If a system has an API, it can have a Cowork connector. The catalog of pre-built connectors covers common tools — Google Workspace, Slack, major CRMs, cloud providers — but every business has its own stack. Proprietary internal tools, niche SaaS products, legacy systems with REST endpoints — all of these can be wrapped with a custom connector that gives Claude controlled access.
How custom connectors work
Building a custom connector is straightforward for anyone with API integration experience. You define the operations Claude can perform, the data it can access, and the permissions that govern each action. The connector becomes the controlled interface between Claude and the external system. It's not a raw API pass-through — it's a curated set of capabilities that align with the business rules for that system.
This is a core part of the consulting service. Most mid-market businesses don't have the expertise to design connector interfaces that balance capability with security. Getting the abstraction right — exposing enough for Claude to be useful while restricting enough to maintain governance — is where the consulting value lives.