The Precursive MCP Server connects an AI assistant such as Claude or Copilot to your Precursive data. Every tool runs as the connected Salesforce user, so Precursive enforces object permissions, field-level security and sharing rules on every request, and setting it up grants no one additional data access.

Prerequisites

• You hold the Precursive Super User permission set. Other Core Platform permission sets can use the server once it exists, but only a Super User can set it up, update it or activate it.
• Your AI assistant supports custom MCP connectors with OAuth. For Claude this means a Team, Enterprise or Pro plan, and a workspace admin may first need to allow custom connectors.
• Each user who will connect an assistant holds one of the four Core Platform permission sets: Read Only, End User, Project Manager or Super User. No additional permission set is needed.

Step 1 - Set Up the MCP Server in Precursive HQ

1. Open the Precursive HQ.
2. In the Quick Find field on the left, type "MCP", then select the MCP tab in the System settings section.
3. Select Set up MCP Server. Wait until the action completes; a spinner appears while it runs.

Step 2 - Activate the Server in Salesforce Setup

1. Select Open in Setup. This opens the MCP Server record in Salesforce Setup. You can also reach it from Setup by searching for "MCP Servers".
2. Select Activate.
3. Copy the Server URL shown on the same page. You will need it in Step 4.

Step 3 - Create the External Client App

1. In Setup, use the Quick Find field to open the External Client App Manager (labeled App Manager in some orgs).
2. Select New External Client App.
3. Name it (for example, "Precursive MCP") and set a contact email you can access.
4. In the API (Enable OAuth Settings) section, select Enable OAuth Settings.
5. Set the Callback URL for your specific AI client - refer to the table below.
6. Under OAuth Scopes, move the two scopes listed below to the Selected OAuth Scopes list:
   • Access Salesforce hosted MCP servers (mcp_api)
   • Perform requests at any time (refresh_token, offline_access)
     
     
7. Scroll down to the Security section and select the following:
   • Require Proof Key for Code Exchange (PKCE) extension for Supported Authorization Flows
   • Issue JSON Web Token (JWT)
8. Uncheck the following checkboxes:
   • In the Security section:
     • Require Secret for Web Server Flow
     • Require Secret for Refresh Token Flow
   • In the Flow Enablement section:
     • Enable Client Credentials Flow
     • Enable Authorization Code and Credentials Flow
9. Select Create at the bottom of the screen.
10. On the page that opens next, go to the Settings tab > OAuth Settings > Consumer Key and Secret.
11. Verify your identity with the code sent to the email you provided earlier.
12. Copy the Consumer Key - you will need it in Step 4.

⚠️ If your org restricts app access, also pre-authorize the profiles or permission sets that should be allowed to use it. A newly created External Client App can take up to 30 minutes to become operational for MCP, so if the connection fails immediately after you create it, wait and try again before making any further changes.

Callback URLs by Client

Client	Callback URL
claude.ai and Claude Desktop	https://claude.ai/api/mcp/auth_callback
Microsoft 365 Copilot	https://teams.microsoft.com/api/platform/v1.0/oAuthRedirect
Cursor	cursor://anysphere.cursor-mcp/oauth/callback

Step 4 - Add the Connector in Claude

1. In Claude, go to Customize > Connectors > Add.
2. Name your connector (for example, "Precursive MCP").
3. Paste the Server URL from Step 2, then select Continue.
4. Scroll down to the OAuth Client section > Use your own OAuth client.
5. Paste the Consumer Key from Step 3 into the OAuth Client ID field. Leave the client secret blank.
6. Select Add, then Connect.

Step 5 - Verify the Connection

1. In Claude, go to Customize > Connectors > Yours.
2. Select Connect on the Precursive MCP connector you set up. Claude redirects you to your org to sign in and approve the app's scopes, then returns you to Claude.
3. Double-click the connector to check that it lists the Precursive tools. Their names start with "precursive_".
4. In the new chat in Claude, ask a data question, for example "Show me my open tasks in Precursive".

After Every Package Upgrade

After each package upgrade, update the tool catalog and confirm the server is still active:

1. In Precursive HQ, open the MCP tab.
2. Select Update Tools.
3. Open the MCP Server record in Salesforce Setup.
4. Check that the server is still Active. If it is not, select Activate.

   

New capability does not reach your users until the tools are updated and the server is active.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause and fix
The connector connects but lists no tools, or the assistant says the server is unavailable	The server has been set up but not activated. Open it in Setup from the MCP tab and select Activate.
The connection fails shortly after you created the External Client App	A new app takes up to around 30 minutes to become operational. Wait, then try again.
An error about an invalid client during sign-in	The OAuth Client ID on the connector must be the Consumer Key of the External Client App in the same org that hosts the server. Re-copy it, and confirm no client secret is set.
A redirect or callback mismatch error	The Callback URL on the app must match the client exactly. For Claude it is https://claude.ai/api/mcp/auth_callback.
Sign-in succeeds but the assistant cannot reach the server	The app does not have the mcp_api scope.
New tools do not appear after an upgrade	Run Update Tools on the MCP tab, then check the server is still Active in Setup.
A tool stays on Pending setup	Run Update Tools again. If it persists once the upgrade has completed, raise it with Precursive support.
An assistant reports that a field does not exist, when it clearly does	Field-level security. Tools run as the user, so a field the user cannot read is not returned, rather than raising an error. Grant read access in the relevant permission set.
A write fails with a permissions error	The user does not have create or edit on that object, or on a field the assistant supplied. This is intended: the tool is visible to everyone and the data layer enforces access.

If none of these resolve the problem, contact Precursive support with the tool name, the message the assistant returned and the user who ran it.

Related Resources

• Get Started With Precursive MCP
• Precursive MCP Capabilities