Copper — Printing Press CLI
Prerequisites: Install the CLI
This skill drives the copper-pp-cli binary. You must verify the CLI is installed before invoking any command from this skill. If it is missing, install it first:
- Install via the Printing Press installer. It defaults binaries to
$HOME/.local/binon macOS/Linux and%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\PrintingPress\binon Windows:npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library install copper --cli-only - Verify:
copper-pp-cli --version - Ensure the reported install directory is on
$PATHfor the agent/runtime that will invoke this skill.
If the npx install fails (no Node, offline, etc.), fall back to a direct Go install (requires Go 1.26.6 or newer). This installs into $GOPATH/bin (default $HOME/go/bin), so add that directory to $PATH instead:
go install github.com/mvanhorn/printing-press-library/library/sales-and-crm/copper/cmd/copper-pp-cli@latest
If --version reports "command not found" after install, the runtime cannot see the binary directory on $PATH. Do not proceed with skill commands until verification succeeds.
Copper has no CLI, no Go client, and no agent-native tool. This turns a click-heavy web CRM into a scriptable, offline-queryable surface. It mirrors people, companies, leads, opportunities, projects, tasks, and activities into local SQLite, then adds the weighted forecast (forecast), cold-deal sweep (stale), and rate-limit-aware bulk editor (bulk) that the API and web UI leave out.
When to Use This CLI
Use this CLI for scripted or agent-driven Copper work: weighted pipeline forecasting, finding and acting on stale deals, mass field updates across many opportunities, idempotent contact sync, and offline cross-entity queries. It is the right tool when the web UI would mean repetitive clicking or when a spreadsheet export would be stale on arrival.
Anti-triggers
Do not use this CLI for:
- Configuring Copper account settings, billing, or user provisioning (use the web app)
- Editing a logged activity in place (Copper activities are immutable; use log fix to delete+recreate)
- OAuth-based multi-tenant distribution to other Copper orgs (partner-gated; this CLI uses personal API-key auth)
Unique Capabilities
These capabilities aren't available in any other tool for this API.
Pipeline intelligence
forecast— Weighted expected-revenue roll-up: sums monetary_value x win_probability over open opportunities, grouped by stage, assignee, or close-month.Reach for this instead of exporting CSV and pivoting by hand for any expected-revenue or commit/quota question.
copper-pp-cli forecast --pipeline 12345 --by stage --agentstale— Surfaces open opportunities with no interaction in N days, sorted by staleness x value, across all reps.Use to find deals going cold before they die; pipe the output into bulk reassign.
copper-pp-cli stale --days 21 --by assignee --agentwho— Joins an opportunity to its company, people, and recent activities into one related-records view.Use for one-call deal prep before nudging or logging a touch.
copper-pp-cli who opportunity:88 --agent
Operations Copper's API refuses to provide
bulk— Applies field updates (stage, owner, custom fields) across many opportunities with bounded concurrency and heuristic 429 backoff.Use for mass updates to existing records; the safe way to avoid the rate-limit wall a naive loop hits.
copper-pp-cli bulk move --query stale.json --set pipeline_stage_id=9 --concurrency 4 --dry-runupsert— Match-then-create-or-update for people and leads; normalizes the people.emails[] vs leads.email shape difference.Use to sync external rows without creating duplicates; not a blind create.
copper-pp-cli upsert person --match email --file contacts.json --dry-rundedupe— Local SQLite self-join surfacing people or leads that share an email, name, or company.Run before or after a sync to catch duplicate contacts the API will not flag.
copper-pp-cli dedupe people --on email --agent
CRM hygiene
log— Creates an activity with the type resolved by name (bumps interaction_count); log fix deletes and recreates to edit an immutable activity.Use to log or correct a single touch; for the same touch across many records use bulk.
