Prerequisites

• A paid Claude plan. For data privacy compliance, a Claude for Work plan (Team or Enterprise) is recommended. Please review Anthropic's privacy policy for details on how each plan handles your data.
• A Datarails license.
• Git is required (both Windows and macOS) — the Code tab installs the plugin by cloning a repository, which needs Git.
  • On Windows: Install Git for Windows.
  • On macOS: Git ships with the Xcode Command Line Tools. If it isn't already installed, open Terminal and run xcode-select --install, then follow the prompt. To verify, run git --version. (Alternatively: install via git-scm.com/downloads or Homebrew with brew install git.)
• The FinanceOS connection is enabled in your Datarails environment. If it does not, reach out to your CSM.  

Step 1: Install Claude Desktop

1. Go to https://claude.com/download
2. Download and install for your OS (Windows or macOS)
3. Sign in with your Claude account

Step 2: Install the Datarails Plugin

Path A: Add Marketplace. 

1. Open Claude Desktop, and navigate to the "Code" tab on top.

   

2. In Claude's code, select a folder. It's best to create a new folder dedicated to Claude. 
3.  Go to Customize (left sidebar) -> Personal plugins > "+" -> "Add marketplace"
   
4. Paste this URL: 
   Datarails/dr-claude-code-plugins-re
5. Please note: if the option to add a plugin with the marketplace isn't available for you, see "Path B" instructions below. 
6. Claude will redirect you to the Plugin directory. In the personal tab, navigate to "dr-claude-plugin-re", and hit the "+" symbol, and the plugin should get installed. 
   
7. Make sure that the plugin is installed in Claude CoWork as well. If it doesn't, repeat this process for CoWork.  
8. In the left sidebar, expand Datarails Finance OS (under Personal plugins)
9. Click Connectors
   
10. Click the Connect button next to the datarails-finance-os connector
    
11. Complete the login in your browser
12. Optional: Set the Tool permission to "Always allow" to skip approval prompts
    
     

Path B: Manual Upload

If you don't have the option to "add from marketplace", you can upload the Datarails plugin directly to Claude. 
 

1. Navigate to "Customize"  
2. Look for the "add plugin" option:

If it does not exist, try to add a public plugin: go to "Browse plugins", add any one of them, and the '+' button will appear.
You can remove the plugin after the Datarails plugin installation. 
 

2. Select "Upload plugin".     

3. Download the plugin from this page (latest release): 

4. Connect to Datarails through the connector option 

Please note: in some cases, connector installation requires admin permission in Claude. In such cases, ask the Claude admin in your organization to install Datarails custom MCP server using this URL: https://mcp.datarails.com/mcp.
 

Best Practices

1. Set Tool permission to “Always allow” — After connecting the Datarails plugin, set the tool permission to “Always allow” so Claude does not prompt you for approval on every data request.
2. Start with /dr-learn — Run the /dr-learn command in your first session so Claude can discover your tables, dimensions, and data structure. This creates a client profile that makes all subsequent commands faster and more accurate.
3. Use a dedicated folder — When selecting a folder in the Code tab, create a new folder dedicated to your Claude + Datarails work. This keeps your outputs organized.
4. Explore before querying — Use /dr-tables to browse available tables and schemas before running analysis commands. Understanding your data structure leads to better results.
5. Be specific in your prompts — When asking Claude to analyze your financial data, mention specific dimensions (e.g., “by department”, “for Q1 2025”), scenarios (e.g., “Actuals vs Budget”), and the type of output you want (e.g., “Excel workbook”, “PowerPoint summary”).
6. Use the built-in skills — Datarails provides specialized skills for common finance tasks. Type / in Claude to see available commands such as /dr-extract, /dr-query, /dr-profile, /dr-dashboard, /dr-insights, and more.
7. Iterate on outputs — After Claude generates a report or dashboard, you can ask follow-up questions in the same conversation to refine the output (e.g., “add a department breakdown”, “filter to Q4 only”, “export this to Excel”).

Troubleshooting

Connector Installation Requires Admin Permission

Problem: You cannot install the Datarails connector because your Claude organization requires admin approval for custom MCP servers.

Solution: Ask the Claude admin in your organization to install the Datarails custom MCP server using this URL: https://mcp.datarails.com/mcp. Once the admin approves it, the connector will become available to all users in the organization.

“Add Marketplace from GitHub” Option Not Available

Problem: The “Add marketplace from GitHub” option does not appear in the plugin browser.

