Remote MCP Servers

Allowlist Remote MCP Servers to extend Agent Mode with custom tools and capabilities

The Remote MCP Servers connector lets Agent Mode use tools from external Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. Admins allowlist Remote MCP Servers at the organization level and choose token or OAuth authentication. Individual users then connect their own account to access the tools those servers expose.

For services that already appear as their own connector card, follow that service's setup guide in Connectors. Use Remote MCP Servers for any other compatible server.

Remote MCP Servers must be allowlisted by a workspace admin before users can connect. See Connectors for the two-tier model.

Admin Setup

Allowlisting a Remote MCP Server

1. Go to Integrations → Connectors and open the Org Connectors tab

2. Select Remote MCP Servers and click Allowlist a Remote MCP Server

3. Fill in the server details:

   • Connector Name: A unique name to identify this server

   • URL: The MCP server endpoint (e.g., https://mcp.example.com/mcp)

   • Authentication Method: Select Token or OAuth

   • Client ID and Client Secret: Optional fields shown for OAuth; see OAuth Client Registration

   • Headers: Optional key-value pairs sent with every request to the server

4. Click Save

The server is now available for users to connect to.

OAuth Client Registration

When Authentication Method is OAuth, choose the setup that matches the MCP server:

• Dynamic client registration: Leave Client ID and Client Secret empty. During authorization, groundcover asks the server to register an OAuth client automatically.

• Pre-registered client: If the server does not support dynamic client registration, create an OAuth application with the server's provider and enter both its Client ID and Client Secret. Register these two redirect URLs, replacing the example domain with your groundcover domain:

  • https://app.groundcover.com/settings/ai-agents/connectors/mcp/oauth/callback

  • https://app.groundcover.com/connectors/mcp/oauth/callback

The Client ID and Client Secret are a pair. If you enter one, you must enter the other.

OAuth servers must publish compatible authorization metadata. Dynamic registration registers both groundcover redirect URLs automatically; a pre-registered client must allow both URLs before admins and individual users can authorize.

Custom headers are independent of the authentication method and are sent with both token and OAuth requests.

Users can view the server's name, URL, and headers from their manage page, but cannot modify any details set by the admin.

You can allowlist multiple Remote MCP Servers. Each one is added independently with its own Connector Name, URL, and tool restrictions. Repeat the steps above for each server you want to make available.

Authorize the Admin Connection

groundcover uses an admin connection to discover the server's tools and configure organization-wide restrictions:

1. Click Manage on an allowlisted Remote MCP Server

2. In the Tool Restrictions section:

   • For a token connector, enter an admin API token.

   • For an OAuth connector, click Connect and complete the provider's authorization flow.

3. After authorization, the full list of available tools appears.

Admin credentials are stored securely. A token can be updated at any time; an OAuth connection can be authorized again if access expires or is revoked.

Managing Tool Restrictions

Each tool can be set to one of three permission levels:

Permission	Behavior
Automatically	Tool executes without user approval
Needs Approval	User must approve each execution (default)
Deny	Tool is completely blocked

Default Behavior: Sets the permission for all tools that don't have a custom override, and applies automatically to new tools the server adds in the future.

Per-tool override: Click the permission selector on an individual tool to override the default. A reset button appears on customized tools to revert them back to the default.

Use the search field to filter tools by name.

Admin tool restrictions act as the ceiling for user permissions. Users can make their own permissions more restrictive, but never more permissive than what the admin allows. See How Tool Restrictions Work for details.

Disabling Remote MCP Servers

Admins can disable the Remote MCP Servers connector at any time from Integrations → Connectors under the Org Connectors tab. When disabled, Agent Mode cannot use any MCP tools, even if users have already connected their tokens. User credentials and tool restriction settings are preserved, not deleted. Once the admin re-enables Remote MCP Servers, all previously configured user connections resume working as before.

Removing a Remote MCP Server

Click Remove on the server in the credentials list. This disconnects all users from the server.

User Setup

Connecting to a Remote MCP Server

1. Go to Integrations → Connectors → My Connections

2. Select Remote MCP Servers and browse the list of servers your admin has allowlisted

3. Click Connect on the server you want to use

4. Complete the configured authentication flow:

   • For a token connector, enter your personal API token and click Connect.

   • For an OAuth connector, authorize your account with the external provider.

You'll be taken to the server's manage page where you can view its configuration and manage your tool restrictions.

The server's name, URL, and headers are configured by your admin and displayed as read-only. Contact your admin if any details need to change.

Listing Available Tools

The Tool Restrictions section at the bottom of the manage page shows every tool the server exposes, including each tool's name and description. Use the search field to filter the list.

Managing Personal Tool Restrictions

You can set your own tool permissions using the same three levels as the admin, with one key difference, your choices are capped by the admin's restrictions.

Permission	Behavior
Automatically	Tool executes without user approval
Needs Approval	User must approve each execution (default)
Deny	Tool is completely blocked

• Default Behavior: Sets your personal default for all tools without a custom override.

• Per-tool override: Customize individual tools. A reset button reverts a tool to your personal default.

Tools where the admin has set a more restrictive ceiling show a lock icon with a "Restricted by admin" tooltip. You cannot select a permission more permissive than what the admin allows.

Updating or Reauthorizing Credentials

For a token connector, click Update Token on the manage page to replace your personal API token. For an OAuth connector, click Connect again when groundcover prompts you to reauthorize.

Disconnecting

Click the Disconnect button to remove your connection. You can reconnect at any time.

How Tool Restrictions Work

Tool restrictions use a least-permissive model with two tiers:

1. Admin tier: The admin sets org-wide permissions (Automatically, Needs Approval, or Deny) per Remote MCP Server. These act as the maximum allowed permission.

2. User tier: Each user sets personal permissions that can only be equal to or more restrictive than the admin's setting.

The effective permission for any tool is always the most restrictive of the two tiers.

Examples

Admin Permission	User Permission	Effective Permission
Automatically	Automatically	Automatically
Automatically	Needs Approval	Needs Approval
Automatically	Deny	Deny
Needs Approval	Automatically	Needs Approval
Needs Approval	Needs Approval	Needs Approval
Needs Approval	Deny	Deny
Deny	Any	Deny, tool is blocked entirely

This means:

• If the admin denies a tool, no user can use it.

• If the admin sets a tool to Needs Approval, users can keep it at Needs Approval or deny it, but cannot set it to Automatically.

• The admin's default permission also applies to new tools the server adds after initial setup.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Resolution
Remote MCP Server not listed	Ask a workspace admin to allowlist the server under Integrations → Connectors → Org Connectors → Remote MCP Servers
"Restricted by admin" on a tool	The admin has set a more restrictive permission; contact your admin to change it
Tools not loading	Confirm that the admin connection is authorized and that the MCP server is reachable
Token connection failed	Check that the personal token is valid and that the MCP server is accessible
OAuth connection failed before consent	Confirm the server publishes OAuth discovery metadata; if it does not support dynamic client registration, recreate the connector with a Client ID and Client Secret
OAuth callback fails	Confirm the OAuth application's callback URL is correct and that both Client ID and Client Secret belong to the same application