MCP Connectors for AI Agents
Connect your AI agents to external applications using preconfigured MCP connectors from the catalog or custom connectors built with the Model Context Protocol
This article explains how to set up connectors for AI agents to expand their capabilities. You'll learn how to add preconfigured connectors from the catalog and configure your own MCP (Model Context Protocol) connectors to connect your agents to external applications.
Key benefits and use cases
Connectors give agents access to tools and services. Connections determine which authenticated account the agent uses.
- awork provides preconfigured connectors.
- You can also create custom connectors using the MCP protocol.
Connectors vs. connections
- A connector defines the external service and the technical access to it.
- A connection is a specific account for that service that has been set up and authenticated.
A connector can have multiple connections.
If multiple connections are available, a selector appears. You can use it to choose which connection the agent should use.
Manage connectors in the Library
- Open the Library
- Go to Einstellungen (the gear icon at the bottom left of the main menu) > Library
- Or open AI in the main menu on the left and click the Library button in the top right.
- Go to the connectors section
In the Library, you'll see a navigation menu on the left with the sections Agents, Skills, and Konnektoren. Select Konnektoren to view the available connections.
Filter connectors
Use the filters at the top of the Library to narrow down the connectors displayed:
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Installiert: Shows all installed connectors, including accounts that can't be used or have been revoked.
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Verbunden: Shows connectors with an account that can be used. This also applies if agent access is disabled or no personal default connection has been selected.
Install a new connector
- Click + Konnektor below the search field.
- Click the Neu installieren tile to open the connector catalog.
- Install a connector from the catalog
A modal with the connector catalog opens. The catalog displays all available connectors in a grid. A search field is available at the top. Select the connector you want from the list. - Configure the connector details
After you select a connector, a form appears with the following fields:- Konnektor-Name: The name of the connection
- Beschreibung: An explanation of what the connector provides
- For connectors that require OAuth, additional fields appear. Configure the OAuth app with the provider, then enter the client credentials here:
- OAuth-Client-ID: The client ID from the provider
- OAuth-Client-Secret: The corresponding secret
- Redirect-URL: The callback URL for authentication in the provider's app.
- A link to the OAuth-Einrichtungsanleitung can help you with the configuration.
- Save the connector
Click Speichern to create the connector. Click Abbrechen to discard your changes, or Zurück to return to the catalog. - Allow access
When you set up MCP connectors in the desktop app, your system browser opens for authorization. After authorization succeeds or fails, a desktop link takes you back to awork, where the connection process continues or refreshes. In the web app, authorization works as usual in a pop-up.
The first person in the workspace to add a connector of a particular type sets up the first connector and automatically creates a personal connection. The connector is then available to other users, who can set up their own connections to it.
💡 The connector is created once in the workspace and then appears in the Installierten Konnektoren list. After that, other users can set up their own connection to it.
Create a custom MCP connector
If a service you need isn't included in the preconfigured catalog, you can configure your own connector using the MCP protocol.
- In the connectors section, click + Konnektor below the search field.
- In the Installierte Konnektoren modal, click the + Neu installieren button.
- In the connector catalog, click the Eigenen Konnektor einrichten tile.
- Configure the MCP connector
Fill in the following fields:
- Konnektor-Name: A descriptive name for the external application
- Beschreibung: Explain what the application provides and when it should be used
- MCP-Server-URL: The URL of the MCP server (e.g., https://example.com/mcp)
- Set workspace availability
Select the Diesen Konnektor für den Workspace verfügbar machen checkbox if you want all team members to have access to this connector.
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Advanced OAuth settings (optional)
Use the dropdown arrow to configure additional authentication options if needed. Configure the OAuth app with the provider, then enter the client credentials here. The form indicates whether a secret is required:- If the form displays only the Client-ID field, the client ID alone is sufficient. The secret isn't required for this public client flow and won't be transmitted.
- If both fields are displayed, you need both the Client-ID and Client-Secret.
- A secret without a client ID will be rejected.
Validation errors appear next to the relevant fields. If the login can't be verified, check the server URL and try again.
Add the listed redirect URL to the provider's app.
This also lets you connect internal systems or services that aren't included in the preconfigured awork connector catalog.
Custom connectors set up by other users appear in the Installierte Konnektoren modal. You can use one of these servers and connect it to your personal authentication if needed.
Set up a connector through the AI chat
Instead of using the Library, you can also set up a custom MCP connector directly in the AI chat.
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Start setting up an integration directly in the AI chat: The awork agent will guide you through a step-by-step, conversational setup process and ask for the required credentials.
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Enter your credentials: When prompted, enter the requested credentials in the chat. awork captures and processes the information you enter through a secure form, so it won't remain visible in plain text in the chat history. The credentials required depend on the connector. The connection to the external provider is established only after you sign in and grant access.
Important: If you enter incorrect credentials, the awork agent will ask you to correct them. Follow the instructions in the chat and enter the information again.
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Once all the required information has been saved, the agent automatically continues the setup. The connection to the external provider is established only after you sign in and grant access.
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Save scripts and support text as skill files: During setup, you can save scripts and support text as UTF-8-encoded skill files. The agent can then use these files as a knowledge base.
Suggest a new connector
In the connector catalog, you'll find a Konnektor vorschlagen link below the search field. Use it to tell us the Name of the tool you'd like to use, and optionally provide its Website and a link to the tool's MCP Server Dokumentation.
Manage connections
A single connector can have multiple authenticated accounts.