Solution: Use Path B (Manual Upload) described in the installation steps above. Download the plugin file and upload it directly to Claude. If the “Add plugin” button is also missing, first install any public plugin from the Browse plugins section - this will make the “+” button appear. You can remove the public plugin after the Datarails plugin is installed.

Authentication Fails, or Login Page Does Not Load

Problem: Clicking “Connect” on the Datarails connector does not open a login page, or the login page fails to load.

Solution:

• Ensure your browser allows pop-ups from Claude Desktop. The authentication flow opens in your default browser.
• Check that you have an active Datarails license. Contact your Datarails administrator if you are unsure.
• Try disconnecting and reconnecting the connector from the Manage section in Customize.
• If the issue persists, clear your browser cache and try again.

Plugin Installed but Datarails Commands Not Working

Problem: The Datarails plugin appears in Customize, but Claude does not recognize Datarails commands or cannot access your data.

Solution:

• Go to Customize > expand Datarails Finance OS > Connectors, and verify the connector shows a Connected status.
• If it shows “Disconnected”, click Connect and complete the login flow.
• Make sure you are in the Code tab (not the regular Chat tab). Datarails skills run in the Code environment.
• Try running /dr-tables as a simple test. If it returns data, the connection is working.

Connection Times Out or Returns Errors

Problem: Datarails commands start, but then time out or return error messages.

Solution:

• Check your internet connection.
• Verify your Datarails account is active, and your credentials have not expired.
• Large datasets may take longer to process. Try narrowing your request with specific filters (e.g., a single department or date range).
• If the error mentions token issues, disconnect and reconnect the Datarails connector to refresh your session.

Git Not Installed (Windows)

Problem: On Windows, the plugin installation fails, or Claude Code does not function correctly.

Solution: Git is a prerequisite on Windows. Download and install Git from git-scm.com/downloads. After installing, restart Claude Desktop and try again.

Git Not Installed (macOS)

Problem: On macOS, plugin installation fails, or the Code tab does not function correctly.

Solution: Git is a prerequisite on macOS. Open Terminal and run xcode-select --install to install the Command Line Tools (which include Git), then restart Claude Desktop and try again. To confirm Git is present, run git --version. If you prefer, you can also install Git from git-scm.com/downloads or via Homebrew (brew install git).

Authentication Denied

Problem: When trying to connect to Datarails, you get this result: 
"Authentication Denied: It seems like you are not permitted to use this tool. Please reach out to your CSM for more details."    

Solution: 
Verify with your CSM that the option to connect Datarails to AI platforms is enabled for you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills and commands are available with the Datarails plugin?
Type / In the Claude Code, to see all available Datarails commands. Common ones include /dr-tables (explore data), /dr-learn (discover your data structure), /dr-extract (export to Excel), /dr-query (run filtered queries), /dr-profile (analyze field distributions), /dr-dashboard (generate KPI dashboards), /dr-insights (executive-ready analysis), and /dr-anomalies (detect data quality issues).

Is my financial data safe?
Yes. Datarails enforces all access controls server-side — you will only see data you are permitted to access in your Datarails environment. All connections use OAuth 2.0 authentication, and every data request is logged. Datarails is SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and ISO 27001 certified.

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

Do I need coding experience?
No. You interact with Claude using natural language. The Datarails skills handle all the technical details of querying and formatting data. Simply describe what you want to see (e.g., “show me revenue by department for Q1”).

Can I export outputs to Excel or PowerPoint?
Yes. Many Datarails skills generate Excel workbooks and PowerPoint presentations automatically. You can also ask Claude to export any analysis to Excel or CSV format.

What Claude plan do I need?
You need a paid Claude plan to use plugins and the Code tab. For working with financial data, we recommend a Claude for Work subscription (Team or Enterprise). Please review Anthropic's privacy policy to understand how your plan handles data privacy before connecting financial data.

Can multiple people in my company use the plugin?
Yes. Each person installs the plugin on their own Claude Desktop and connects with their own Datarails credentials. Each user sees only the data they have access to in Datarails.

What is /dr-learn and why should I run it first?
/dr-learn scans your Datarails environment to discover available tables, columns, and dimension values. It creates a local profile that helps Claude understand your specific data structure, making subsequent commands faster and more accurate.

Do I need to reinstall the plugin after Claude Desktop updates?
No. The plugin persists across Claude Desktop updates. However, if you notice the connector shows as disconnected after an update, simply reconnect it from Customize > Datarails Finance OS > Connectors.

Updated June 22, 2026 19:00