Claude Desktop connects to QuickBooks through the CData MCP Server for QuickBooks 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 QuickBooks 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 QuickBooks.

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 are my total sales by customer for the last quarter?"
• "Show me a list of unpaid invoices and their due dates."
• "Which customers have overdue balances?"
• "Give me a breakdown of income by account for the current fiscal year."
• "List all payments received in the past 30 days."
• "What are the top five products by revenue this month?"
• "Show all vendor bills that are still unpaid."
• "What was our net profit last month?"
• "Which customers haven't made a purchase in the last 6 months?"
• "What is our total payroll expense year to date?"

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