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Connecting The Layer to AI assistants with MCP (Claude, ChatGPT and more)

Use The Layer's MCP server to connect your CRM to AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT, then ask about customers, cases, pipeline, quotations and renewals in plain English.

Written by Nick Kewney

The Layer now includes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, so you can connect your CRM directly to AI assistants such as Claude and ChatGPT. Once connected, you can ask your assistant about your customers, support cases, sales pipeline, quotations and renewals in plain English, and it answers using live data from your Layer tenant. It can also help you take action, such as logging a call, adding a note or raising a case.

Think of it as a natural-language layer over The Layer: instead of clicking through screens, you ask a question and your assistant pulls the answer together for you.

What is MCP?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI assistants connect securely to external tools and data. The Layer's MCP server exposes a curated set of read and write actions against your CRM. Your assistant can only see and do what your own Layer login allows, and every connection runs through a secure OAuth sign-in that you control.

Before you start

You'll need:

  • A Layer login with access to the records you want to query. The connection respects your existing Layer permissions, so your assistant can only access what you can.

  • The Layer MCP server enabled for your tenant. If you're not sure whether it's switched on, contact your account manager or the Layer support team.

  • An AI assistant that supports custom remote MCP connectors. For example:

    • Claude on Free, Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise (Free plans are limited to one custom connector).

    • ChatGPT on Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu, with Developer Mode enabled. Custom connectors are not available on the free ChatGPT plan.

    • Other MCP-capable assistants (such as Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity or Mistral Le Chat) can connect using the same server URL.

The connection details are the same for every assistant:

  • MCP Server URL: https://mcp.thelayer.com/mcp

  • Authentication: OAuth

What your AI assistant can do

Once connected, you can ask questions and request actions in everyday language. Here are some of the things you can do, with example prompts. (In the examples, replace "Acme Communications" with one of your own customers.)

Find and understand your customers

  • "Give me a 360 overview of Acme Communications."

  • "What's the health verdict for Acme Communications, and why?"

  • "What does Acme have with us, including services, products and monthly recurring revenue?"

  • "Compare Acme Communications and Brightwave Telecom."

  • "Who are our top 10 customers by MRR?"

Stay ahead of risk and renewals

  • "Which customers are showing risk signals right now?"

  • "What services are due to expire in the next 90 days?"

  • "Show me every open case for Acme Communications."

Manage support cases

  • "List the open cases raised this week."

  • "How many open cases do we have across the business?"

  • "Open a case for Acme Communications about a billing query, priority high."

  • "Summarise the email correspondence on case 12345."

  • "Add a note to case 12345 and move it to In Progress."

Track your sales pipeline

  • "Show me the open quotations across the business."

  • "What opportunities are linked to Acme Communications?"

  • "Pull up quotation QUO-1234 and tell me what's on it."

  • "Move the Acme opportunity to the next stage."

Look up people, products and services

  • "Find the contact for [email protected]."

  • "Who are the contacts at Acme Communications?"

  • "What hardware does this customer have on their account?"

  • "Search the catalogue for our hosted voice tariffs."

Log activity and run reports

  • "Log a phone call against this customer summarising what we discussed."

  • "What have I done in The Layer today?"

  • "List the custom reports available to me, then run the renewals report for this quarter."

The exact actions available to you depend on your Layer permissions and how your tenant is configured.

How to connect (Claude)

  1. In Claude, go to Settings → Connectors (also shown as Customize → Connectors).

  2. Click the + button next to Connectors and choose Add custom connector.

  3. Enter a name (for example, "The Layer") and set the URL to https://mcp.thelayer.com/mcp.

  4. Click Add. Claude opens a secure OAuth sign-in. Log in with your Layer credentials and approve access.

Team & Enterprise note: an Owner or Primary Owner needs to add the connector once under Organization settings → Connectors before members can connect individually.

How to connect (ChatGPT)

  1. Go to Settings → Connectors → Advanced settings and turn on Developer Mode. (Custom connectors require a paid plan. On Business and Enterprise accounts the toggle may sit under Workspace or Organization settings.)

  2. Back in Connectors, click Create.

  3. Give the connector a name (for example, "The Layer"), set the MCP Server URL to https://mcp.thelayer.com/mcp, and set Authentication to OAuth.

  4. Click Create and complete the Layer OAuth sign-in to grant access.

  5. In a new chat, open the + / connected-apps menu, switch The Layer on, and start asking questions.

How your data stays secure

  • OAuth sign-in. You authenticate with your own Layer credentials through a secure sign-in screen. You never give your assistant your password.

  • Your permissions apply. Your assistant can only access the data your Layer login can access. It cannot see anything you cannot.

  • You approve actions. Assistants ask before performing write actions such as creating a case or logging a call, and you can decline.

  • Revoke any time. You can disconnect The Layer from your assistant's connector settings whenever you like.

Tips for great results

  • Be specific. Name the customer, case number or quotation reference you mean.

  • Start read-only. Ask questions first to get a feel for it before using write actions.

  • Ask follow-ups. Your assistant keeps context, so you can drill down (for example, "now show me their open cases").

  • Check write actions. Read what your assistant proposes before approving a case, note or status change.

  • Mind the scope. If a record doesn't appear, check your Layer permissions for that customer or area.

Troubleshooting

  • I can't see the option to add a custom connector. Check that your plan supports custom connectors (see "Before you start"). In ChatGPT you also need Developer Mode enabled; in Claude Team or Enterprise, an Owner must add the connector first.

  • It connects but can't find a customer. Your assistant only sees what your Layer login can. Confirm you have access to that record in The Layer itself.

  • The server URL won't authorise. Double-check the URL (https://mcp.thelayer.com/mcp) and that the MCP server is enabled for your tenant. Contact your account manager if you're unsure.

  • Can my assistant change data? Yes, it can take certain actions such as creating a case, adding a note or logging a call, but only with your approval and only within your permissions.

Need a hand?

If you'd like the MCP server enabled for your tenant, or you have questions about getting set up, contact your account manager or the Layer support team.

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