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Connecting CartonCloud to external AI systems (Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini etc)

Table of Contents

Purpose

The CartonCloud MCP connector lets you work with your CartonCloud data from inside an AI assistant (eg: Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, etc). Once connected, you can ask your AI assistant to find customers, look up orders, check stock levels, and create or update records, using plain English. You can also ask how a CartonCloud feature works, and it will search the CartonCloud Help Centre for you.

The connector is available now on all CartonCloud plans.

The assistant acts as you. It can only see and do what your CartonCloud user can see and do based on your User Role.

Before You Begin

You will need:

  • A CartonCloud user account that you can sign in to at the CartonCloud web app. Users created only for API access (API Clients) can't connect.
  • An AI Assistant account that can add custom connectors. Each AI Assistant decides which of their plans and roles can do this, so check their guides first (linked in the next section).
  • The CartonCloud MCP server address for your region. It matches the address you use to sign in to CartonCloud:
If you sign in at Use this server address
app.cartoncloud.com https://mcp.cartoncloud.com/mcp
app.na.cartoncloud.com https://mcp.na.cartoncloud.com/mcp

Note: adding a connector to a company AI Assistant workspace is usually limited to the workspace owner or admin. If that isn't you, send them this article. Once they have added the connector, each person still signs in with their own CartonCloud user.

 

Connecting

Each AI Assistant has its own steps for adding a custom connector. Follow their guides, using the CartonCloud details below.

When they ask for details, enter:

  • Name: CartonCloud
  • Server address: the address for your region from Before You Begin
  • Authentication: sign-in with OAuth. CartonCloud doesn't use an API key for this connection.

When you reach the sign-in step, carry on with What Happens the First Time You Connect.

What Happens the First Time You Connect

  • Your AI Assistant opens a CartonCloud sign-in. Sign in with your normal CartonCloud user, the same way you sign in to the web app.
  • You then see a page titled MCP access. It tells you that the connection will act as you on the tenants you already belong to, and lists those tenants.
  • Check that the Return URL shown is the address you expect.
  • Click Allow and return to your app.
  • You go back to your AI Assistant, which is now connected.

Note: The connection never sees your CartonCloud password. Your AI Assistant only receives a temporary access that renews automatically while you keep using it.

 

If you belong to more than one CartonCloud tenant

The connection covers every active tenant you belong to. When you ask a question, the assistant asks which tenant you mean, or you can name it in your request. If you belong to only one tenant, it uses that one without asking.

Things You Can Ask

Try requests like these:

  • "Which customers do we have set up?"
  • "Show me the inbound orders for Coastal Coffee Company this week."
  • "How many pallets of product ABC-123 do we have in stock?"
  • "Find outbound orders that are still in draft."
  • "Create a draft inbound order for Coastal Coffee Company with 20 cartons of ABC-123."
  • "Give me a link to the Customer Stock report."

 

Caution: Your AI Assistant may ask you to approve each action before they run it. Read the details before you approve anything that creates or changes data.

 

Troubleshooting

I can't add the connector. Adding a connector to a company AI Assistant workspace is limited to owners and admins. Ask your workspace admin to add it, or to give you permission. Their guides list which plans and roles can do this.

The CartonCloud page says "Open this page from your MCP client."

The page was opened directly. Start again from your AI Assistant and select Connect.

The CartonCloud page says "Unable to load your account."

Your CartonCloud session couldn't be found. Sign in to CartonCloud in the same browser, then try connecting again.

The page says "Unable to authorise the application."

Wait a moment and try again. If it keeps happening, lodge a case via CartonCloud Help.

The sign-in fails or the assistant says the redirect address is invalid.

Remove the connector and add it again, then try signing in again. If it still fails, lodge a case via CartonCloud Help.

The assistant says I need to choose a tenant. You belong to more than one tenant. Tell the assistant which tenant to use, for example "Use Acme Logistics".

I connected, but I can't see some data, or an action is refused.

The assistant has the same access as your CartonCloud user. Ask your CartonCloud Administrator to check your user's permissions.

The assistant says it can't delete something.

Deleting records isn't available through the connector yet. Delete the record in CartonCloud instead.

The assistant asks me to sign in again.

Your connection has expired. Disconnect, then connect again.

Still stuck?

Lodge a case via CartonCloud Help and tell us which assistant you're using and what message you see.

Disconnecting

To stop an assistant accessing CartonCloud, disconnect or remove the CartonCloud connector in your AI Assistant. Their guides explain how:

Note: disconnecting doesn't delete anything in CartonCloud. Conversations you've already had stay in your AI Assistant until you delete them there.