Establishing a Connection
The CData MCP Server for Microsoft Dynamics NAV defines each connection to Microsoft Dynamics NAV as a named configuration that Claude can use when sending natural language queries.
You create and manage these configurations using the MCP Configuration Tool. The tool automatically handles formatting, storage, and registration with Claude Desktop.
Understanding Connection Configurations
Each connection configuration is stored in a .mcp file. This file includes the details needed to initialize the connector when Claude starts a session.
- On Windows, configuration files are stored in "~/AppData/Roaming/CData/Microsoft Dynamics NAV Data Provider/".
- On macOS, configuration files are stored in "~/Library/Application Support/CData/Microsoft Dynamics NAV Data Provider/".
The .mcp file is a text file that contains a list of connection properties and a timestamp. For example:
#Tue May 20 15:48:40 EDT 2025 AuthScheme=Basic User=myUser Password=myPassword Security Token=myToken
The configuration tool handles these settings automatically. Each saved configuration enables Claude to launch a dedicated MCP Server instance with the correct connector and options. Manual file editing is not required.
Connecting to Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Before the server can connect with Microsoft Dynamics NAV, OData services need to be enabled on the server. Once OData Services are enabled, the server will be able to query any services that are published on the server.
In addition, specify a URL to a valid Microsoft Dynamics NAV server organization root (e.g. http://MyServer:7048) and a ServerInstance (e.g. DynamicsNAV71). If there is not a Service Default Company for the server, set the Company (e.g. 'CRONUS Canada, Inc.') as well.
In a multitenant installation, specify the tenant Id in Tenant (e.g. 'Cronus1').
Authenticating to Microsoft Dynamics NAV
To authenticate, set the User and Password properties to valid Microsoft Dynamics NAV logon credentials or Windows user credentials. Select the appropriate authentication method in AuthScheme.
Auth Schemes
The available authentication schemes are configured in IIS where Dynamics NAV is hosted. In IIS you can select to enable or disable Digest, Basic, Windows, or Anonymous authentication. Please consult with your Dynamics NAV admin to determine which authentication scheme is appropriate for you. Set AuthScheme to one of the following:
- NEGOTIATE (default) - It is part of the Windows authentication, also known as Kerberos.
- BASIC - Basic authentication.
- DIGEST - Digest authentication.
- NTLM - Part of the Windows authentication.
- NONE - Anonymous authentication.