Short answer
Connect Claude to Salesforce or HubSpot through the vendor's hosted MCP server, added as a connector in Claude. Start read-only, let Claude act as the signed-in user so CRM permissions still apply, require a person to approve every write, and test the connection in a sandbox or test portal before production.
What MCP does here
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets an AI assistant call tools in another system. Salesforce and HubSpot both publish hosted MCP servers. Once one is added to Claude as a connector, Claude can search records, read fields and, if you allow it, create or update records, all inside the chat.
Setup order we recommend
- Pick the scope. Name the two or three jobs Claude should do first, for example meeting prep from account history or drafting follow-ups from opportunity notes. Scope decides which objects and fields Claude needs.
- Use a sandbox or test portal first. Connect Claude to a Salesforce sandbox or a HubSpot test account and run the jobs with test data.
- Run as the signed-in user. Prefer OAuth connections where Claude acts with each person's own CRM permissions. A shared integration user with broad access gives everyone that access through Claude.
- Read-only first. Turn on read tools only. Add write tools later, one at a time, with confirmation before each write.
- Control it centrally. On Claude Team or Enterprise, admins decide which connectors are available to whom. Allow the CRM connector only for the groups in scope.
- Log and review. Keep the CRM's own audit history on, and check who used the connector and what changed during the first weeks.
What to check with compliance
- Which data classes may flow into Claude (client names, account numbers, notes) and which may not.
- Whether the conversation itself is a record you must keep, and where it is kept.
- Who reviews AI-drafted client communications before they're sent.
When MCP isn't the right tool
For a fixed, high-volume process, such as classifying every inbound case, a scheduled integration that calls the Claude API directly is easier to test and monitor than a chat connector. Use MCP for work where a person is in the loop.
Official documentation
Frequently asked questions
Does Claude see all of our CRM data when connected through MCP?
It sees what the connection's user can see. With OAuth as the signed-in user, Claude has the same record and field access that person has in Salesforce or HubSpot, and nothing more.
Can Claude update Salesforce or HubSpot records?
Yes, if you enable write tools. We recommend starting read-only and adding writes one at a time, with a person confirming each change.
Salesforce, HubSpot, Anthropic and OpenAI change their products often. Check the official documentation before you rely on a specific setting, limit or price.