ChatGPT connects to a CRM in one of two ways: the CRM's own app from the Plugins directory, or a custom MCP server you add under Plugins > + > Add custom MCP server. Custom servers get full read and write on ChatGPT Business, Enterprise and Edu; on Pro they're read and fetch only. For LotsCRM, add https://api.lotscrm.com/mcp and sign in.
What the agent can then do depends on the CRM, not on ChatGPT. Some connectors only read, some create but never overwrite, a few can permanently delete. I opened OpenAI's help pages and each vendor's own docs on 17 October 2026 and wrote down, CRM by CRM, what ChatGPT can read, write and delete, which plan unlocks it and how you sign in.
How ChatGPT connects to a CRM today
OpenAI now calls connectors "apps" and bundles apps into plugins, so the menus moved. Here's what its help center says as of 17 October 2026:
- Directory apps. CRMs such as HubSpot, Attio, Close, Streak and Capsule publish an app you install from Plugins in the ChatGPT sidebar, then sign in to your CRM account. The directory is available across ChatGPT plans; whether a given app works depends on the app, your plan and your workspace settings.
- Custom MCP servers. For a CRM that isn't in the directory (or when you want its full MCP server), go to Plugins, select +, then Add custom MCP server, enter the server URL, set up authentication, tick I understand and want to continue and select Create as a plugin. You no longer have to switch on Developer mode first.
- Plans. OpenAI's custom MCP guide says custom servers with full MCP (including write actions) are for ChatGPT Business and Enterprise/Edu, and that Pro users can connect custom servers with read and fetch permissions only. It doesn't list Plus, Go or Free for custom servers.
- Who can add one. On Business, only admins and owners create and publish custom MCP plugins. On Enterprise and Edu, admins can grant that permission to other members with role-based access.
- Where. Custom servers are set up on ChatGPT on the web. OpenAI's answer to "can I connect custom MCP servers on mobile?" is no.
- Confirmations. For write or modify actions, ChatGPT may ask you to confirm, depending on the app's permissions and the action. Some especially risky actions can be blocked outright.
- Deep research can use custom apps for reading only, never for writes.
- Tool changes. Once a workspace approves a server, ChatGPT keeps a snapshot of its tools. When the vendor adds tools, an admin refreshes the tool list.
One practical warning: several CRM setup guides still tell you to turn on Developer mode or open "Apps & Connectors" first. That was the older flow. If a guide doesn't match your screen, go straight to Plugins.
What ChatGPT can do in each CRM's connector
All facts below come from each vendor's own help pages and docs, checked on 17 October 2026. "Custom MCP" means you add it under Plugins > + yourself, so OpenAI's plan rules above apply.
| CRM | How it connects in ChatGPT | What the agent can do | Can it delete? | CRM plan needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LotsCRM | Custom MCP: https://api.lotscrm.com/mcp, OAuth with your Lots account | 50 tools in tools.json, checked 26 October 2026: briefings, search, contacts, companies, deals, pipelines, activities, follow-ups, workspaces, team members and invitations, billing | No. Contacts, companies and deals are archived and recoverable | Every plan and pay as you go |
| HubSpot | HubSpot app in ChatGPT, sign in to HubSpot and pick permissions | Read, create and update contacts, companies, deals, leads, tickets, custom objects, calls, meetings, notes, tasks, emails, campaigns, blog posts; bulk changes up to 10 records | No delete on any object in HubSpot's table | All HubSpot plans; a Super Admin approves it for other users |
| Pipedrive | Two options: the Pipedrive app (built by OpenAI, syncs data every 30 minutes, read-only) or the Pipedrive MCP as a custom server, https://mcp.pipedrive.ai/mcp | MCP: get, add and update deals, persons, organizations, leads, activities, products and notes; convert leads to deals | No delete tools in Pipedrive's MCP tool list | Every Pipedrive plan, within token limits |
| Attio | Attio app (Apps, search Attio) or https://mcp.attio.com/mcp | Search, read, create and update records, lists, notes and tasks; reads are auto-approved, writes ask for confirmation | Tasks and your own comments only | MCP server on every Attio plan, Free included |
