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How to Connect SmartScout to Claude, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot

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10.22.26
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SmartScout now works inside the AI assistants your team already uses. One server URL gives Claude, ChatGPT, or Microsoft Copilot access to 20 SmartScout analytics tools, and setup takes a few minutes with nothing to install.

Once connected, you can ask in plain English to search products, brands, sellers, and keywords, pull sales history and organic ranks, check ad spy data, or get a full brand, product, seller, or subcategory profile in one request.

Pick Your Platform

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Platform Plan you need Who sets it up Time
Claude on the web Claude Pro, Team, or Enterprise You About 5 minutes
Claude Desktop Claude Pro, Team, or Enterprise You Under 2 minutes
ChatGPT ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, or Edu You Under 2 minutes
Microsoft Copilot Copilot Studio license Your IT admin, once About 5 minutes

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Before You Start


You need two things for any platform.
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  • A paid plan on your AI platform. Custom connectors are not available on free plans. See the table above for each platform.
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  • Your SmartScout login and API key. You will need your SmartScout email and password, plus your API key. Find the key in your SmartScout account or ask your sales representative.
    ‍

There is nothing to install. No Docker, downloads, or config files. The SmartScout server is hosted for you at:
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https://www.smartscout.com/amazon-data-mcp


Your queries run on your own SmartScout account. Your API key sits behind a private session token and is never shown to the AI assistant or stored on the server.
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Connect SmartScout to Claude on the Web


This works in any modern browser, including Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox, and Arc.
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Step 1: Sign in to Claude


Go to claude.ai and sign in on any laptop, desktop, or tablet.
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Step 2: Open Connectors and click Customize


Click your profile picture in the bottom-left corner, then go to Settings > Connectors. At the top of the page, find the small Customize link, usually next to "Browse connectors" or in the top-right corner. Click it to show the option for adding a custom connector.

On a Team or Enterprise plan, an admin may need to turn on custom connectors first.
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Step 3: Add the SmartScout URL


Click Add custom connector and paste https://mcp.smartscout.com/. Leave Client ID and Client Secret blank, then click Save.
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Step 4: Sign in and enter your API key


Claude opens a new tab with the SmartScout authorization page. Sign in with your SmartScout email and password, then paste your API key and click Connect.

If the tab does not open, your browser is blocking pop-ups. Allow pop-ups for claude.ai and try again.
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Step 5: Allow tool permissions


The first time Claude uses a SmartScout tool, you will see a prompt such as "Claude wants to use SearchBrands from SmartScout." Choose one option:
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  • Allow once runs this call only.
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  • Allow for this chat runs freely until you close the conversation.
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  • Always allow runs without asking in every future chat. This is the best choice for tools you trust.
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If you clicked Deny by mistake, change it in Settings > Connectors > SmartScout > Permissions.
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Step 6: Start a new chat


The SmartScout tools now appear in the tools menu. Try this prompt:

Use SmartScout to show me top brands in coffee makers

The connection syncs to your Claude account, so SmartScout is ready on any browser, tablet, or phone where you sign in.
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Connect SmartScout to Claude Desktop


Step 1: Open Connectors


In Claude Desktop, go to Settings > Connectors and click Add custom connector. If you do not see the button, your workspace admin needs to turn on custom connectors (Team and Enterprise plans).
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Step 2: Paste the SmartScout URL


Enter https://mcp.smartscout.com/ as the Remote MCP server URL. Leave Client ID and Client Secret blank, then click Save. Claude Desktop opens a browser window to authorize.
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Step 3: Sign in and enter your API key


On the SmartScout authorization page, sign in with your SmartScout email and password. Then paste your API key and click Connect.
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Step 4: Start a new chat


The SmartScout tools appear in the tools tray. Try this prompt:

Use SmartScout to show me the top brands in the coffee maker subcategory
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Connect SmartScout to ChatGPT


Setup uses Developer mode, which is only available on the ChatGPT website, not the mobile apps.
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Step 1: Turn on Developer mode


On the ChatGPT website, go to Settings > Apps & Connectors > Advanced settings and switch on Developer mode. If you do not see Advanced settings, your plan or workspace admin needs to allow it.
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Step 2: Create the SmartScout app


Back in Settings > Apps & Connectors, click Create. Name the app SmartScout and paste https://mcp.smartscout.com/ as the MCP server URL.

For the app icon, upload the SmartScout logo. It is under ChatGPT's 10 KB limit. If you skip this, ChatGPT shows a generic letter instead.

Leave authentication set to OAuth (the default) and click Create. ChatGPT opens a browser step to authorize.
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Step 3: Sign in and enter your API key


On the SmartScout authorization page, sign in with your SmartScout email and password. Then paste your API key and click Connect.
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Step 4: Start a new chat


Open a new chat, add SmartScout from the + (apps) menu, and ask:

Use SmartScout to show me the top brands in the coffee maker subcategory.

