rate: 8%
Claude will generate a preview PDF and give you a download link. Previews are free (and watermarked) — they don't count against your quota.
Generate a Production Document
Happy with the preview? Generate the real thing:
Generate a PDF invoice with these details:
- Customer: TechStart LLC, 789 Innovation Dr, Austin TX
- Invoice #INV-2026-002
- 5x API Integration Setup at $200 each
- 2x Monthly Support at $99 each
- Tax: 8.25%
- Payment terms: Net 30
Claude calculates the totals, fills in all the variables, and asks you to confirm the credit usage: "This will use 1 document from your monthly quota. Proceed?" Once you say yes, it generates the PDF and gives you a download link in seconds.
Generate Excel Instead
Want the same data as an Excel file?
Generate that same invoice as an Excel file instead of PDF
Same template, same data, different format. The Excel file includes proper cell formatting, formulas, and structure.
Recreate Any Document from a Sample
Here's one of the most powerful things you can do: upload an existing document and have Claude recreate it as a Rynko template.
Claude Desktop supports file uploads — PDFs, images, screenshots. Since Claude is multimodal, it can visually analyze a document's layout, structure, fonts, spacing, and data fields. Combine that with Rynko's MCP tools, and you get this workflow:
Upload a sample invoice, report, or certificate (PDF or screenshot)
Ask Claude to recreate it
I've uploaded a sample invoice we currently use. Create a Rynko
template that matches this layout as closely as possible. Identify
all the dynamic fields and create variables for them.
Claude will:
Analyze the visual layout — header position, table structure, column widths, alignment
Identify which parts are static (labels, logos) and which are dynamic (names, amounts, dates)
Create a Rynko template with the right components and variables
Match the general styling — fonts, colors, spacing
This means you can migrate existing documents to Rynko without manually recreating every template from scratch. Upload your current invoice PDF, and Claude builds the template for you.
Works great for:
Migrating from Word/mail merge templates
Recreating documents you only have as PDFs (no source file)
Converting a designer's mockup into a working template
Matching a client's existing document format
After Claude creates the draft, preview it with sample data, compare with the original, and ask for adjustments until it matches.
Advanced: Multi-Document Workflows
Once you're comfortable with the basics, try more complex workflows:
Batch Invoice Generation
I have these 3 invoices to generate:
1. Acme Corp - INV-001: 5x Widget A at $50, 2x Widget B at $75
2. TechStart - INV-002: 10 hours consulting at $150/hr
3. GlobalCo - INV-003: 1x Enterprise License at $5,000
Generate all 3 as PDFs using the invoice template. Tax rate 8% for all.
Claude will generate each one and give you all three download links.
Data Analysis + Report Generation
Here's our Q1 sales data: [paste your data]
Analyze the trends, identify the top performing regions,
then generate a PDF report with a summary, charts, and
a detailed breakdown table.
Claude analyzes the data, creates a report template if needed, and generates a formatted PDF with charts and tables.
Template Inspection
Not sure what variables a template needs?
Show me the variables for the invoice template
Claude will list every variable with its type, whether it's required, and its default value.
Tips for Best Results
Be specific about layout — "header with logo on the left and company info on the right" works better than "add a header"
Specify variable types — "items should be an array of objects with description (string), quantity (number), and price (number)" helps Claude create the right schema
Preview first — Always preview before generating production documents. Previews are free and let you catch issues early
Use existing templates — Ask Claude to list your templates before creating new ones. You might already have what you need
Iterate on drafts — Templates created via MCP are always drafts. Ask Claude to update them until they're right, then publish from the dashboard
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
| "Server not found" | If using manual config, check file path and JSON syntax. If using .mcpb, re-install the extension. Restart Claude Desktop |
| "Invalid token" | Token may have expired (30-day max). Create a new one |
| "Template not found" | Make sure you're in the right workspace. Ask Claude to list workspaces |
| Tools not appearing | If using manual config, ensure npx is in your PATH. Try the .mcpb install instead — it handles dependencies automatically |
What's Next?
Need help? Join our Discord or email support@rynko.dev.
Disclosure: I ideate and draft content, then refine it with the aid of artificial intelligence tools like Claude and revise it to reflect my intended message.
