ActionKit by Paragon + Claude Desktop App: Complete MCP Integration

ActionKit by Paragon is a MCP server that Connect to 130+ SaaS integrations (e.g. Slack, Salesforce, Gmail) with Paragon’s ActionKit API..

When integrated with Claude Desktop App, you can:

• Connect to 130+ SaaS applications via ActionKit API
• Handle OAuth and API authentication for integrations
• Execute custom OpenAPI action definitions

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up ActionKit by Paragon in Claude Desktop App, including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.

What You'll Achieve

After completing this setup:

• ActionKit by Paragon will be fully integrated and operational
• You can use ActionKit by Paragon tools directly in Claude Desktop App
• All ActionKit by Paragon capabilities will be available for your workflows
• Access to 4 different tools

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Node.js 22.14.0
• npm
• Paragon account
• Paragon project identifier from dashboard
• RS256 JWT signing key for authentication
• Claude Desktop App installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Installation

Step 1: Install ActionKit by Paragon

Install using npm:

git clone https://github.com/useparagon/paragon-mcp.git && cd paragon-mcp && npm install

Verify installation:

npm run start

Configuration

Step 2: Configure Claude Desktop App

1. Locate your configuration file:

   • Windows: %APPDATA%\\Claude\\claude_desktop_config.json
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   • Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "actionkit-by-paragon": {
      "command": "git",
      "args": [""clone", "https://github.com/useparagon/paragon-mcp.git", "&&", "cd", "paragon-mcp", "&&", "npm", "install""],
      "env": {
        "PROJECT_ID": "your-project-id",
        "SIGNING_KEY": "your-private-key-content",
        "SIGNING_KEY_PATH": "./keys/private-key.pem",
        "LIMIT_TO_INTEGRATIONS": "google-calendar,slack,salesforce",
        "PORT": "8080",
        "MCP_SERVER_URL": "https://your-server.com"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Claude Desktop App

Completely quit and restart Claude Desktop App to load the new configuration.

Examples

Once configured, you can use ActionKit by Paragon in Claude Desktop App:

Schedule Team Meeting

Create a Google Calendar event and notify team via Slack

Ask Claude Desktop App: "Schedule a team standup for tomorrow at 9 AM and send a Slack notification to the dev-team channel"

Expected Result: Calendar event created and Slack message sent with meeting details

Create Sales Lead

Add new lead to Salesforce from customer inquiry

Ask Claude Desktop App: "Create a new lead in Salesforce for John Doe from Acme Corp with email [email protected]"

Expected Result: Lead record created in Salesforce with contact information and follow-up tasks

Email Campaign Follow-up

Send follow-up emails via Gmail for marketing campaign

Ask Claude Desktop App: "Send a follow-up email to all prospects who opened our product demo email last week"

Expected Result: Targeted emails sent to qualified prospects with personalized content

Multi-Platform Data Sync

Sync customer data between HubSpot and Salesforce

Ask Claude Desktop App: "Update all HubSpot contacts that were modified today in our Salesforce CRM"

Expected Result: Contact records synchronized with latest information across both platforms

Testing Your Setup

1. Start a new conversation in Claude Desktop App
2. Ask Claude Desktop App to list available tools
3. Try using ActionKit by Paragon functionality

Test prompts:

• "Can you list the available tools from ActionKit by Paragon?"
• "Please use ActionKit by Paragon to {example_task}"

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

JWT Authentication Failed

Symptoms: 401 Unauthorized errors, Invalid token messages

Cause: Incorrect SIGNING_KEY or expired credentials

Solution:

• Verify SIGNING_KEY matches private key from Paragon dashboard
• Ensure key is in correct RS256 format
• Check PROJECT_ID is correct for your account
• Regenerate keys if necessary

Integration Not Available

Symptoms: Service not found errors, Integration disabled messages

Cause: Integration not enabled in Paragon project or LIMIT_TO_INTEGRATIONS restriction

Solution:

• Enable required integrations in Paragon dashboard
• Remove or update LIMIT_TO_INTEGRATIONS environment variable
• Verify integration is available in your Paragon plan
• Check integration-specific requirements

User Authorization Required

Symptoms: OAuth flow errors, Permission denied messages

Cause: User has not authorized the integration or scope issues

Solution:

• Guide user through OAuth authorization flow
• Check required scopes for the integration
• Verify callback URLs are configured correctly
• Re-authorize if tokens are expired

Server Connection Timeout

Symptoms: Connection timeouts, SSE endpoint not responding

Cause: Server not running or network connectivity issues

Solution:

• Start server with npm run start
• Verify PORT is not in use by another service
• Check firewall settings allow connections
• Test endpoint with curl: curl http://localhost:3001/health

Server Not Appearing

Symptoms: No server in interface, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration file error or server installation issue

Solution:

• Validate JSON syntax using online validator
• Check configuration file location
• Verify server installation
• Restart Claude Desktop completely

Server Error on Startup

Symptoms: Error messages in logs, Server fails to start

Cause: Missing dependencies or environment variables

Solution:

• Check server requirements are met
• Verify environment variables are set
• Check system logs for detailed errors

ActionKit by Paragon not appearing in Claude Desktop App

Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration or installation issue

Solution:

• Verify configuration syntax
• Check ActionKit by Paragon installation
• Restart Claude Desktop App
• Check logs for error messages

Next Steps

Now that ActionKit by Paragon is integrated with Claude Desktop App:

• Explore all ActionKit by Paragon capabilities through Claude Desktop App
• Check out other MCP servers that work with Claude Desktop App
• Join the MCP community for tips and support
• Consider contributing to ActionKit by Paragon development

Need Help?

• Search for ActionKit by Paragon documentation
• Check the Claude Desktop App MCP guide
• Join the MCP community discussions