Zoho CRM

You can connect Claude.ai to Zoho CRM using a dedicated MCP server that runs in a container. This integration gives you natural-language access to your Zoho data in read-only mode, enabling you to list modules, inspect fields, search records, fetch specific records, and count records without modifying anything. It’s designed to be simple to install and run via Docker, so you can focus on using your CRM data in conversations and workflows.

How to use

Once the MCP server is up and connected, you interact with Zoho CRM data through your MCP-enabled client just like other data sources. You can list available modules, inspect module fields, search for records using natural language, retrieve a specific record, and count records with filters. The server operates in read-only mode, so no CRM data is changed by Claude.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before starting: Docker or Docker Desktop (for Windows or macOS), a Zoho OAuth client (ID and secret), and access to a Zoho CRM account with administrator rights to create OAuth credentials.

1. Pull the MCP server image for Zoho CRM. Choose the appropriate tag for your platform. For Apple Silicon use the m3 tag, for Intel use amd64.

2. Prepare Claude’s configuration to point at the MCP server. You will launch the MCP server via a shell command inside Claude’s config to run the Docker container, passing Zoho credentials and scopes as environment variables.

3. Restart Claude Desktop to apply the MCP server configuration. Claude will automatically start the MCP server when needed and you can verify connectivity by asking Claude to check the status.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zohocrm-mcp-connector": {
      "command": "sh",
      "args": [
        "-c",
        "docker run --rm -i --name zoho-mcp-server -p 3000:3000 -v zoho-mcp-data:/app/data -e ZOHO_CLIENT_ID -e ZOHO_CLIENT_SECRET -e SCOPES whiteside1992daniel/zohocrm-mcpserver:VERSION"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ZOHO_CLIENT_ID" : "YOURCLIENTID",
        "ZOHO_CLIENT_SECRET" : "YOURCLIENTSECRET",
        "SCOPES" : "ZohoCRM.settings.READ,ZohoCRM.modules.READ,ZohoSearch.securesearch.READ,ZohoCRM.settings.layouts.READ",
        "NODE_ENV": "production"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration and security notes

The MCP server runs in a Docker container. Ensure outbound network access is allowed so the server can reach Zoho's APIs for OAuth and data access. Keep your Zoho Client ID and Client Secret secure and do not expose them in client-side configurations.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues starting the MCP server, verify that the Docker image exists and that the container runs without errors. Check the container logs for startup messages and any OAuth-related errors. Ensure the redirect URI used in Zoho matches http://localhost:3000/authRedirect.

Common problems include authentication failures due to incorrect credentials, port conflicts on 3000, and invalid JSON in Claude’s config. Correct the credentials, free up port 3000, and validate the JSON syntax in the config file.

Appendix - Examples of usage in Claude

Show me all the modules in my Zoho CRM

What fields are available in the Contacts module?

Search for accounts containing "Microsoft"

Get the most recent Prospect located in Omaha, Nebraska

Available tools

validate-zoho-oauth

Check if OAuth refresh token exists and is valid for Zoho access

setup-zoho-oauth

Initiate the OAuth flow to obtain a refresh token

list-zoho-modules

List all CRM modules and their API names

zoho-module-list-fields

Get fields for a specific CRM module by API name

simple-search-zoho-records

Search records within a module using a query string

count-zoho-records

Count records in a module with optional filters

get-zoho-record

Retrieve a specific record by ID from a module