Overview
The Consensus Model Context Protocol (MCP) server enables you to access your Consensus demos directly within Claude Desktop. This guide will walk you through the complete setup process.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, you will need:
- An AI Agent compatible with MCP Servers
- Consensus Admin access
- The Consensus MCP Server URL: https://mcp.goconsensus.com/mcp
Setting Up MCP Server for Claude Desktop
For additional information, visit the Claude Support page found here: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11175166-getting-started-with-custom-connectors-using-remote-mcp
Admin Setup Steps:
- Navigate to Admin Settings
- Add Custom Connector
- Click "Add custom connector" at the bottom of the Connectors section
- Enter your Consensus MCP server URL
- Configure OAuth (Optional but Recommended)
- Click "Advanced settings"
- Enter the OAuth Client ID
- Enter the OAuth Client Secret
- This enables secure authentication for your users
- Save Configuration
- Click "Add" to finish configuring the connector
- The connector will now appear in your organization's available connectors list with a "Custom" label
Important Notes for Admins:
- Only Owners can add custom connectors to Team/Enterprise organizations
- Once added, individual users must authenticate with their own credentials
- Each user will only be able to access Consensus data they have permission to see
- You can monitor and manage the connector through Admin settings
For End Users (After Admin Setup)
Prerequisites:
- Your admin must have already added the Consensus connector to your organization
- You need valid Consensus credentials
User Setup Steps:
- Navigate to Settings
- Go to Settings > Connectors
- Find the Consensus Connector
- Look for "Consensus" in the Connectors list
- It will have a "Custom" label indicating it was added by your admin
- Connect and Authenticate
- Click "Connect" next to the Consensus connector
- You'll be redirected to complete the OAuth authentication flow
- Sign in with your Consensus credentials
- Review and approve the requested permissions
- You'll be redirected back to Claude once authentication is complete
- Enable in Conversations
- In any chat, click the "+" button in the lower left
- Select "Connectors"
- Toggle on the Consensus connector for that conversation
- Claude can now access your Consensus demos, demoboards, and data
Tips for Users:
- You only need to authenticate once; credentials are securely stored
- You can enable/disable the connector per conversation using the "+" menu
- Use the "Search and tools" menu to see which Consensus tools are available
- You can disconnect at any time through Settings > Connectors
Security:
- Claude never sees your Consensus password (OAuth authentication)
- You only access Consensus data you have permission to view
- You can revoke access anytime by disconnecting the connector
Setup Instructions for Consensus MCP Server in ChatGPT
Important: Since Consensus MCP Server includes write capabilities (creating and updating demoboards), it requires Developer Mode, which is currently in beta for Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans only.
For ChatGPT Workspace Admins (Business/Enterprise/Edu)
Step 1: Enable Developer Mode
- Go to Workspace Settings → Permissions & Roles → Connected Data
- Find "Developer mode / Create custom MCP connectors"
- Toggle it ON
- Review and acknowledge the security warnings
Important Security Notes:
- Developer Mode allows write/modify actions
- Only enable for trusted MCP servers
- Be aware of prompt injection risks
- ChatGPT will show confirmation modals before write actions
Step 2: Create the Consensus Custom MCP Connector
- Go to Workspace Settings → Apps (or Settings → Apps & Connectors)
- Click Create to add a new connector
- Fill in the connector details:
- Name: "Consensus"
- Description: "Create and manage Consensus demos and demoboards"
- Icon (optional): Upload Consensus logo
- MCP server URL: Your Consensus MCP server URL with /mcp path
- Example: https://mcp.goconsensus.com/mcp
- Authentication: Set to "OAuth"
- Click Create
Step 3: Publish the Connector
- The connector will be saved as a Draft
- Go to Workspace Settings → Apps
- Click on Drafts tab
- Find your Consensus connector and click Publish
- Review safety warnings (especially for write actions)
- Confirm publication
For Enterprise/Edu Only:
- You can use RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) to determine which users can access the connector
- You can control specific actions the connector can take
Note for Business Plans:
- Connectors cannot be updated after publishing (at launch)
- To change tools or metadata, you must recreate and republish
For End Users (After Admin Setup)
Step 1: Connect to the Consensus App
- Go to Settings → Apps & Connectors
- Find "Consensus" in the list (will have a "Custom" label)
- Click Connect
- You'll be redirected to complete OAuth authentication with Consensus
- Sign in with your Consensus credentials
- Review and approve the requested permissions
- You'll be redirected back to ChatGPT
Step 2: Enable in Conversations
- Open a new chat or existing conversation
- Click the "+" button in the message composer
- Select "Apps" or find it under "More"
- Toggle on the Consensus app for that conversation
Important - Approving Write Actions:
When ChatGPT attempts to create or update a demoboard:
- ChatGPT will display a confirmation modal showing the action
- Review the action carefully
- Click Confirm to proceed
- Optional: Check "Remember for this conversation" if you trust the action
Beta Status Notice
Current Status: Developer Mode with full MCP support (including write actions) is in beta as of January 2026.
- Functionality, UI, and permissions may change as OpenAI iterates
- Security warnings will appear when enabling write-capable connectors
- OpenAI describes this feature as "powerful but dangerous"
Official OpenAI Resources:
- Developer Mode Documentation: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12584461-developer-mode-apps-and-full-mcp-connectors-in-chatgpt-beta
- Apps in ChatGPT: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/11487775-connectors-in-chatgpt
- Apps SDK (for building): https://developers.openai.com/apps-sdk
Using the Consensus MCP Server
Once configured, you can search and access your Consensus demos directly in Claude. The MCP server provides the search_demos tool for finding demos by various criteria.
Example Queries
Try these sample queries to explore your Consensus content:
- "Show me demos about [your product] and HubSpot"
- "Find demos about integrations"
- "Show me a door opener demo"
- "Find a demo to send to a customer about dynamic tours"
- "Show me demos about interactive walkthroughs"
Claude will use the MCP server to search your Consensus library and provide relevant results.
Troubleshooting
MCP server not appearing:
- Ensure Claude Desktop was completely restarted (not just minimized)
- Verify your JSON syntax is correct (no missing commas or brackets)
- Check that your auth token is properly inserted between the quotation marks
Connection errors:
- Verify your auth token is still valid by logging into app.goconsensus.com
- Ensure you have an active internet connection
- Confirm Node.js and npx are properly installed
Need help? Contact your Consensus Customer Success team or submit a support request through your customer portal.