How to Connect Anthropic Claude Code to LeadCeleris with MCP

Claude Code can connect to LeadCeleris through MCP and work with the CRM, WhatsApp conversations, pipeline, knowledge base, and sales agent settings. The connection uses a remote HTTP server, so there is no LeadCeleris package to install and no local database to expose.

This guide is specifically for Claude Code, Anthropic's terminal-based agent. Claude.ai custom connectors use a different hosted OAuth flow. LeadCeleris currently authenticates MCP clients with revocable bearer API keys, which Claude Code supports directly through a request header.

Understand the connection

Claude Code sends MCP protocol requests to https://app.leadceleris.com/api/mcp. It includes your LeadCeleris API key in the Authorization header. LeadCeleris validates the key, resolves its organization, and limits every tool call to that workspace. Claude never needs your LeadCeleris password.

Prerequisites

You need an active LeadCeleris workspace, access to Developers, Claude Code installed, and a terminal where the claude command runs. Update Claude Code if its MCP commands are missing. Anthropic supports remote HTTP MCP servers and custom headers in current Claude Code releases.

Create a separate LeadCeleris key

Sign in to LeadCeleris, open Developers, and create an API key named something recognizable such as "Claude Code personal laptop." Copy the complete lc_live_ key when it appears. Only the prefix remains visible later, so losing the full value means you should revoke it and create another.

Do not reuse the same key for Codex, Claude Code, an automation, and a coworker's machine. Separate keys make last-used activity meaningful and let you disconnect one client without creating downtime for the others. Treat every key like a password.

Add LeadCeleris to Claude Code

Run claude mcp add with HTTP transport, user scope, the server name leadceleris, and the LeadCeleris MCP URL. Add an Authorization header whose value is Bearer followed by your full key. User scope makes the server available across your local projects.

The command is: claude mcp add --transport http --scope user leadceleris https://app.leadceleris.com/api/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_LEADCELERIS_API_KEY". Replace the placeholder before running it. Be aware that a literal key in terminal history is sensitive. Clear or protect shell history according to your operating system.

For team-managed project configuration, Claude Code also supports an .mcp.json file and environment-variable expansion in HTTP headers. That is a better pattern when teammates share the server definition but keep their own LEADCELERIS_API_KEY values. Never commit the actual key.

Verify the server

Start Claude Code and enter /mcp. Confirm that leadceleris appears as connected and exposes its tools. You can also run claude mcp list or claude mcp get leadceleris outside the interactive session. If it is absent, check the scope and repeat the add command.

Use a safe first request: "Use LeadCeleris to show the workspace overview. Read only. Do not update contacts, send messages, change agent settings, or create knowledge." The result should identify your organization and summarize its channels, contacts, messages, escalations, orders, and bookings.

Then ask Claude to list recent conversations, inspect one contact, and summarize what the customer needs. These read operations prove that the key points to the correct workspace before you approve a tool that changes data.

Practical Claude workflows

Ask Claude to prepare a morning sales briefing containing hot leads, unanswered qualified contacts, open escalations, and the newest bookings. This gives an operator a single prioritized list. The same discipline helps multi-client teams using the pattern in our agency WhatsApp CRM guide.

For conversation work, ask Claude to summarize a selected contact and draft a reply without sending it. Review the recipient and text, then explicitly ask it to send only if the draft is correct. This two-step pattern prevents a broad prompt from contacting the wrong customer.

Claude can add structured knowledge entries for products, services, FAQs, policies, promotions, store details, or locations. Ask it to repeat the proposed fields before creation. Correct business knowledge is what makes FAQ automation useful instead of generic.

For agent configuration, begin with a read. Ask Claude to show the advanced prompt and natural-language escalation rules, explain a proposed change, and wait for approval. Prompt editing is powerful because it affects future customer conversations, so keep each change small and testable.

Know the write boundaries

LeadCeleris marks contact updates, message sending, agent configuration changes, and knowledge creation as write actions. Claude Code may ask for permission when it calls them. Read the tool name and arguments before approving. Avoid an allow-always choice for customer messaging until you have tested the workflow carefully.

Troubleshooting

A 401 error means the Authorization header did not reach LeadCeleris or the key is invalid. Confirm the word Bearer, the space after it, and the full key. If the server connects but data is empty, confirm that the relevant WhatsApp channel belongs to this workspace and has current contacts.

Opening the MCP URL in a normal browser returns a method error by design. The server accepts stateless Streamable HTTP POST requests generated by an MCP client. This does not mean the service is offline.

To disconnect, run claude mcp remove leadceleris and revoke the matching API key in LeadCeleris Developers. Removing only the local entry is incomplete because any copied credential would remain valid until revocation.

Claude Code is best used as an operations copilot, while LeadCeleris remains the system handling live conversations, lead scores, and follow-ups. For a broader view of that operating model, read how to train AI with real chat logs.

The LeadCeleris MCP hub contains the current endpoint, all available tools, safe example prompts, and the matching Codex guide. Create one named key, verify with read-only tools, and let LeadCeleris keep sensitive write actions visible while Claude helps your team move faster.