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Connect the Orgupdate Actors to Claude (MCP)

The Orgupdate job scrapers run on Apify. Apify hosts a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server at https://mcp.apify.com that exposes every Actor as a tool. Once you connect that server to Claude as a connector, Claude can run the scrapers for you.

This page covers the setup in full. If you just want the short version, see the Quick start in the README.

1. Prerequisites

  • Apify account — free tier is fine. Sign up.
  • Claude plan that supports connectors — Free (limited to one connector), Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise.
  • Claude Desktop or claude.ai in a browser.

Custom connectors talk to https://mcp.apify.com from Anthropic's servers, so the MCP server must be publicly reachable — Apify's hosted server already is, so there is nothing to configure on your side.

2. Choose your tool scope

The MCP server URL takes a ?tools= parameter that decides which tools Claude loads.

URL Use it when
https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs Recommended. Claude can discover and run any Orgupdate Actor on demand. Best for scraping across multiple job boards.
https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,orgupdate/indeed-jobs-scraper You mostly use one source and want its input schema loaded up front.
https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,orgupdate/indeed-jobs-scraper,orgupdate/reed-jobs-scraper You use a fixed set of two or three sources.

actors gives Claude the generic search-actors, fetch-actor-details, and call-actor tools. docs lets Claude look up Apify documentation when it needs to. Adding a specific username/actor-name pins that Actor's tool so its inputs are always visible.

See actors.md for every Orgupdate slug.

3a. Add the connector on claude.ai (Pro / Max)

  1. Open Customize → Connectors (or Settings → Connectors).
  2. Click "+" → Add custom connector.
  3. Paste your chosen server URL, e.g. https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs
  4. (Optional) Open Advanced settings if you want to supply your own OAuth client — most people skip this.
  5. Click Add.
  6. Click Connect. Your browser opens Apify's sign‑in page. Approve the requested permissions.

3b. Add the connector on claude.ai (Team / Enterprise)

An organisation Owner adds it once for everyone:

  1. Organization settings → Connectors → Add → Custom → Web.
  2. Enter https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs, optionally add OAuth details, click Add.

Each member then:

  1. Opens Customize → Connectors.
  2. Finds the Apify / Orgupdate connector and clicks Connect to authenticate.

3c. Add the connector in Claude Desktop

Option 1 — connector directory (easiest):

  1. Settings → Connectors.
  2. Search for "Apify".
  3. Click Connect / Install and approve access in the browser.

Option 2 — custom connector:

  1. Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector.
  2. Use https://mcp.apify.com (or add ?tools=actors,docs).
  3. Approve in the browser.

4. Authentication options

OAuth (default, recommended)

When you click Connect, a browser window opens and you sign in to Apify. You grant Claude permission to run Actors on your account. Claude never receives your password or API token. You can revoke access any time from Apify Console → Settings → Integrations or from Claude's connector settings.

API token (advanced)

If you manage MCP config as JSON (some Claude Desktop setups) you can pass a token instead of using OAuth:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

Get YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN from Apify Console → Settings → API & Integrations. Treat it like a password.

5. Verify the connection

Ask Claude:

What Apify tools are available to you right now?

Expect to see tools like search-actors, fetch-actor-details, call-actor, and (if you pinned one) an Orgupdate Actor tool.

Then run a tiny test:

Search Apify for the Orgupdate Reed jobs scraper and show me its input schema.

If Claude returns the schema (includeKeyword, locationName, countryName, pagesToFetch, …) you are ready. Move on to running-actors.md.

6. Changing the scope later

To widen or narrow which Actors are available, edit the connector URL:

  1. Settings → Connectors → the Apify connector → Configure / Edit.
  2. Change the ?tools= value.
  3. Reconnect if prompted.

You do not need to remove and re‑add the connector.

Common setup problems

See troubleshooting.md for:

  • the connector not appearing after you add it,
  • the browser auth window closing without connecting,
  • "no tools available" after a successful sign‑in,
  • Free‑plan users hitting the one‑connector limit.