The CData MCP Server for ShipStation defines each connection to ShipStation 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/ShipStation Data Provider/".
• On macOS, configuration files are stored in "~/Library/Application Support/CData/ShipStation 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.

Use the BASIC Authentication standard to connect to ShipStation.

Connecting to ShipStation

1. Login to your ShipStation account: ShipStation Login.
2. Click on the settings icon in the upper right corner. A column menu will show up on the left.
3. Click Account -> API Settings.
4. On the API Settings page, note the API Key and API Secret.

Authenticating to ShipStation

• APIKey: Set this to the API key from the API settings page.
• APISecret: Set this to the Secret key from the API settings page.