Set up Salesforce MCP in Claude: step by step

In a few steps, you connect Salesforce to Claude, so you can look up and update your Salesforce data from your chat. First you configure a few things in Salesforce Setup, then you finish in Claude. Want to know first what an MCP is and whether it is safe? Then read our blog post “Salesforce MCP: what is it, what can it do and is it safe?”

Prefer watching to reading? (The video is in Dutch.)

Step 1: activate an MCP server in Salesforce

In Salesforce, go to Setup and type “MCP” in Quick Find. Open MCP Servers, under Integrations > API Catalog. That’s where Salesforce’s ready-made MCP servers are listed. Each server gives your AI its own set of tools.

Choose the server that matches what your AI is allowed to do:

SObject Reads: search and read records and relationships
SObject All: read, create, update and delete records

Our tip: start with SObject Reads. In the screenshots below, we use SObject All. Open the server, click Activate at the top right and copy the Server URL using the icon next to it. You’ll need it in step 4.

MCP Servers overview

Server details with Server URL

Step 2: create an External Client App

An External Client App works like an ID card for Claude. It tells Salesforce which application is requesting access and allows it to grant that access.

In Setup, search for External Client App Manager and create a new app. Enter a name and your email address. Under OAuth Settings, switch on “Enable OAuth” and fill in:

Callback URL: https://claude.ai/api/mcp/auth_callback
OAuth Scopes: Perform requests at any time (refresh_token, offline_access) and Access Salesforce hosted MCP servers (mcp_api)

Under Security, set:

Require secret for Web Server Flow: off
Require secret for Refresh Token Flow: off
Issue JSON Web Token (JWT)-based access tokens for named users: on

The other checkboxes are already correct. Save the app.

OAuth Settings with callback URL and scopes

Security settings

Step 3: copy the Consumer Key and Secret

Open the app, go to Settings and click “Consumer Key and Secret” under OAuth Settings. Copy both values. Treat them like a password and share them with no one.

Consumer Key and Secret button

Step 4: add the connector in Claude

In Claude, go to Customize > Connectors, click Add at the top right and choose “Add custom connector”. Fill in:

Name: for example “Salesforce”
Remote MCP server URL: the Server URL from step 1
Under Advanced settings: the Consumer Key in OAuth Client ID and the Consumer Secret in OAuth Client Secret

Click Add.

Add custom connector form

Step 5: check the tools and switch on the connector

After connecting, under Tool permissions you can see which tools the connector offers, split into Read-only tools and Write/delete tools. For each group or each tool, you decide whether Claude can always use it, has to ask for permission first (Needs approval) or can never use it. Want Claude to only read? Then block the Write/delete tools.

Next, switch on the connector in your chat, via the plus icon and then Connectors. Try it right away: “Give me an update on account X.”

Want to connect more systems than just Salesforce? Then read our blog post on MCP architecture. Want us to help with the setup? Go to contact and leave your details, and we’ll get in touch with you.