MCP Integration: Setup Guide

What Is the Summit53 MCP Server?

The Summit53 MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server brings the Summit53 Revenue Engine into compatible AI assistants. It lets your team diagnose what is happening, decide the next best action, execute permitted workflows, and preserve value evidence around the Figure-Eight revenue loop — using live Summit53 and CRM context rather than generic model knowledge.

The production release gate currently freezes 78 externally published functions across 17 categories: Search, Opportunity Strategy, Revenue Loop, Account Intelligence, Customer Success, Pipeline & Risk, RevOps, Forecasting, Activity, Research, Notes & Activities, Outreach, Value Impact, Coaching, Knowledge Base, Job Lifecycle, and Discovery. That count is a compatibility fact, not the product proposition. The functions visible to a client depend on granted scopes and the user’s Summit53 permissions; use list_available_tools to discover the current session’s surface. The in-product Ask Summit53 assistant is a separate, read-only surface and does not mirror the external catalogue.

Interactive clients use OAuth with PKCE. Approved service integrations may use scoped static API keys, but API keys are not part of the normal setup described below.

Prerequisites

• An active Summit53 account with organization admin access
• Access to the MCP integration page at /admin/integrations/mcp
• For Claude Desktop / Cursor / Windsurf: Node.js v18+ installed locally
• For Claude.ai or ChatGPT: A Pro, Team, or Enterprise subscription that supports connectors

Option 1: Connect to Claude.ai

Claude.ai supports MCP connectors natively through its Settings panel. This is the quickest setup path — no local software required.

Steps

1. Open claude.ai/settings/connectors (or go to Settings → Connectors in the Claude sidebar).
2. Click "Add custom connector" at the bottom of the connectors list.
3. Enter the following details:
   • Name: Summit53
   • URL: https://api.summit53.io/mcp
4. Click Save, then click Configure next to the new Summit53 connector.
5. You will be redirected to Summit53 to authorize via OAuth. Sign in with your Summit53 credentials and grant access.
6. Once authorized, the connector status will show as configured. You can now use Summit53 tools in any Claude conversation.

Option 2: Connect to ChatGPT

If your ChatGPT plan and workspace support custom MCP apps, add Summit53 through Apps settings. The connection uses Summit53 OAuth for interactive authentication.

Steps

1. Open chatgpt.com and click on your profile icon, then Settings.
2. Navigate to Apps in the settings sidebar.
3. Click "Add app" or "Connect" and add a custom app using the MCP server URL:
   • URL: https://api.summit53.io/mcp
4. Authorize Summit53 via OAuth when prompted. Sign in with your Summit53 account credentials.
5. Once connected, Summit53 will appear in your Apps list. The actions shown are the functions available to that session’s scopes and Summit53 permissions.

Preferences

In the ChatGPT connector settings, you can toggle "Reference memories and chats" to allow ChatGPT to reference relevant previous conversations when querying Summit53 data. This is off by default for privacy.

Option 3: Connect to Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop connects to Summit53 via the mcp-remote proxy, which bridges the local stdio-based MCP protocol to the remote Summit53 server.

Steps

1. Install mcp-remote (one-time):

   npx mcp-remote https://api.summit53.io/mcp/

   This will download and cache the mcp-remote package. You can also install it globally with npm install -g mcp-remote.

2. Add to Claude Desktop config. Open your claude_desktop_config.json file and add Summit53 under mcpServers:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "summit53": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": [
           "mcp-remote",
           "https://api.summit53.io/mcp/"
         ]
       }
     }
   }

   The config file location depends on your OS:

   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
   • Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
3. Restart Claude Desktop to pick up the new server configuration.
4. Authorize. When you first use a Summit53 tool, a browser window will open prompting you to sign in and authorize the MCP client to access your CRM data.

Option 4: Other MCP Clients (Cursor, Windsurf, Codex)

Any MCP-compatible client can connect to Summit53 using the same mcp-remote proxy pattern. The general approach is:

1. Add a new MCP server entry in your client’s configuration.
2. Set the command to npx mcp-remote https://api.summit53.io/mcp/
3. Authorize via OAuth when prompted on first use.

For Cursor, add the server in Settings → MCP. For Windsurf, add it in the MCP configuration panel. For Codex, configure via the CLI settings.

Token Management

After connecting a client, you can manage active tokens from the Summit53 MCP admin page at /admin/integrations/mcp.

Token Scopes

Tokens are issued with a combination of read and write scopes based on the permissions you grant at connection time:

Revoking Access

To disconnect a client, click "Revoke All" next to the client name in the Connected Clients list. This immediately invalidates all tokens for that client. The client will need to re-authorize to regain access.

Scopes, Permissions, and Approval

Business write functions always require their explicit write scope, while Job Lifecycle functions always enforce jobs:read or jobs:manage. Enforcement of the other declared read scopes is being rolled out behind a production gate. Summit53 organization, ownership, and role permissions remain authoritative for every request.

A scope authorises an operation; it does not by itself prove that a human approved that operation. Published write functions are marked as approval-requiring for clients that support approval UX. Broader high-risk write workflows remain gated until portable approval controls are available.

Long-Running Work and Jobs

Long-running functions return a durable job response instead of holding the connection open. Use get_job to inspect status and results, list_jobs to find recent work, and cancel_job to request cancellation while a job is still cancellable. Job records are retained for 30 days.

Rate Limits

The MCP server enforces rate limits to ensure fair usage across your organization:

Some tools have lower limits due to computational cost or external API usage:

Monitoring Usage

The Activity tab on the MCP admin page provides real-time usage monitoring. You can view Total Calls, Total Errors, and a Tool Usage Breakdown across 1-hour, 6-hour, 24-hour, and 7-day windows. Use this to track adoption across your team and identify any issues.

Troubleshooting

Connection fails during OAuth

Ensure you are signing in with an account that has admin access to your Summit53 organization. If using Claude Desktop, check that Node.js v18+ is installed and npx is available in your PATH.

Tools not appearing after connection

For Claude Desktop, restart the application after editing claude_desktop_config.json. For Claude.ai, try refreshing the page or starting a new conversation. For ChatGPT, click "Refresh" in the connector information panel.

Rate limit errors

If you encounter rate limit errors, wait 60 seconds before retrying. If your team consistently hits limits, contact Summit53 support to discuss higher quotas.

Token expired

OAuth access tokens last one hour and rotating refresh tokens last seven days. Compatible clients refresh access automatically. If refresh is no longer possible, reconnect the client to complete a new authorization flow.

Next Steps

• MCP User Guide — Learn how to use Summit53 tools in your daily workflow
• MCP Tool Reference — Detailed documentation for the 78-function external release-gate surface
• Integrations Overview — Connect Salesforce, Google Workspace, and other data sources
• Apply to the Founding 50 — Help shape the Revenue Engine in production