| folk | Custom MCP: https://mcp.folk.app/mcp, OAuth | Search people, companies and groups; create and update contacts, notes and custom fields; move deals | Not in folk's list of what it can do | MCP on all three folk plans |
| OnePageCRM | Listed in ChatGPT's directory | Read contacts, deals, notes and follow-ups, and update them if you allow it | Not mentioned | Every plan and the free trial |
| Close | Official Close ChatGPT app, or https://mcp.close.com/mcp | Three scopes you choose at sign-in: read, read and write, or read, write and delete | Yes, with the destructive scope, including permanent delete_lead | No plan named on Close's MCP page |
| Twenty | Custom MCP at your workspace URL + /mcp, OAuth or API key | Reads and writes through operations that mirror Twenty's API, within your workspace role | As your role allows | Native MCP server in every Cloud workspace |
| Zoho CRM and Bigin | Custom MCP you build in the Zoho MCP portal, then paste its URL | Whatever tools you add to your Zoho MCP server | Depends on the tools you add | Bigin lists MCP support in its Free plan |
| Salesforce | Agentforce Sales app (beta) in ChatGPT, or Salesforce Hosted MCP Servers | App: prioritise leads, update records, save account plans | Not stated for the app | App: Enterprise, Performance or Unlimited with the Agentforce for Sales and Einstein for Sales add-ons; hosted MCP is for Flex Credits customers |
| Streak | Streak ChatGPT app from the app library | Search deals and contacts, read timelines, update stages, assign deals, create tasks, log notes; no email bodies | Not in Streak's list | Included at no extra cost on paid CRM plans (Pro, Pro+ and Enterprise) |
| Capsule | Official Capsule plugin | Create contacts, opportunities, tasks and projects, log activities, add or replace custom fields; it deliberately can't overwrite records | No | Growth, Advanced or Ultimate |
A few details matter more than the table shows:
- ChatGPT plan gates differ by route. Salesforce says its app needs ChatGPT Business or Enterprise. Pipedrive's MCP guide asks for Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu, and its OpenAI-built app is for the same four. Remember that on Pro, a custom MCP server is read and fetch only, so Pipedrive's MCP can read your pipeline there but not update it.
- HubSpot recommends approval for writes. Its guide suggests setting the connector's write tools to "Needs Approval" in ChatGPT, because "Always allow" lets edits happen without asking.
- Pipedrive's synced app is one-way. Pipedrive's FAQ says nothing from ChatGPT is added, edited or deleted in Pipedrive through it. Writes need the MCP route.
- Close can delete. Its
mcp.write_destructivescope includesdelete_lead, which permanently removes a lead with its contacts, opportunities, tasks and activities. Pick the narrower scope unless you need it. - Capsule creates, it doesn't overwrite. Capsule says it restricted ChatGPT to creating records and attaching or replacing custom fields, to avoid accidental overwrites.
If you're still choosing a CRM rather than wiring one up, I compared prices and MCP plan gates in The Best CRMs With MCP Support (2026) and HubSpot Alternatives for Small Teams That Work in ChatGPT or Claude.
Connect ChatGPT to LotsCRM
LotsCRM's server is a custom MCP server, so you add it once from Plugins on ChatGPT web.
- Go to Plugins, select +, then Add custom MCP server.
- Name it
LotsCRM. Under Connection, enterhttps://api.lotscrm.com/mcp, then choose OAuth for authentication. - Tick I understand and want to continue, then select Create as a plugin and review the tools ChatGPT discovered.
- Install the plugin and sign in with your Lots account on the LotsCRM page. No API key, no header.
- In a new chat, type @, select LotsCRM and ask.
On a Business workspace, an admin or owner adds it and publishes it for the team; each member then signs in with their own Lots account. On Enterprise and Edu, admins can also let other members add it. The setup page has the same steps for every agent.
On Pro: read-only
OpenAI limits custom MCP servers on Pro to read and fetch. LotsCRM marks its get_, list_ and search_ tools as read-only, so on Pro ChatGPT can still read your CRM briefing, search contacts and deals, pull a deal brief, list follow-ups and summarise the pipeline. Logging a call or moving a deal needs Business, Enterprise or Edu.