copper-pp-cli log call --on opportunity:88 --note "Left voicemail"
Command Reference
account — Account details
copper-pp-cli account— Fetch account details
activities — Manage activities (notes and logged interactions)
copper-pp-cli activities create— Create a new activitycopper-pp-cli activities delete— Delete an activitycopper-pp-cli activities get— Fetch an activity by idcopper-pp-cli activities search— List/search activities
activity-types — Activity types
copper-pp-cli activity-types— List all activity types
companies — Manage companies
copper-pp-cli companies activities— List a company's activitiescopper-pp-cli companies create— Create a new companycopper-pp-cli companies delete— Delete a companycopper-pp-cli companies get— Fetch a company by idcopper-pp-cli companies search— List/search companiescopper-pp-cli companies update— Update a company
contact-types — Contact types
copper-pp-cli contact-types— List all contact types
custom-activity-types — Custom activity types
copper-pp-cli custom-activity-types create— Create a new custom activity typecopper-pp-cli custom-activity-types get— Fetch a custom activity type by idcopper-pp-cli custom-activity-types list— List all custom activity typescopper-pp-cli custom-activity-types update— Update a custom activity type
custom-field-definitions — Custom field definitions
copper-pp-cli custom-field-definitions create— Create a new custom field definitioncopper-pp-cli custom-field-definitions delete— Delete a custom field definitioncopper-pp-cli custom-field-definitions get— Fetch a custom field definition by idcopper-pp-cli custom-field-definitions list— List all custom field definitionscopper-pp-cli custom-field-definitions update— Update a custom field definition
customer-sources — Customer (lead) sources
copper-pp-cli customer-sources— List all customer sources
lead-statuses — Lead statuses
copper-pp-cli lead-statuses— List all lead statuses
leads — Manage leads
copper-pp-cli leads activities— List a lead's activitiescopper-pp-cli leads convert— Convert a lead into a person/company/opportunitycopper-pp-cli leads create— Create a new leadcopper-pp-cli leads delete— Delete a leadcopper-pp-cli leads get— Fetch a lead by idcopper-pp-cli leads search— List/search leadscopper-pp-cli leads update— Update a leadcopper-pp-cli leads upsert— Create or update a lead, matched by email or a custom field
loss-reasons — Opportunity loss reasons
copper-pp-cli loss-reasons— List all loss reasons
opportunities — Manage opportunities (deals)
copper-pp-cli opportunities create— Create a new opportunitycopper-pp-cli opportunities delete— Delete an opportunitycopper-pp-cli opportunities get— Fetch an opportunity by idcopper-pp-cli opportunities search— List/search opportunitiescopper-pp-cli opportunities update— Update an opportunity
people — Manage people (contacts)
copper-pp-cli people activities— List a person's activitiescopper-pp-cli people create— Create a new personcopper-pp-cli people delete— Delete a personcopper-pp-cli people fetch-by-email— Fetch a person by email addresscopper-pp-cli people get— Fetch a person by idcopper-pp-cli people search— List/search peoplecopper-pp-cli people update— Update a person
pipeline-stages — Pipeline stages
copper-pp-cli pipeline-stages— List all pipeline stages
pipelines — Sales pipelines
copper-pp-cli pipelines list— List all pipelinescopper-pp-cli pipelines stages— List stages within a specific pipeline
projects — Manage projects
copper-pp-cli projects create— Create a new projectcopper-pp-cli projects delete— Delete a projectcopper-pp-cli projects get— Fetch a project by idcopper-pp-cli projects search— List/search projectscopper-pp-cli projects update— Update a project
tags — Tags used across records
copper-pp-cli tags— List all tags
tasks — Manage tasks
copper-pp-cli tasks create— Create a new taskcopper-pp-cli tasks delete— Delete a taskcopper-pp-cli tasks get— Fetch a task by idcopper-pp-cli tasks search— List/search taskscopper-pp-cli tasks update— Update a task
users — Users in the account
copper-pp-cli users get— Fetch a user by idcopper-pp-cli users search— List/search users
webhooks — Webhook subscriptions
copper-pp-cli webhooks create— Create a new webhook subscriptioncopper-pp-cli webhooks delete— Delete (unsubscribe) a webhook subscriptioncopper-pp-cli webhooks get— Fetch a webhook subscription by idcopper-pp-cli webhooks list— List all webhook subscriptions
Finding the right command
When you know what you want to do but not which command does it, ask the CLI directly:
copper-pp-cli which "<capability in your own words>"
which resolves a natural-language capability query to the best matching command from this CLI's curated feature index. Exit code 0 means at least one match; exit code 2 means no confident match — fall back to --help or use a narrower query.
Recipes
Monday weighted forecast by rep
copper-pp-cli forecast --by assignee --agent --select assignee_name,weighted_value,open_value
Commit view per rep without a spreadsheet pivot.
Sweep then bulk-reassign cold deals
copper-pp-cli stale --days 30 --by assignee --agent
List cold deals grouped by owner. Save the JSON, then feed the ids into the bulk reassign command (with --set assignee_id=) to mass-reassign — preview with --dry-run before applying.
Idempotent contact import
copper-pp-cli upsert person --match email --file leads.json --dry-run
Create-or-update external rows without duplicating contacts.
One-call deal prep
copper-pp-cli who opportunity:88 --agent --select company.name,people.name,activities.details
Pull the deal's company, contacts, and recent touches in one narrowed view.
Auth Setup
Copper uses a multi-header API key. Set COPPER_API_KEY (System Settings -> API Keys -> Create a Key) and COPPER_USER_EMAIL (the email of the key owner). Every request sends X-PW-AccessToken, X-PW-UserEmail, and X-PW-Application: developer_api.
Run copper-pp-cli doctor to verify setup.
Agent Mode
Add --agent to any command. Expands to: --json --compact --no-input --no-color --yes.
