Connect Joinways to Claude (MCP)

Query and drive your Joinways data from Claude via the MCP connector, for natural-language analysis and actions.

The MCP (Model Context Protocol) connector lets an assistant like Claude access your Joinways data to answer questions and run actions in natural language. Instead of clicking through the interface, you ask « How many events this month? » or « Create a quote for this client » and the assistant queries or acts on your workspace for you. It's an advanced feature, designed for users comfortable with AI tools.

This article explains what the connector concretely brings, how to set it up securely, what you can ask or have it do, and the precautions to take since it grants access to your data. The goal: get the most out of the assistant without ever losing control of your workspace.

Prerequisites

A Joinways account with access to your workspace Settings.
An MCP-compatible assistant (for example Claude) where you enter the connector configuration.
The right to generate connection credentials; this is generally reserved for administrators.
Basic comfort with AI tools and the notion of a connector or integration.

What you'll learn

Understand what the MCP connector brings.
Set it up securely.
Know the possible questions and actions.
Manage and revoke connection credentials.
Adopt the right uses and avoid the pitfalls.

What it is for

The connector turns your assistant into a natural-language control surface for Joinways. You ask a question or give an instruction; the assistant reads or modifies your data through the connector, then reports the answer back to you.

Ask questions about your events and quotes in natural language.
Prepare quick analyses without manual export.
Trigger certain actions from your assistant.

Set up the connector

Setup consists of generating credentials on the Joinways side, then entering them on the assistant side. Once the connection is established, the assistant can query and act on your workspace within the limits of the granted rights.

Go to Settings then Integrations / Tools.
Generate the MCP connection credentials.
Enter them in the MCP configuration of your assistant (e.g. Claude).
Test the connection with a simple question (for example the number of upcoming events).
Keep the credentials in a safe place, as secrets.

⚠️ Note: this connector grants access to your data. Keep credentials as secrets and revoke them if in doubt.

Reference: what you can ask and do

Here, one line each, are the main families of questions and actions the assistant can handle through the connector.

View and count — events, quotes, companies, people, tasks and leads in your workspace.
Search — find an item by keywords via a global search.
Events — list, view details, create, update and change the status of an event.
Quotes — list, view, create, duplicate, download a quote and edit its items or status.
Companies and people — list, search, create and update your contacts and companies.
Tasks — list, create, update and delete follow-up tasks.
Leads — list, view, change status and convert a lead into an event.
Venue availability — check availability, block or unblock dates, list conflicts.
Analytics — get commercial, accounting and event indicators without manual export.
Emails — generate an email draft or send an email tied to an event.
Catalog — list, create, update and delete catalog items.
Event notes — add and list notes attached to an event.
Team and staff — list team members and the staff assigned to an event.
BEO and days — view an event's run-of-show (BEO) and its days.
Notifications — list your recent notifications.
Email templates and connections — list available email templates and mailbox connections.

How it works

When you phrase a request, the assistant translates it into calls to the Joinways connector. For a question, it reads the data and composes an answer; for an action, it calls the matching tool (creating a quote, updating a status, etc.). The credentials determine the targeted workspace and the scope of rights; nothing is accessible beyond what those credentials allow.

You remain the arbiter: re-read the answers and confirm sensitive actions before validating them, especially when they create or modify records.

Edge cases

Shared credential: if several people use the same credential, you lose traceability; prefer distinct credentials per person when possible.
Unintended action: an ambiguous instruction can trigger an unwanted creation; rephrase or undo the action on the Joinways side.
Compromised credential: in case of doubt (leak, lost device), revoke the credential immediately and regenerate a new one.
Sensitive data: the assistant sees what the connector exposes; limit its use to trusted contexts.

Best practices

Limit access to trusted people.
Immediately revoke a compromised credential.
Review sensitive actions before execution.
Test in read mode first (questions, analyses) before allowing write actions.
Keep credentials out of shared messages and files.
Always re-read the summary of a write action before confirming it.

Troubleshooting

Problem: the assistant doesn't see your data. Cause: the credentials are missing or wrongly entered on the assistant side. Solution: regenerate the credentials in Settings then Integrations / Tools and carefully paste them into the MCP configuration.

Problem: an action failed or did nothing. Cause: the request was ambiguous or the rights don't cover that action. Solution: rephrase the request precisely and check that the credential used has the necessary rights.

Problem: you fear a credential leak. Cause: a credential was exposed in a message or on an unsecured device. Solution: revoke it immediately, generate a new one, and update the assistant configuration.

Real-world example

A venue manager wants a quick check on Monday morning. From Claude connected to the connector, he asks « How many confirmed events this week and what revenue is expected? ». The assistant queries Joinways, counts the events and reports the commercial indicators, without his having to open the interface or export anything.

Right after, he asks « Create a follow-up task for the Martin wedding quote ». The assistant creates the task in Joinways; he checks the confirmation before moving on.

Another example

While preparing a quote, the manager asks the assistant to check the availability of the main hall for a given date. The connector queries the venue availability and reports it is free; the manager follows with « Create a quote for this client with a hall rental ».

The assistant creates the quote and its items through the connector; the manager then downloads it for review before sending.

FAQ

Do I need to be a developer?

Not necessarily, but comfort with AI tools and MCP configuration helps.

Which assistant can I connect?

Any MCP-compatible assistant, for example Claude, where you enter the connector configuration.

What can I ask the assistant?

View and count your events, quotes, companies, people, tasks and leads, and get analyses in natural language.

What actions can I trigger?

Create or update events, quotes, contacts and tasks, check availability or generate emails, depending on your rights.

Can the connector modify my data?

Yes, for authorized write actions; re-read and confirm sensitive actions before validating.

How do I revoke access?

Revoke the credential from Settings then Integrations / Tools; the assistant then loses access immediately.

Are my credentials secrets?

Yes. Treat them like passwords: don't share them and regenerate them in case of doubt.

Does the assistant access several workspaces?

Access is limited to the workspace targeted by the credentials and the scope of associated rights; nothing beyond that is visible.