# Connect Genie to external tools

Genie's answers are only as complete as the data behind them, and by default that's your Databox metrics — what changed, not why. A question like "why did our close rate drop?" needs the deals sitting in your CRM, not just the metric that moved.

MCP connectors close that gap. Using MCP (Model Context Protocol), an open standard for connecting AI assistants to external tools, you can connect Genie to the systems where that context lives — your CRM, support desk, project tools, or Slack — either through an official, pre-built connector or a custom connector to any MCP server you choose. Once connected, Genie can call that tool when it answers a question or runs a routine, governed by permissions you control per tool.

## Browse and connect a tool

1. Go to [Agentic Analytics > Customize > Connectors](https://app.databox.com/genie/settings?tab=connectors).
2. Under **Connected**, review the connectors already set up for your account. Click one to open its manage page (see [Manage a connected tool](#manage-a-connected-tool)).
3. Under **Available connectors**, find an official connector and click **Connect**.
4. Follow the prompts to authenticate with the external tool. Once the connection succeeds, it moves into your **Connected** list.


mcp-connectors-listing-page
## Add a custom connector

A custom connector connects Genie to any MCP server, not just the officially supported list.

1. On the MCP connectors page, click **+ Add custom**.
2. In the **Custom MCP connector** window, enter:
  - **MCP server** — the MCP server's endpoint.
  - **Name** — a name to identify the connector in your **Connected** list.
  - **Authentication** — the credentials or method the server requires.
3. Submit the form. The connector appears in your **Connected** list once the connection succeeds.


create-a-custom-connector-window
## Manage a connected tool

Click a connector in your **Connected** list to open its manage page.

- Use the toggle next to the connector's name to turn it on or off.
- Click the **three dots** (![ellipsis](/assets/ellipsis.14d1f073796737618cda317e9f526ea5d9aab1a0c66a7e5c5bcaa9c067c85fd0.419bb737.svg)) and select **Refresh tools** to re-sync the list of tools the connector exposes.
- Click the **three dots** (![ellipsis](/assets/ellipsis.14d1f073796737618cda317e9f526ea5d9aab1a0c66a7e5c5bcaa9c067c85fd0.419bb737.svg)) and select **Disconnect** to remove the connector.
- **Description** — for official connectors only, a short explanation of what the connector does, along with a link to its MCP server address.
- **Example prompts** and **Category** — shown for official connectors only, to help you see what kinds of questions the connector supports.


### Tool permissions

Under **Tool permissions**, the connector's capabilities are grouped into collapsible **Read-only tools** and **Write tools** sections, each showing how many tools it contains. Use the dropdown next to a group to set the default for every tool inside it:

- **Always allow** (![always-allow](/assets/check.3761a47d904f52f522ce14800d02b0e496ba53c989a1b505abaa36910ed8b9d4.419bb737.svg)) — Genie runs the tool automatically whenever it's relevant, with no confirmation needed.
- **Needs approval** (![needs-approval](/assets/manual.b41041370ab7d2df17af3052a053a854cfb9dfc39a6d4c6bff33b3b97dbc3c17.419bb737.svg)) — Genie asks you to confirm before it runs the tool.
- **Blocked** (![blocked](/assets/block.0f1e37541fce63603fcc01910b4268f1221f17f80e71a3c4dfa940012ab1fdc0.419bb737.svg)) — Genie can't call the tool at all.


Expand a group to see its individual tools and override any of them with the same three options listed above.

Write tools let Genie make changes in a connected system, such as editing a record or running a bulk update. Set them to **Needs approval** if you want a chance to review each action before it happens, or **Blocked** to keep a connector read-only.

manage-connector-page-permissions
Yes, if the tool's permission allows it. Set a write tool to **Always allow** to let Genie run it automatically, **Needs approval** to confirm with you first, or **Blocked** to prevent it entirely.

A Databox integration pulls data from a platform into Databox as metrics and datasets. An MCP connector lets Genie call a platform's tools directly — reading data for context or, where a write tool is permitted, making a change in that platform — without importing its data into your account.

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