Pipeable — JSON on stdout, errors on stderr
Filterable —
--selectkeeps a subset of fields. Dotted paths descend into nested structures; arrays traverse element-wise. Critical for keeping context small on verbose APIs:copper-pp-cli account --agent --select id,name,statusPreviewable —
--dry-runshows the request without sendingOffline-friendly — sync/search commands can use the local SQLite store when available
Non-interactive — never prompts, every input is a flag
Explicit retries — use
--idempotentonly when an already-existing create should count as success, and--ignore-missingonly when a missing delete target should count as success
Response envelope
Commands that read from the local store or the API wrap output in a provenance envelope:
{
"meta": {"source": "live" | "local", "synced_at": "...", "reason": "..."},
"results": <data>
}
Parse .results for data and .meta.source to know whether it's live or local. A human-readable N results (live) summary is printed to stderr only when stdout is a terminal AND no machine-format flag (--json, --csv, --compact, --quiet, --plain, --select) is set — piped/agent consumers and explicit-format runs get pure JSON on stdout.
Paths and state
Agents should treat the CLI's path resolver as part of the runtime contract:
Use
--home <dir>for one invocation, or setCOPPER_HOME=<dir>to relocate all four path kinds under one root.Use per-kind env vars only when a specific kind must diverge:
COPPER_CONFIG_DIR,COPPER_DATA_DIR,COPPER_STATE_DIR,COPPER_CACHE_DIR.Resolution order is per-kind env var,
--home,COPPER_HOME, XDG (XDG_CONFIG_HOME,XDG_DATA_HOME,XDG_STATE_HOME,XDG_CACHE_HOME), then platform defaults.configcontains settings likeconfig.tomland profiles.datacontainscredentials.toml,data.db, cookies, and auth sidecars.statecontains persisted queries, jobs, andteach.log.cachecontains regenerable HTTP/cache files.Stored secrets live in
credentials.tomlunder the data dir. Existing legacyconfig.tomlsecrets are read for compatibility and leaveconfig.tomlon the first auth write.Run
copper-pp-cli doctor --fail-on warnto surface path and credential-location warnings.agent-contextexposes a schema v4pathsblock for agents that need the resolved dirs.For MCP, pass relocation through the MCP host config. The MCP binary does not inherit CLI flags:
{ "mcpServers": { "copper": { "command": "copper-pp-mcp", "env": { "COPPER_HOME": "/srv/copper" } } } }
Fleet precedence: an inherited per-kind env var overrides an explicit --home for that kind. Use COPPER_HOME or per-kind vars as durable fleet levers, and use --home only for a single invocation. Relocation is not reversible by unsetting env vars; move files manually before clearing COPPER_HOME, or doctor will not find credentials left under the former root.
Agent Feedback
When you (or the agent) notice something off about this CLI, record it:
copper-pp-cli feedback "the --since flag is inclusive but docs say exclusive"
copper-pp-cli feedback --stdin < notes.txt
copper-pp-cli feedback list --json --limit 10
Entries are stored locally as feedback.jsonl under the resolved data dir. They are never POSTed unless COPPER_FEEDBACK_ENDPOINT is set AND either --send is passed or COPPER_FEEDBACK_AUTO_SEND=true. Default behavior is local-only.
Write what surprised you, not a bug report. Short, specific, one line: that is the part that compounds.
Output Delivery
Every command accepts --deliver <sink>. The output goes to the named sink in addition to (or instead of) stdout, so agents can route command results without hand-piping. Three sinks are supported:
| Sink | Effect |
|---|---|
stdout |
Default; write to stdout only |
file:<path> |
Atomically write output to <path> (tmp + rename) |
webhook:<url> |
POST the output body to the URL (application/json or application/x-ndjson when --compact) |
Unknown schemes are refused with a structured error naming the supported set. Webhook failures return non-zero and log the URL + HTTP status on stderr.
Named Profiles
A profile is a saved set of flag values, reused across invocations. Use it when a scheduled agent calls the same command every run with the same configuration - HeyGen's "Beacon" pattern.
copper-pp-cli profile save briefing --json
copper-pp-cli --profile briefing account
copper-pp-cli profile list --json
copper-pp-cli profile show briefing
copper-pp-cli profile delete briefing --yes
Explicit flags always win over profile values; profile values win over defaults. agent-context lists all available profiles under available_profiles so introspecting agents discover them at runtime.
Exit Codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Success |
| 2 | Usage error (wrong arguments) |
| 3 | Resource not found |
| 4 | Authentication required |
| 5 | API error (upstream issue) |
| 7 | Rate limited (wait and retry) |
| 10 | Config error |
Argument Parsing
Parse $ARGUMENTS:
- Empty,
help, or--help→ showcopper-pp-cli --helpoutput - Starts with
install→ ends withmcp→ MCP installation; otherwise → see Prerequisites above - Anything else → Direct Use (execute as CLI command with
--agent)
MCP Server Installation
- Install the MCP server:
go install github.com/mvanhorn/printing-press-library/library/sales-and-crm/copper/cmd/copper-pp-mcp@latest - Register with Claude Code:
claude mcp add copper-pp-mcp -- copper-pp-mcp - Verify:
claude mcp list
Direct Use
- Check if installed:
which copper-pp-cliIf not found, offer to install (see Prerequisites at the top of this skill). - Match the user query to the best command from the Unique Capabilities and Command Reference above.
- Execute with the
--agentflag:copper-pp-cli <command> [subcommand] [args] --agent - If ambiguous, drill into subcommand help:
copper-pp-cli <command> --help.