Claude (Web & Desktop)

This guide explains how to connect Claude to the Links MCP Server. By connecting the systems, Claude can securely access your published data sources and accounting workflows.

New Feature

Claude now supports Custom Connectors natively. This is the recommended, no-code way to connect your workspace. For users who prefer the legacy terminal method on desktop, the Local Config File method is still available.

Prerequisites

What you need before starting

Ensure you have completed the following:

Have an active Claude Account (via the Web app or the Desktop App).
Retrieved your Links MCP Key.
(Optional) Have Node.js installed (only required if you choose the Local Config File method below).

Configuration

Choose your preferred setup method below. We highly recommend using the Custom Connector.

Open Claude Connectors

Open Claude (Web or Desktop).
Click on your profile name in the navigation bar and select Settings.
Navigate to the Connectors tab.

Add Custom Connector

Click the Add custom connector button in the top right.
In the modal, enter a Name for your connector (e.g., "Links Finance Hub").
In the Remote MCP Server URL field, paste the following link, replacing <YOUR_MCP_KEY> with your actual key:

https://dev-backend.thelinks.ai/api/v1/mcp?apiKey=<YOUR_MCP_KEY>

Leave the OAuth toggle disabled. We authenticate securely via the token in the URL.

Click Add.

Configure Tool Permissions

Once added, your new connector will appear in the list.

Click Configure next to the connector.
Set your preferred permissions for each available tool (e.g., Needs Approval, Always Allow, or Block). Note: The available tools depend on your published Inbound Connections in the Links platform.

Open Config File

You can open the configuration file directly through the Claude app or manually via terminal.

Open Claude Desktop.
Navigate to Settings at User Profile navigation bar.
Go to the Developer tab -> Edit Config.

This will open claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor (VS Code, Notepad, etc.).

Run the following command to open the file in VS Code (or your default editor):

macOS

code ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows

code %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Add Links MCP Server

Copy and paste the configuration below into your mcpServers block. We use mcp-remote to handle the HTTPS connection and Authorization header.

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "links-finance": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "[https://dev-backend.thelinks.ai/api/v1/mcp](https://dev-backend.thelinks.ai/api/v1/mcp)",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_MCP_KEY_OR_BEARER_TOKEN>"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Important

Replace <YOUR_MCP_KEY_OR_BEARER_TOKEN> with your actual key (e.g., 8d4e...-sandbox). Note: Do not remove the word Bearer before your key.