Box MCP Connector: Add Binary File Upload Support (.xlsx, .pptx, .docx)
The Problem
The Box MCP (Model Context Protocol) connector, used to integrate Box with AI platforms like Claude (Anthropic), currently supports only plain-text file uploads. The uploadfile and uploadfileversion tools accept text-only content and support a limited set of extensions: txt, md, csv, html, json, and a few others.
Binary file formats — specifically .xlsx, .pptx, and .docx — cannot be uploaded through the MCP connector. The connector's own documentation references a getupload_url path for binary uploads, but that method is not exposed as a callable tool in the current implementation.
Why This Matters
AI-assisted workflows are increasingly the norm for SMB and enterprise teams. When an AI tool generates a finished Excel model, PowerPoint deck, or Word document, users expect it to land directly in Box, just as it would if they saved it manually. Instead, they're forced to download the file from the AI interface and drag it into Box Drive by hand. That's friction that breaks the workflow and defeats the purpose of the integration.
For comparison, major document-sharing platforms work without problems.
What We're Asking For
Enable binary file upload support in the Box MCP connector for common formats, including .xlsx, .pptx, and .docx.
Who This Affects
Any team using Box alongside an AI platform (Claude, Copilot, custom GPTs, or any MCP-compatible tool) that generates Office-format files. This is a growing segment — and right now, Box is the bottleneck in every one of those workflows.
Please upvote if your team runs into this. The fix is well-defined, and the precedent already exists in competing connectors.
Emilio Caamano
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