What is this?
Focal has an MCP connector that lets Claude (or any other MCP-compatible AI client) work with your Focal media library and boards directly inside a chat — no need to switch tabs. Once connected, you can ask Claude things like:
“Find the latest hero video for the Q3 campaign and summarize its transcript.”
“Show me everything in our EMEA board that's in status: waiting for review.”
“Add a row to the Creative Reviews board for this new asset.”
Connections are personal: Claude only ever sees what your own Focal account can access, and you choose exactly which spaces it can reach.
Connect from Claude
In Claude (web or desktop), open Settings → Connectors.
If your Claude admin has already added Focal for your workspace, it's listed here — click Connect next to it.
Sign in with your Focal account, then choose which spaces the connection may access (by default, it's every space you have access to).
Don't see Focal listed? Click Add custom connector, name it Focal, and paste your connector URL — find it in Focal under Settings → MCP (open Advanced to reveal it). This also works for any other MCP-compatible client, not just Claude.
On Claude, adding a custom connector yourself requires a paid individual plan (Pro or Max). On Team and Enterprise plans, adding new connectors may be limited to workspace admins — see MCP connector for Claude Team & Enterprise admins if that's you.
What Claude can do once connected
Browse your spaces, folders, and media library
Look up media details, including transcripts and OCR text pulled from the asset itself
Update writable fields on media, or archive media you no longer need
Import a new media item from a public URL
Browse boards and their columns, and create, update, or archive board rows
Check which Focal account and organization it's currently connected as
Every action Claude takes goes through the same permission checks as the Focal web app — it can never see or change more than your own account already has access to.
Permissions
When you approve a connection, you'll see exactly what access is being requested (for example, “Read media” or “Update writable fields on media”) alongside the raw permission code, plus which spaces it covers. Toggle Restrict to specific spaces during setup if you don't want a connection to see everything you have access to.
Managing your connection
In Focal, go to Settings → MCP to see every client you've authorized, under Your active connections. Click a connection's menu and choose Revoke connection to cut off its access immediately — you can always reconnect later.
Who can use this
Guest accounts can't use the MCP connector. If you're a guest in a Focal organization, ask an admin to make you a full member first.
Related
MCP connector for Claude Team & Enterprise admins — for rolling this out to a whole team at once.