fix(timesheets): shared create service for ts create and MCP

AGENTS.md

@@ -109,6 +109,18 @@ resolving an iteration by name or ID) and `TimesheetAcceptService` owns accept;
 `ts accept` commands and the `UpdateTimesheet` / `AcceptSuggestedTimesheet` MCP tools are adapters
 over them. Never build a `TimesheetRequest` for an edit anywhere else.
 
+`TimesheetCreateService` is the same prepare/apply pair for new entries and owns every resolution a
+create needs: sell price from the client rate for the billable type, category from the repo mapping
+then the last fortnight's entries, location from the WFH defaults, deducted minutes to hours, and the
+read-back that turns an empty write response into the saved row. `ts create` and the
+`CreateTimesheet` MCP tool are adapters over it; never build a `TimesheetRequest` for a create
+elsewhere either.
+
+The API cannot price a row for a client with no active rate, so `PrepareAsync` stops and reports it
+rather than resolving it. Creating a rate stays with the caller: `ts create` keeps its interactive
+prompt, and MCP returns the `tp rate create` recovery command. Neither the service nor MCP ever
+writes a rate.
+
 `ts update` and `ts delete` refuse suggested entries locally (`tp ts accept <id>` first) rather than
 letting the API answer a bare 400; the MCP delete tool shares that check. Accept fails before the API
 call when the project uses iterations and none can be resolved, listing the available ones.

scripts/e2e/mcp_smoke.py

@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ def run_smoke(process, state):
     # The write goes through MCP on purpose, so a create tool the server rejects keeps this gate
     # red instead of being routed around.
     state["createAttempted"] = True
-    call_tool(
+    create_result = call_tool(
         process,
         "create_timesheet",
         {
@@ -334,6 +334,11 @@ def run_smoke(process, state):
 
     created = matches[0]
     created_id = created["timeId"]
+    reported_id = create_result.get("timesheetId") if isinstance(create_result, dict) else None
+    if reported_id not in (None, created_id):
+        raise SmokeFailure(
+            f"create_timesheet reported id {reported_id} but the row read back is {created_id}"
+        )
     for field, expected in (("clientId", CLIENT_ID), ("projectId", project_id), ("date", date)):
         if created.get(field) != expected:
             raise SmokeFailure(

src/SSW.TimePro.Cli/Features/Mcp/McpHostCommand.cs

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ protected override async Task<int> ExecuteAsync(CommandContext context, Settings
         builder.Services.AddSingleton<LeaveCreateService>();
         builder.Services.AddSingleton<LeaveUpdateService>();
         builder.Services.AddSingleton<LeaveBalanceImportService>();
+        builder.Services.AddSingleton<TimesheetCreateService>();
         builder.Services.AddSingleton<TimesheetUpdateService>();
         builder.Services.AddSingleton<TimesheetAcceptService>();
 

src/SSW.TimePro.Cli/Features/Mcp/Tools/TimesheetMcpTools.cs

@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 using System.Text.Json;
 using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
 using ModelContextProtocol.Server;
+using SSW.TimePro.Cli.Features.Rates;
 using SSW.TimePro.Cli.Features.Timesheets;
 using SSW.TimePro.Cli.Infrastructure.ApiClient;
 using SSW.TimePro.Cli.Infrastructure.Config;
-using SSW.TimePro.Cli.Shared;
+using SSW.TimePro.Cli.Infrastructure.Output;
 using SSW.TimePro.Cli.Shared.Models;
 
 namespace SSW.TimePro.Cli.Features.Mcp.Tools;
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ public class TimesheetMcpTools
 {
     private readonly ITimeProApiClient _api;
     private readonly IConfigService _config;
+    private readonly TimesheetCreateService _creates;
     private readonly TimesheetUpdateService _updates;
     private readonly TimesheetAcceptService _accepts;
 
@@ -28,11 +30,13 @@ public class TimesheetMcpTools
     public TimesheetMcpTools(
         ITimeProApiClient api,
         IConfigService config,
+        TimesheetCreateService creates,
         TimesheetUpdateService updates,
         TimesheetAcceptService accepts)
     {
         _api = api;
         _config = config;
+        _creates = creates;
         _updates = updates;
         _accepts = accepts;
     }
@@ -96,38 +100,47 @@ public async Task<string> CreateTimesheet(
         if (tenant?.EmployeeId is null)
             return """{"error": "Not logged in"}""";
 
