Datarails FinanceOS connects Claude to your Datarails financial data so you can explore tables, run analysis, and generate Excel and PowerPoint outputs in natural language. This article covers setup on Claude Desktop for Windows and macOS, and reflects plugin version 3.5.0.

Two things to install

Datarails on Claude has two independent pieces. Most people want both, but they install separately and either one works without the other.

This distinction is the fastest way to diagnose a problem later. If Claude can answer questions about your numbers but the /datarails-financeos: skills are missing, you have the connector without the plugin. If the skills appear but return no data, the plugin's connection has not been authenticated yet.

Prerequisites

• A paid Claude plan. For data privacy compliance, a Claude for Work plan (Team or Enterprise) is recommended. Review Anthropic's privacy policy for details on how each plan handles your data.
• A Datarails license.
• The FinanceOS connection enabled in your Datarails environment. If it isn't, contact your CSM.
• Git — for the plugin only. The connector does not need Git. The plugin installs by cloning a repository, so Git must be present on both Windows and macOS. Claude Desktop will tell you "Git is required to add marketplaces" if it is missing.
  • Windows: install Git for Windows.
  • macOS: Git ships with the Xcode Command Line Tools. If it isn't installed, open Terminal, run xcode-select --install, and follow the prompt. Verify with git --version. You can also install from git-scm.com/downloads or with Homebrew (brew install git).

Step 1: Install Claude Desktop

1. Go to claude.com/download.
2. Download and install for your operating system.
3. Sign in with your Claude account.

Step 2: Add the Datarails connector

Datarails FinanceOS is listed in the Claude connector directory, so there is no custom URL to paste and no configuration file to edit. This connector is what lets you ask about your data in ordinary chat and on claude.ai. If you only plan to use the plugin in Claude Code, you can skip this step — the plugin brings its own connection (see Step 3).

1. In Claude Desktop, go to Settings > Connectors.
2. Open the Directory.
3. Search for datarails.
4. Select Datarails FinanceOS — the entry with the verified badge. Ignore any results labelled Custom; those are internal development connectors and will not work for you.
5. Click + to add it, then click Connect.
6. Complete the login in your browser.
7. Optional: set the tool permission to Always allow so Claude does not prompt for approval on every data request. If Always allow isn't offered, your Claude administrator has restricted it. See the FAQ below.

You can now ask Claude about your financial data in any conversation. To add the finance skills and report generation, continue to Step 3.

Step 3: Install the Datarails Plugin

The plugin runs in Claude Code and Claude Cowork. Install it in each surface you use — installing it in Code does not install it in Cowork.

From the Claude Code terminal

/plugin marketplace add https://github.com/Datarails/dr-claude-code-plugins-re
/plugin install datarails-financeos@datarails-marketplace

Important: use the full HTTPS URL, https://github.com/Datarails/dr-claude-code-plugins-re. The owner/repo shorthand triggers SSH cloning, which fails unless you have SSH keys configured.

The plugin includes its own Datarails connection. There is no separate connector step for Claude Code. The first time a skill needs data, a browser window opens for the Datarails login; sign in once and you are connected. To check the connection or sign in again later, run /mcp and select the datarails-finance-os server listed under the Datarails FinanceOS plugin.

From Claude Desktop

1. Open the Code tab and select a folder. A new folder dedicated to your Claude and Datarails work keeps generated files organised.
2. Go to Customize > Plugins > Browse plugins and open the Personal tab.
3. Click + > Add marketplace.
4. In Marketplace URL, enter https://github.com/Datarails/dr-claude-code-plugins-re and confirm.
5. Find Datarails FinanceOS in the new marketplace and click Install.
6. Restart Claude Desktop so the skills appear.

If the marketplace install fails, download the ZIP from the latest release and add it with + > Upload plugin.

After installing, connect the plugin's Datarails connection the first time a skill asks for it, or from + > Connectors > Datarails > Connect in the conversation.

What you can run

The simplest way to use the plugin is to describe what you want in plain language — for example, "Give me a financial summary for 2026" or "Build an FP&A intelligence workbook" — and Claude picks the right skill. No setup or discovery step is required — every skill finds your tables and fields on its own.

To invoke a skill explicitly, type /datarails-financeos: and press Tab to see every skill. The datarails-financeos: prefix is required: Claude Code namespaces every plugin skill, so a bare /tables will not resolve. The older /dr- names from plugin versions 2.x are retired.

Quick commands

Skills

Each skill is invoked as /datarails-financeos:<name>.

Best Practices

1. There is no setup step. Every skill discovers your tables, fields, and dimension values on its own, each time it runs. Earlier versions of the plugin used a /dr-learn command to build a saved profile; that command has been removed and is no longer needed.
2. Start with /datarails-financeos:tables or /datarails-financeos:explore-tables. Seeing what data exists first leads to better questions and better results.
3. Set the tool permission to "Always allow". This stops Claude prompting for approval on every data request.
4. Use a dedicated folder for the Code tab, so generated workbooks and decks stay organised.
5. Be specific in your prompts. Name dimensions ("by department"), periods ("Q1 2026"), scenarios ("Actuals vs Budget"), and the output you want ("as an Excel workbook").
6. Iterate in the same conversation. After Claude produces a report, refine it with follow-ups such as "add a department breakdown" or "filter to Q4 only".
7. Keep the plugin up to date. In Claude Desktop, open Browse plugins > Personal, open the Datarails marketplace menu and choose Sync from GitHub, or turn on automatic updates there. In the Claude Code terminal, run /plugin and update the Datarails FinanceOS plugin from the list.

Troubleshooting

Claude answers data questions, but the Datarails skills are missing

Problem: The connector is working but the plugin is not installed.

