Claude Desktop connects to ADP through the CData MCP Server for ADP using the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

When you launch Claude, it automatically detects MCP connections registered during setup. These connections are created and saved using the MCP Configuration Tool, which is installed with the MCP Server.

Each saved connection is recognized by Claude and can be referenced by name when asking questions.

Installing Claude

Claude Desktop is a standalone application that enables natural language querying across supported data sources using the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

To connect to ADP via MCP, you first need to install the Claude Desktop application.

You can download the latest version from the official Claude Download Page.

After installing Claude Desktop, you can configure your MCP connection using the CData MCP Driver for ADP.

How Claude Uses the Server

When you ask Claude a question, it launches the corresponding MCP Server connection, reads the available tool descriptions provided by the connector, and generates a secure query in the background.

There is no need to write SQL or teach Claude how to query your data. Each tool is self-describing, and Claude consumes those descriptions to determine how to retrieve the right information.

Example Prompts

After setup, you can ask Claude natural-language questions like:

• "What was my total payroll cost for last month?"
• "Show me the legal names of all active employees."
• "Can you give me a list of work emails for all full-time employees?"
• "Which assignments have changed pay rate in the last 30 days?"
• "Break down total remuneration by type (base, bonus, benefits) for Q4."
• "Who submitted time cards late last month?"
• "Show me total hours worked per employee for the last 2 weeks."
• "Who submitted time cards late last month?"
• "Which applicants have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science?"
• "List all active work assignments by department."

Claude securely executes the query using the MCP Server and responds using the live results from ADP.