On Plus, Go or Free: use Codex
Codex comes with every ChatGPT plan, Free through Enterprise, and connects to remote MCP servers directly. In a terminal:
codex mcp add lots-crm --url https://api.lotscrm.com/mcp codex mcp login lots-crm
The login opens your browser for the Lots sign-in. In the ChatGPT desktop app, Codex has the same option under Settings > MCP servers > Add server (choose Streamable HTTP and paste the URL). From then on the same prompts below work in Codex, with full read and write.
What ChatGPT can do in LotsCRM
ChatGPT gets the same contract the dashboard uses: it can read briefings, find and update contacts and companies, create and move deals, build pipelines, log activities, manage follow-ups, and invite or manage teammates. Grouped by job:
| Area | What ChatGPT can do | Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Briefings | Read the workspace, your role, the pipeline and today's priorities before it acts; pull full pre-call context for a deal | get_crm_briefing, get_sales_brief, get_deal_brief, get_pipeline_summary |
| Search | Find contacts, companies and deals in one query | search_crm |
| Contacts and companies | Create, update, list and archive; import 1 to 100 prospects at a time, deduplicated by email | create_contact, update_contact, create_company, bulk_upsert_prospects, archive_contact |
| Deals and pipelines | Create deals, move them through stages with history, build custom pipelines | create_deal, update_deal, move_deal, create_pipeline |
| Activity | Record calls, meetings, emails, messages and notes after they happen; read a record's timeline | record_activity, get_timeline |
| Follow-ups | Create, reschedule, complete and list due or overdue tasks | create_follow_up, update_follow_up, list_follow_ups |
| Drafting help | Get grounded context to draft a follow-up, with opted-out and do-not-contact records blocked | prepare_follow_up |
| Workspaces and team | Create workspaces, invite or add teammates, change roles | create_workspace, invite_member, add_member, update_member |
| Billing | See plan, coverage and credits; return a checkout link you open yourself | get_billing, create_checkout |
The full live list is at api.lotscrm.com/tools.json. If you want ChatGPT to follow the house rules without spelling them out, give it the skill at lotscrm.com/skill.md.
What the agent reads before it touches anything
Every LotsCRM session should start with get_crm_briefing. It's read-only, so it works on Pro too. I ran it on 17 October 2026 through the LotsCRM MCP against my own LotsTech workspace. Trimmed and condensed:
{ "caller": { "role": "owner" }, "business_context": { "status": "missing", "connected_to_lotsnotes": false, "instruction": "No business facts are stored in LotsCRM. If the owner keeps business context in LotsNotes, read it there ..." }, "sales": { "rules": { "stale_after_days": 7, "closing_within_days": 14 } }, "pipelines": [ { "name": "Sales Pipeline", "stages": ["New 10%", "Qualified 30%", "Proposal 60%", "Negotiation 80%", "Won 100%", "Lost 0%"] } ], "operating_rule": "Mechanical CRM work may continue, but do not make business claims or strategic positioning recommendations until the owner supplies or connects business context." }
That's what you want an agent to know before it writes: its role (it acts as you and can't do more than you can), what counts as stale or closing soon, the stages and their win probabilities, and what it doesn't know. Here no business context is connected, so the briefing tells ChatGPT to stick to mechanical CRM work and not invent claims about your offer. What you sell and how you sound belong in LotsNotes; LotsCRM keeps the sales record.
Prompts you can copy
Start of the day:
@LotsCRM Read my briefing for the [workspace] workspace. What's overdue, which deals are stale, and what should I do first today?
After a call:
@LotsCRM Log my call with [name] at [company]: they want a proposal by Friday and the decision maker is [role]. Move their deal to Proposal and create a follow-up for Thursday 10am.
After an event:
@LotsCRM Import these 12 people from today's meetup with the source set to "Oct meetup", and don't create duplicates of anyone already there. Tell me which rows failed.
Before a call (works on Pro):
@LotsCRM Get the deal brief for [company]. Summarise the last three conversations, open follow-ups and anything I promised.