-        // Resolve location from WFH defaults if not specified
-        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(location))
+        try
         {
-            var global = _config.LoadGlobalConfig();
-            var dateOnly = DateOnly.ParseExact(date, "yyyy-MM-dd");
-            var dayName = dateOnly.DayOfWeek.ToString();
-            location = global.WfhDays.Contains(dayName, StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
-                ? "Home" : LocationResolver.Resolve(global.DefaultLocation);
+            var prepared = await _creates.PrepareAsync(
+                tenant.EmployeeId,
+                new TimesheetCreateOptions(
+                    ClientId: clientId,
+                    ProjectId: projectId,
+                    Date: date,
+                    Start: startTime,
+                    End: endTime,
+                    Description: description,
+                    Location: location,
+                    Category: categoryId,
+                    IterationId: iterationId,
+                    Billable: billableId),
+                ct);
+
+            // Creating a rate is a deliberate act with its own approval, so the agent is told how
+            // to set one rather than having one written on its behalf.
+            if (prepared.NoActiveRate)
+                return NoActiveRateError(clientId);
+
+            var result = await _creates.ApplyAsync(prepared.Plan!, ct);
+
+            // Serialised with the CLI's options so both surfaces answer with the same document.
+            return OutputHelper.SerializeJson(result);
         }
-        else
+        catch (TimesheetValidationException ex)
         {
-            location = LocationResolver.Resolve(location);
+            return JsonSerializer.Serialize(new { error = ex.Message }, JsonOpts);
         }
+    }
 
-        var request = new TimesheetRequest
-        {
-            EmpId = tenant.EmployeeId,
-            ClientId = clientId,
-            ProjectId = projectId,
-            IterationId = iterationId,
-            DateCreated = date,
-            TimeStart = $"{date}T{startTime}:00",
-            TimeEnd = $"{date}T{endTime}:00",
-            Note = description,
-            LocationId = location,
-            CategoryId = categoryId,
-            BillableId = billableId
-        };
+    private static string NoActiveRateError(string clientId) => JsonSerializer.Serialize(new
+    {
+        error = RateGuard.NoActiveRateMessage(clientId),
 
-        var response = await _api.CreateTimesheetAsync(request, ct);
-        return JsonSerializer.Serialize(response, JsonOpts);
-    }
+        // No recommendation lookup: an agent is told how to set a rate, not offered an amount that
+        // would take a second API call to produce.
+        recovery = RateGuard.BuildRecovery(clientId, new RateRecommendation(0m, 0m, RateSource.None))
+    }, JsonOpts);
 
     [McpServerTool]
     [Description("List iterations/sprints for a project. Returns empty list if the project doesn't use iterations. If the list is non-empty, an iteration ID is required when creating timesheets for this project.")]

src/SSW.TimePro.Cli/Features/Rates/RateGuard.cs

@@ -10,29 +10,33 @@ namespace SSW.TimePro.Cli.Features.Rates;
 /// </summary>
 public static class RateGuard
 {
+    public static string NoActiveRateMessage(string clientId) =>
+        $"No active rate for client '{clientId}' (expired or not set). " +
+        "Set a rate using the recovery command below, then retry.";
+
+    /// <summary>The recovery recipe, shared by the CLI error envelope and the MCP error payload.</summary>
+    public static object BuildRecovery(string clientId, RateRecommendation rec) => new
+    {
+        reason = "no_active_rate",
+        clientId,
+        recommended = rec.Source == RateSource.None
+            ? null
+            : (object)new { rate = rec.Rate, prepaidRate = rec.PrepaidRate, source = rec.Source.ToString() },
+        steps = RateResolver.BuildRecoveryOptions(clientId, rec)
+    };
+
     public static void ReportNoActiveRate(string clientId, RateRecommendation rec, bool json)
     {
-        var steps = RateResolver.BuildRecoveryOptions(clientId, rec);
-        var msg = $"No active rate for client '{clientId}' (expired or not set). " +
-                  "Set a rate using the recovery command below, then retry.";
+        var msg = NoActiveRateMessage(clientId);
 
         if (json)
         {
-            var recovery = new
-            {
-                reason = "no_active_rate",
-                clientId,
-                recommended = rec.Source == RateSource.None
-                    ? null
-                    : (object)new { rate = rec.Rate, prepaidRate = rec.PrepaidRate, source = rec.Source.ToString() },
-                steps
-            };
-            OutputHelper.WriteJsonError(msg, code: null, detail: null, recovery: recovery);
+            OutputHelper.WriteJsonError(msg, code: null, detail: null, recovery: BuildRecovery(clientId, rec));
         }
         else
         {
             OutputHelper.WriteError(msg);
-            foreach (var s in steps)
+            foreach (var s in RateResolver.BuildRecoveryOptions(clientId, rec))
                 OutputHelper.WriteInfo($"  [{s.Action}] {s.Command}");
         }
     }