Add connections
There are several ways to add your own connections for a connector:
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When you first install a connector.
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Click the + Konnektor button in the Library and select the connector from the list of Installierten Konnektoren.
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In the connector section of the Library, go to the Installiert tab. You'll see all the connectors you've already installed. Click the Verbinden button.
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For a connector you've already installed, open the Aktionsmenü, select Verbindungen verwalten, then click the + Hinzufügen button in the Verbindungen section.
You can rename a connection by clicking directly on its row ("Konto von User").
Once you have multiple connections, a selector appears on the connector card. Use it to choose which connection the agent should use.
Select a connection for your own agent
For your own agents, you can select, change, or delete a specific connector account. You can do this in the Agent Library, in the chat, or in the agent details.
Your selection is saved for each user and remains in place across chats and page reloads. It doesn't affect other users' selections. Selecting a connection alone does not activate the connector.
A connection specified in the Agent Editor takes precedence over your personal selection.
When an operation starts, the currently selected account is locked in for that operation. Changes to your selection apply only to future operations, not to ones that are already running.
Share a connection
You can share connectors with other users if the required global permissions are in place.
You can also share authenticated connections with team members.
When you share a connection, the original authentication secrets aren't exposed. Instead, the connection is made available to other users according to the sharing method you choose.
- For the connector you want, open the Aktionsmenü and select Verbindungen verwalten.
- In the Verbindungen section, click the Aktionsmenü.
- Select Verbindung teilen.
In the sharing dialog, you can choose who can access the skill:
- Allgemeiner Zugriff: Choose whether and how your organization can access the connection. Set the access permission to Keine or Lesen.
- Individueller Zugriff: Click User oder Team hinzufügen to add individual users or teams.
The shared connection will then also appear in those users' Library.
Shared connections are especially useful when multiple team members need to use the same account.
This lets team members use an existing connection without having to set it up themselves, when they don't need their own account or authentication.
Delete a connection
- For the connector you want, open the Aktionsmenü.
- Select Verbindung löschen.
Enable and disable connectors for agent access
An enabled connector expands the content or capabilities available to the agent.
You can enable a connector for agents in general directly from its connector card in the Library. To do this, use the Schalter:
- Aktiv: Agents can use the connector.
- Deaktiviert: Agents can't connect to the external tool through the connector. If needed, you can also enable the connector for a single run. If a required connection is missing, a notice will appear for that connector.
Add a connector directly to an agent
- In the Library, go to the Agents section.
- For an agent, click Details to open the agent details.
- In the Konnektoren section of the agent details, click the Hinzufügen button. A dropdown menu opens with two options:
- Vorhandenen Konnektor hinzufügen: Select a connector that's already configured. Use the search field or the Verbunden and Installiert filters to find and add the connector you want.
- Neuen Konnektor erstellen: Create a new connector right away.
The agent can now use the connector.
Define connection settings
Use the selection menu to choose whether to use an existing connection (Verbindung zuordnen) or require each user to authenticate (Jeder User meldet sich an).
Once you've selected an agent for the AI chat, click + Konnektoren to see the available connectors.
Connectors are divided into:
- Aktive Konnektoren: The connectors the agent is currently using.
- Deaktivierte Konnektoren: Connectors you can enable if needed.
If you open the Library from here, the agent's configuration is already applied, and you'll see the items enabled for the connector.
Manage connectors as an admin
The Admin filter is only available to workspace admins.
In the Library, select the Admin filter to see a workspace-wide overview of connectors and management options. For each connector, you'll see the number of connections and the installation date.
The admin view also shows connectors and connections belonging to other users, even if they aren't yours or haven't been shared with you. Visibility alone doesn't grant permission to use them. You can only use a connection if you have access to it through ownership or sharing. Credentials aren't displayed in the admin view.
Click a connector's action menu to see the available actions:
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Verbindungen verwalten: Opens connection management.
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Löschen: Removes the connector.
As a workspace admin, you can also delete other users' MCP connections, even if you don't own them. Regular users can only delete their own connections.
- Open the connector's connections: For the connector you want, select Verbindungen verwalten from the action menu. You'll also see connections owned by other users.
- Select a connection to delete: Open the action menu for the connection and select Verbindung löschen.
- Confirm the deletion: Confirm the action in the dialog that appears. The connection will then be removed.
Workspace admins can't rename or reauthorize connections owned by others. Owners retain their existing right to delete their own connections. Simply sharing or viewing a connection doesn't give other people permission to delete it.
Being able to see or delete a connection in the admin view doesn't mean you can use someone else's connection with agents. You need to own the connection or have the appropriate access through sharing.
Troubleshooting and notes
- Typos when setting up a connector: If you enter incorrect credentials or make a typo when first setting up a connector, you'll need to delete and recreate it. You can't change the credentials.
FAQ
What is a connector?
A connector links to an external service and defines how to access it technically.
What is a connection?
A connection is a specific account that's been set up and authenticated for a connector.
Can a connector have multiple connections?
Yes. A connector can have multiple authenticated accounts. You can use the selector to choose which connection the agent should use.
Can you share connections with team members?
Yes. You can share an authenticated connection with other users. The shared connection will then also appear in their Library.
Are credentials visible when you share a connection?
No. The original authentication secrets aren't revealed when you share a connection.
Can I connect to a service that awork doesn't offer as a connector?
Yes. You can create your own connector using the MCP protocol.
Can an agent use a shared connection?
Yes. An agent can use a shared connection without the user having to set up their own authentication.
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