Drafting, with you in control:
@LotsCRM Prepare a follow-up for the [company] deal and draft a short email. Don't send anything. After I send it, log it as an email activity.
Safety: what ChatGPT can't do in LotsCRM
ChatGPT's own confirmations sit on top of these, but LotsCRM enforces them whatever the prompt says:
- Archive, not delete. There's no delete tool. Contacts, companies and deals are archived, recoverable, with their history intact.
- It never sends outreach.
record_activitylogs a call or email after it happens;create_follow_upsets a task;prepare_follow_upreturns context for a draft and blocks opted-out and do-not-contact records. You send with the tools you already use. - Permissions by role. Owner, admin, manager, member, viewer. Connect ChatGPT as a viewer and it can read the pipeline but not change it.
- No silent overwrites. Deal updates carry a version number, so if a teammate moved the deal a minute ago, ChatGPT's update is refused and it has to read again. Custom fields merge instead of being replaced.
- No duplicates on retry. Creates and imports use idempotency keys, so a retried import returns the original result.
Every change shows up in the dashboard: the pipeline board, the Today view and each contact's timeline. Your agent for speed, the dashboard for control.
What it costs
LotsCRM charges per business, not per seat. Starter is $12 a month ($120 a year) for 3 workspaces, Pro $29 ($290) for 10, and Business $79 ($790) for 30. Without a plan, pay as you go is $5 per workspace a month from credits, charged daily. Extra workspaces on a plan cost your plan's rate. Contacts, deals, pipelines and teammates are unlimited, and Pro and Business include LotsNotes Pro. New accounts get 5,000 free credits, valid 90 days, no card. The MCP server and REST API come with every option; your ChatGPT plan is billed by OpenAI. Current numbers are on the pricing page.
Comparing per-seat CRMs? LotsCRM vs Pipedrive runs the numbers for a small team, and lotscrm.com/compare lists the rest.
Common questions
Can ChatGPT connect to my CRM?
Yes. Install the CRM's app from Plugins if it has one, or add its MCP server under Plugins > + > Add custom MCP server and sign in. Custom servers get read and write on ChatGPT Business, Enterprise and Edu, and read and fetch only on Pro (OpenAI help, checked 17 October 2026).
Which ChatGPT plan do I need for a CRM integration?
It depends on the route. Directory apps follow the app's own rules: HubSpot's works with an OpenAI account, while Salesforce's needs ChatGPT Business or Enterprise. Custom MCP servers need Business, Enterprise or Edu for writes; Pro is read-only. On Plus, Go or Free, Codex connects to remote MCP servers.
Do I still need Developer mode to add a custom MCP server?
No. OpenAI's current guide adds custom MCP servers straight from Plugins: select +, then Add custom MCP server, and acknowledge the risk warning for each server. Some CRM setup guides still describe the older Developer mode steps.
Can ChatGPT delete records in my CRM?
Only where the CRM allows it. Close can permanently delete leads under its destructive scope, Attio can delete tasks and your own comments, and HubSpot's connector has no delete on any object. LotsCRM has no delete tool; ChatGPT can archive a record if your role allows, and archived records are recoverable.
How do I connect ChatGPT to LotsCRM?
In ChatGPT on the web, go to Plugins, select +, then Add custom MCP server. Enter https://api.lotscrm.com/mcp, choose OAuth, tick the acknowledgement, create the plugin and sign in with your Lots account. Then type @LotsCRM in a chat.
Does LotsCRM work with Claude and Codex too?
Yes. The same server URL works in any agent that supports remote MCP. The Claude CRM integration guide covers Claude and Claude Code, and the setup page has the Codex, Cursor and other steps.
Connect it and ask for your briefing
Add https://api.lotscrm.com/mcp under Plugins > + > Add custom MCP server, sign in, and ask ChatGPT for your LotsCRM briefing. It shows exactly what the agent sees before it acts. On Plus, run codex mcp add lots-crm --url https://api.lotscrm.com/mcp instead.
Start free on LotsCRM with 5,000 credits, follow the setup page for your agent, or read the Claude CRM integration guide if you also work in Claude. Questions go to support.lotscrm.com.