MCP setup

When to use this guide: You have an OutboundSync API key and want to wire a coding agent to https://mcp.outboundsync.com/mcp.

Create an API key

1. Open the OutboundSync dashboard → Platform access → API keys.
2. Create a key with at least read scope (add write only if agents may mutate after explicit confirmation).
3. Prefer a connection-scoped key when the agent only needs one CRM connection.

Full steps: Creating API keys.

Store the key in an environment variable — never commit it to git or paste it into public configs.

export OUTBOUNDSYNC_API_KEY=osapi_...

Cursor

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (or project .cursor/mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "outboundsync": {
      "url": "https://mcp.outboundsync.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${env:OUTBOUNDSYNC_API_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor GUI sessions do not inherit shell .env files. Export the key into the GUI environment (for example macOS launchctl setenv OUTBOUNDSYNC_API_KEY … or a login LaunchAgent) so ${env:OUTBOUNDSYNC_API_KEY} resolves.

A Cursor plugin marketplace listing is in progress; manual mcp.json works today.

Claude Code

export OUTBOUNDSYNC_API_KEY=osapi_...

claude mcp add --transport http outboundsync https://mcp.outboundsync.com/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer ${OUTBOUNDSYNC_API_KEY}"

Use env interpolation — inline keys land in shell history. Same pattern as examples/claude-code.sh in the MCP repo.

Codex

Codex reads MCP servers from ~/.codex/config.toml (or a trusted project .codex/config.toml). OutboundSync uses Bearer API key auth — not Codex OAuth login.

CLI:

export OUTBOUNDSYNC_API_KEY=osapi_...

codex mcp add outboundsync \
  --url https://mcp.outboundsync.com/mcp \
  --bearer-token-env-var OUTBOUNDSYNC_API_KEY

Or edit config.toml (same as examples/codex.toml):

[mcp_servers.outboundsync]
url = "https://mcp.outboundsync.com/mcp"
bearer_token_env_var = "OUTBOUNDSYNC_API_KEY"

Verify with codex mcp list or /mcp in a Codex session. See OpenAI Codex MCP docs for other client options.

Other MCP clients

Any client that supports Streamable HTTP MCP can connect with:

Setting	Value
URL	https://mcp.outboundsync.com/mcp
Auth	Authorization: Bearer osapi_... (same dashboard key as REST)

Use your client’s MCP settings UI or config file to register the URL and Bearer header. See the Model Context Protocol site for client-specific steps.

Not supported yet: claude.ai and Claude Desktop remote Connectors (OAuth). Use Claude Code or Cursor with a Bearer key instead.

Smoke test

After connecting, call get_me, then get_account_status.

Recommended call order

1. get_me — confirms the key, scope, and accessible connections.
2. get_account_status — blockers, warnings, per-connection readiness.
3. list_sources — inbound Sources paste URLs when wiring sequencers.
4. Pick observability or repair tools by job — see API v1 reference.

For the full launch-readiness gauge (same output with or without MCP), install the Preflight Agent Skill or ask your agent to follow it — the skill prefers MCP tools when connected and falls back to REST.

Security

• Treat API keys like secrets — read access can return Sources paste URLs.
• Confirm with the user before write tools (retry_sync, replays, blocklist pause/resync, webhook mutations).
• The MCP server forwards your Bearer token to app.outboundsync.com and does not log it.

MCP overview Endpoint, beta status, and how MCP fits with API and Skills.

AI and Agents hub How MCP, API, Skills, and Webhooks fit together.

Repo and tool list: github.com/outboundsync/mcp.