Use ChatGPT to Talk to Your Act CRM Data via CData Connect AI

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, launched in November 2022. Based on large language models (LLMs), it enables users to refine and steer conversations through natural language processing. ChatGPT's developer mode, available to Plus and Pro subscribers, provides full Model Context Protocol (MCP) support for connecting to external data sources and tools.

CData Connect AI offers a dedicated cloud-to-cloud interface for connecting to Act CRM data. The CData Connect AI Remote MCP Server enables secure communication between ChatGPT and Act CRM. This allows you to ask questions and take actions on your Act CRM data using ChatGPT, all without the need for data replication to a natively supported database. With its inherent optimized data processing capabilities, CData Connect AI efficiently channels all supported SQL operations, including filters and JOINs, directly to Act CRM. This leverages server-side processing to swiftly deliver the requested Act CRM data.

Step 1: Configure Act CRM Connectivity for ChatGPT

Connectivity to Act CRM from ChatGPT is made possible through CData Connect AI Remote MCP. To interact with Act CRM data from ChatGPT, we start by creating and configuring a Act CRM connection in CData Connect AI.

1. Log into your Connect AI account, click Sources, and then click Add Connection.
👁 Adding a Connection

2. Select "Act CRM" from the Add Connection panel.
👁 Selecting a data source

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Act CRM.

   The and properties, under the Authentication section, must be set to valid Act! user credentials. In addition to the authentication values, see the following:

   • Connecting to Act! Premium

     In addition to the authentication values, the to Act! is also required; for example https://eup1-iis-04.eu.hosted.act.com/.

     Additionally, you must specify the you will connect to. This is found by going to the About Act! Premium menu of your account, at the top right of the page, in the ? menu. Use the Database Name in the window that appears.

   • Connecting to Act! Premium Cloud

     To connect to your Act! Premium Cloud account, you also need to specify the property. This property is found in the URL address of the Cloud account; for example https://eup1-iis-04.eu.hosted.act.com/ActCloudName/.

   Note that retrieving ActCRM metadata can be expensive. It is advised that you set the property to store the metadata locally.

   👁 Configuring a connection (Salesforce is shown)
   
4. Click Save & Test

With the connection configured, we are ready to connect to Act CRM data from ChatGPT.

Step 2: Connect ChatGPT to CData Connect AI

Follow these steps to add a CData Connect AI connection in ChatGPT:

1. Sign in to ChatGPT with a Plus or Pro subscription.
2. Navigate to Apps from the left panel.
3. Select the CData Connect AI app from the list.
. 👁 Search for CData Connect AI

4. Click Connect to authenticate to your Connect AI account.
👁 Click Connect to authenticate

5. Click Sign in with CData Connect AI to add Connect AI to your ChatGPT account.
👁 Sign in with CData Connect AI

6. After successful authorization, you will be redirected back to ChatGPT.
7. Click Start Chat to start a new conversation in ChatGPT with Connect AI connected at the background.
👁 Start Chat

Step 3: Explore Live Act CRM Data with ChatGPT

1. Start a new conversation in ChatGPT.
2. Connect AI should ideally be automatically enabled in the chat. If not, navigate to -> More -> CData Connect AI, under the chatbox, to enable the connector from the dropdown
👁 Enable CData Connect AI in the chat

3. You can now start exploring your data with natural language prompts. ChatGPT will use the Connect AI MCP server to query your live Act CRM data. Example prompts:
   • "Show me all customers from the last 30 days"
   • "What are my top performing products?"
   • "Analyze sales trends for this quarter"
   • "List all active projects and their current status"
   Refer to CData prompt library for more prompt ideas.
👁 Using natural language to explore your Act CRM data (Salesforce used here).

4. Permit ChatGPT to access your Act CRM data. Click Query Data to continue, or Deny to refuse.
👁 Give permissions to ChatGPT.

5. ChatGPT translates your natural language queries into SQL and execute them against your Act CRM data through the Connect AI MCP server.
👁 ChatGPT shows the desired results from your Act CRM data based on the prompts

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