Solution: Complete Step 3. Remember that the plugin only runs in Claude Code and Claude Cowork, and must be installed in each one separately. If you just installed it, restart Claude Desktop or Claude Code.

The skills appear, but return no data or say "Not authenticated"

Problem: The plugin is installed but its Datarails connection has not been signed in.

Solution:

• Claude Code terminal: run /mcp, select the datarails-finance-os server under the Datarails FinanceOS plugin, and complete the login in your browser.
• Claude Desktop and Cowork: click + > Connectors, find Datarails and click Connect. You can also check Settings > Connectors; if the Datarails FinanceOS connector shows Disconnected, click Connect and complete the login.

Several Datarails entries appear in the connector directory

Problem: Searching for datarails returns more than one result.

Solution: Choose Datarails FinanceOS, the entry with the verified badge. Entries labelled Custom are internal development servers and will not authenticate for customers.

Your organization has not enabled the connector

Problem: The Datarails connector does not appear, or cannot be added, because your Claude organization restricts which connectors are available.

Solution: Ask your Claude administrator to enable the Datarails FinanceOS connector for your organization. Once enabled, it becomes available to everyone.

Plugin marketplace install fails

Problem: Adding the marketplace fails, often with an SSH or authentication error, or Claude Desktop reports that Git is required.

Solution:

• Use the full HTTPS URL https://github.com/Datarails/dr-claude-code-plugins-re, not the owner/repo shorthand. The shorthand triggers SSH cloning.
• Confirm Git is installed by running git --version, then restart Claude Desktop.
• If it still fails, download the ZIP from the latest release and use + > Upload plugin.

A skill command does nothing

Problem: Typing /tables or an older /dr-tables command has no effect.

Solution: Use the namespaced form, for example /datarails-financeos:tables. Type /datarails-financeos: and press Tab to list every skill. The /dr- names belonged to plugin versions 2.x and were retired in version 3.

Authentication fails, or the login page does not load

Problem: Clicking Connect does not open a login page, or the page fails to load.

Solution:

• Allow pop-ups from Claude Desktop. The authentication flow opens in your default browser.
• Confirm you have an active Datarails license.
• Disconnect and reconnect the connector from Settings > Connectors, or from /mcp in the Claude Code terminal.
• If the problem persists, clear your browser cache and try again.

"Authentication Denied"

Problem: Connecting returns "Authentication Denied: It seems like you are not permitted to use this tool. Please reach out to your CSM for more details."

Solution: Confirm with your CSM that connecting Datarails to AI platforms is enabled for your environment and for your user.

Requests time out or return errors

Problem: A request starts, then times out or returns an error.

Solution:

• Check your internet connection.
• Confirm your Datarails account is active and your credentials have not expired.
• Narrow the request with filters, such as a single department or a shorter date range. Large aggregations are computed as background jobs and very large results are truncated rather than returned in full.
• If the error mentions tokens, disconnect and reconnect the connector to refresh your session.

Git not installed

Problem: Plugin installation fails with "Git is required to add marketplaces", or the Code tab does not work correctly.

Solution: Install Git, then restart Claude Desktop. On Windows, download it from git-scm.com/downloads. On macOS, run xcode-select --install in Terminal. Verify with git --version. Git is required only for the plugin, not for the connector.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need both the connector and the plugin?
No. The connector alone lets you ask questions about your data anywhere in Claude. Add the plugin when you want the packaged finance workflows and generated Excel or PowerPoint files. The plugin carries its own Datarails connection, so in Claude Code it works without the Directory connector.

Do I have to work in the Code tab?
Not for the connector — it works in ordinary Claude chat and on claude.ai. The plugin's skills do require Claude Code or Claude Cowork.

Why do the skills start with /datarails-financeos: instead of /dr-?
Claude Code namespaces every plugin's skills with the plugin name to avoid collisions between plugins. The /dr- names were used by plugin versions 2.x and no longer exist.

Whatever happened to /dr-learn?
It was removed. Skills now discover your tables and fields inline every time they run, so there is no profile to build and no setup command to remember.

Is my financial data safe?
Datarails enforces all access controls server-side, so you only ever see data you are permitted to access in your Datarails environment. Connections use OAuth, and no credentials are stored in Claude.

The privacy protections that apply to your conversations with Claude depend on your Claude subscription plan. Review Anthropic's privacy policy to understand how your data is handled, particularly around model training and retention, before using Claude with financial data. For the strongest protections, use a Claude for Work plan.

Do I need coding experience?
No. You work in natural language. Describe what you want to see, such as "show me revenue by department for Q1".

Can I export to Excel or PowerPoint?
Yes. Several skills generate Excel workbooks and PowerPoint decks directly, and you can ask Claude to export any analysis. With the Datarails Excel Add-In installed, the plugin can also work directly in the workbook you have open.

Can several people in my company use this?
Yes. Each person connects with their own Datarails credentials and sees only the data they have access to.

Do I need to reinstall after Claude Desktop updates?
No. Both the connector and the plugin persist across updates. If the connector shows as disconnected after an update, reconnect it from Settings > Connectors.

Claude asks me to approve every Datarails request, and "Always allow" isn't available. How do I stop this?
Your Claude organization's connector policy controls this, not your personal settings. When your Claude administrator sets the Datarails FinanceOS connector to Needs approval, Claude asks before every request and removes Always allow from your own options. Ask your Claude Owner or Admin to open Organization settings > Connectors and set the Datarails FinanceOS connector to Always allow. You can then choose Always allow for yourself in Settings > Connectors. If Claude still asks in Cowork, your administrator also needs to turn on the organization setting Allow "Always allow" for connector tools, which is off by default.

Updated October 13, 2026 09:07