Close CRM Automation via Rube MCP

Automate Close CRM operations through Composio’s Close toolkit via Rube MCP.

Prerequisites

• Rube MCP must be connected (RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS available)
• Active Close connection via RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS with toolkit close
• Always call RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS first to get current tool schemas

Setup

Get Rube MCP: Add https://rube.app/mcp as an MCP server in your client configuration. No API keys needed — just add the endpoint and it works.

1. Verify Rube MCP is available by confirming RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS responds
2. Call RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS with toolkit close
3. If connection is not ACTIVE, follow the returned auth link to complete Close API authentication
4. Confirm connection status shows ACTIVE before running any workflows

Core Workflows

1. Create and Manage Leads

When to use: User wants to create new leads or manage existing lead records

Tool sequence:

1. CLOSE_CREATE_LEAD – Create a new lead in Close [Required]

Key parameters:

• name: Lead/company name
• contacts: Array of contact objects associated with the lead
• custom: Custom field values as key-value pairs
• status_id: Lead status ID

Pitfalls:

• Leads in Close represent companies/organizations, not individual people
• Contacts are nested within leads; create the lead first, then contacts are included
• Custom field keys use the custom field ID (e.g., ‘custom.cf_XXX’), not display names
• Duplicate lead detection is not automatic; check before creating

2. Log Calls

When to use: User wants to log a phone call activity against a lead

Tool sequence:

1. CLOSE_CREATE_CALL – Log a call activity [Required]

Key parameters:

• lead_id: ID of the associated lead
• contact_id: ID of the contact called
• direction: ‘outbound’ or ‘inbound’
• status: Call status (‘completed’, ‘no-answer’, ‘busy’, etc.)
• duration: Call duration in seconds
• note: Call notes

Pitfalls:

• lead_id is required; calls must be associated with a lead
• Duration is in seconds, not minutes
• Call direction affects reporting and analytics
• contact_id is optional but recommended for tracking

3. Send SMS Messages

When to use: User wants to send or log SMS messages through Close

Tool sequence:

1. CLOSE_CREATE_SMS – Send or log an SMS message [Required]

Key parameters:

• lead_id: ID of the associated lead
• contact_id: ID of the contact
• direction: ‘outbound’ or ‘inbound’
• text: SMS message content
• status: Message status

Pitfalls:

• SMS functionality requires Close phone/SMS integration to be configured
• lead_id is required for all SMS activities
• Outbound SMS may require a verified sending number
• Message length limits may apply depending on carrier

4. Manage Tasks

When to use: User wants to create or manage follow-up tasks

Tool sequence:

1. CLOSE_CREATE_TASK – Create a new task [Required]

Key parameters:

• lead_id: Associated lead ID
• text: Task description
• date: Due date for the task
• assigned_to: User ID of the assignee
• is_complete: Whether the task is completed

Pitfalls:

• Tasks are associated with leads, not contacts
• Date format should follow ISO 8601
• assigned_to requires the Close user ID, not email or name
• Tasks without a date appear in the ‘no due date’ section

5. Manage Notes

When to use: User wants to add or retrieve notes on leads

Tool sequence:

1. CLOSE_GET_NOTE – Retrieve a specific note [Required]

Key parameters:

• note_id: ID of the note to retrieve

Pitfalls:

• Notes are associated with leads
• Note IDs are required for retrieval; search leads first to find note references
• Notes support plain text and basic formatting

6. Delete Activities

When to use: User wants to remove call records or other activities

Tool sequence:

1. CLOSE_DELETE_CALL – Delete a call activity [Required]

Key parameters:

• call_id: ID of the call to delete

Pitfalls:

• Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone
• Only the call creator or admin can delete calls
• Deleting a call removes it from all reports and timelines

Common Patterns

Lead and Contact Relationship

Close data model:
- Lead = Company/Organization
  - Contact = Person (nested within Lead)
  - Activity = Call, SMS, Email, Note (linked to Lead)
  - Task = Follow-up item (linked to Lead)
  - Opportunity = Deal (linked to Lead)

ID Resolution

Lead ID:

1. Search for leads using the Close search API
2. Extract lead_id from results (format: 'lead_XXXXXXXXXXXXX')
3. Use lead_id in all activity creation calls

Contact ID:

1. Retrieve lead details to get nested contacts
2. Extract contact_id (format: 'cont_XXXXXXXXXXXXX')
3. Use in call/SMS activities for accurate tracking

Activity Logging Pattern

1. Identify the lead_id and optionally contact_id
2. Create the activity (call, SMS, note) with lead_id
3. Include relevant metadata (duration, direction, status)
4. Create follow-up tasks if needed

Known Pitfalls

ID Formats:

• Lead IDs: ‘lead_XXXXXXXXXXXXX’
• Contact IDs: ‘cont_XXXXXXXXXXXXX’
• Activity IDs vary by type: ‘acti_XXXXXXXXXXXXX’, ‘call_XXXXXXXXXXXXX’
• Custom field IDs: ‘custom.cf_XXXXXXXXXXXXX’
• Always use the full ID string

Rate Limits:

• Close API has rate limits based on your plan
• Implement delays between bulk operations
• Monitor response headers for rate limit status
• 429 responses require backoff

Custom Fields:

• Custom fields are referenced by their API ID, not display name
• Different lead statuses may have different required custom fields
• Custom field types (text, number, date, dropdown) enforce value formats

Data Integrity:

• Leads are the primary entity; contacts and activities are linked to leads
• Deleting a lead may cascade to its contacts and activities
• Bulk operations should validate IDs before executing

Quick Reference