Note for Plus and Pro users:
Individual plans allow read-only custom connectors. Every SmartScout tool is read-only, so all 20 work as expected.
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Connect SmartScout to Microsoft Copilot


Copilot setup has two parts. Your IT admin adds SmartScout to your organization once, which takes about 5 minutes. After that, everyone in the approved groups can use it in Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams, or the browser with no setup.
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For your IT admin: one-time setup


Step 1: Open Copilot Studio.
Sign in at copilotstudio.microsoft.com with your Microsoft 365 admin account. You need a Copilot Studio license, which most Microsoft 365 Copilot subscriptions include.

‍Step 2: Add SmartScout as a tool. Pick an agent or create a new one called "SmartScout Insights." Open the Tools tab, click Add a tool > Model Context Protocol, and paste https://mcp.smartscout.com/. Upload the SmartScout logo under the agent's Details so users see it instead of a generic placeholder.

‍Step 3: Set authentication and sign in. When Copilot Studio asks how to connect, choose:
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  1. Authentication: OAuth 2.0
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  2. Client registration: Dynamic (with discovery). Copilot Studio reads SmartScout's OAuth settings itself, so there is no client ID or secret to enter.
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A browser tab opens to the SmartScout authorization page. Sign in with a SmartScout email and password, paste your organization's API key, and click Connect.
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Step 4: Publish to your organization. Click Publish, then under Channels, turn on Microsoft 365 Copilot. Choose which users or groups can access it. Everyone in those groups now sees SmartScout as an agent inside Copilot.
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For everyone: how to use it
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  1. Open Copilot from any Microsoft 365 app (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams) or at copilot.microsoft.com.
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  2. In the agent picker, choose SmartScout Insights or whatever name your admin gave it.
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  3. Ask a business question, such as:
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What are the top 5 fastest-growing brands in dog toys this quarter?

Copilot picks the right SmartScout tool, runs it, and answers in plain English with charts and links.

Web or desktop?
Both give the same tools and answers. Use copilot.microsoft.com for quick research on any device, including Mac, Windows, Chromebook, or tablet. Use Copilot inside Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint to drop results straight into a document or email and reference open files in your prompt.
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For developers: VS Code with GitHub Copilot


You can also connect SmartScout directly to Copilot Chat in VS Code 1.93 or later with GitHub Copilot installed.

Open the command palette, run MCP: Add Server, pick HTTP, and paste the SmartScout URL. Or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
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{
 "servers": {
   "smartscout": {
     "type": "http",
     "url": "https://mcp.smartscout.com/"
   }
 }
}


Open Copilot Chat in Agent mode and the SmartScout tools appear in the picker. Sign-in uses the same SmartScout authorization flow.
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How To Know It Worked


On any platform, you are set up when:
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  • SmartScout shows as Connected in your connector or app settings. In Copilot, it appears in your agent picker.
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  • SmartScout tools appear in the tools menu, tools tray, or + apps menu of a new chat.
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  • Asking "check SmartScout server status" returns {"status":"ok"}.
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  • A real business question returns SmartScout data, not a generic answer.
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Troubleshooting
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Problem Platform Fix
No "Add custom connector" button Claude You are on the free plan, or your Team or Enterprise admin has not turned on custom connectors. Upgrade or ask your admin.
No "Developer mode" or "Advanced settings" ChatGPT You are on Free, or it is turned off. Use Plus, Pro, Business, or Enterprise on the website, not the mobile app.
SmartScout does not show up Copilot Your admin needs to publish the agent and add you to the access group.
Authorization tab does not open Claude on the web Your browser is blocking pop-ups. Allow pop-ups for claude.ai and try again.
"Invalid SmartScout API key" All The key is wrong or expired. Reconnect and paste a valid key from your SmartScout account.
Cannot sign in with a two-factor account Claude Desktop, ChatGPT Accounts with 2FA cannot sign in here yet. Use an account without 2FA or contact your sales representative.
Tools do not appear after connecting Claude On the web, refresh the tab and start a new chat. On desktop, fully quit Claude Desktop (Cmd+Q on Mac) and reopen it.
SmartScout missing from a chat ChatGPT Start a new chat and add it from the + (apps) menu. Reopen the app list if you just created it.
Copilot gives a generic answer Copilot Mention SmartScout by name in your question, or pick the SmartScout agent first.
"Authentication required" mid-session All Disconnect and reconnect once to refresh the token. In Copilot, your admin reconnects the tool in Copilot Studio.
Page loads slowly or times out All Try a different network. Corporate firewalls sometimes block mcp.smartscout.com, and mobile data usually works.

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Need an API key?


Contact your SmartScout sales representative, or schedule a demo.

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