MCP Server local install

Some clients run the MCP Server as a local process instead of connecting to the hosted remote server. This is the standard setup for Claude Desktop.

In local mode the Catalog Token is supplied as an environment variable rather than through the OAuth authorization screen. The same token authenticates the Catalog and DAM tools; no separate DAM credential is required.

• Node.js 20.0.0 or later. Check with node --version.
• A Sales Layer account with catalog access.
• A Catalog Token. See Authentication.
• An internet connection, since npx downloads the package on first run.

The recommended route is the packaged extension.

1. Download the MCP package (.mcpb) from saleslayer.com/ai-pim/mcp. Choose the read-only package unless you need write access.
2. In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Extensions → Advanced settings.
3. Under Extension Developer, select Install Extension...
4. Select the downloaded .mcpb file.
5. Enter your Catalog Token when prompted.
6. Restart Claude Desktop if asked.

Two packages are published: a read-only build for querying and analysis, and a read/write build for controlled automation. Start with read-only.

If you prefer to configure the server by hand, or your client is not Claude Desktop, add this to the client's MCP configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sales-layer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["--yes", "@saleslayer/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "CATALOG_TOKEN": "your_token_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

The Claude Desktop configuration file lives at:

Restart the client after editing it.

The package is published on npm as @saleslayer/mcp-server.

Other variables exist for deployments that Sales Layer operates. They are not needed for a local install. Contact the Sales Layer Support Center if you are running a managed or self-hosted deployment.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sales-layer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["--yes", "@saleslayer/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "CATALOG_TOKEN": "your_token_here",
        "ENV_MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "debug"
      }
    }
  }
}

The metadata cache is configurable through CACHE_METADATA_TTL. The data cache, which holds table responses, is not configurable by environment variable: it is always on with a five-minute lifetime, and can be switched off at runtime with the cache_control tool under Full access.

The cache invalidates itself automatically when records are created, updated, or deleted through the MCP Server, including related records. Changes made outside the session are not detected until the entry expires.

ENV_MCP_CATALOG_REST_BASE_URL points the server at a different Catalog REST API. Use the /catalog path. The legacy /rest/Catalog prefix still answers, but breaks pagination, because the API always builds @nextLink values under /catalog.

The Catalog Token sits in a local configuration file in plain text. That is a meaningful difference from the remote server, where the token is exchanged for OAuth credentials and never stored by the client.

• Do not commit the configuration file to a repository.
• Do not share it in screenshots, tickets, or chat messages.
• Use a token scoped to the catalog you actually need.
• Remove the configuration when you stop using the integration.

For a shared or managed machine, prefer the remote server with OAuth.

Restart the client and ask the assistant to list its tools. Then:

Validate my Sales Layer token and tell me which catalog it points to.

If the server does not start, check that Node.js 20 or later is installed, that the client was restarted after the configuration change, and that the machine can reach the npm registry. Enable ENV_MCP_LOG_LEVEL=debug and check the client's logs.

• Quickstart
• Authentication
• Access profiles and permissions
• Troubleshooting
• Tool reference