Tools
Let Claude and other AI apps call your company's APIs and MCP servers under workspace rules.
Tools let people's AI apps read from and act in the systems your company runs. A tool is one API request, a short JavaScript function, or a tool of another MCP server. People reach tools through the same Parcel connector that serves their skills. On every call Parcel checks the workspace's rules, adds the right credential, sends the call and records it.
Who does what
| Role | What they do with tools |
|---|---|
| Admin | Adds connectors and workspace credentials, writes access rules, watches Monitoring, switches the tool features |
| Author | Writes tools in a folder where they have author access, adds test cases and submits them |
| Reviewer | Approves tool versions in the folders they review |
| Member | Turns tools on in Explore, connects their own accounts on Connect and calls tools from Claude |
| Approver | Approves calls that a rule holds, when a rule names them |
Where to find it in the hub
| Page | Who sees it | What it holds |
|---|---|---|
| Explore | Everyone | The tools you may use, with a Use switch for each |
| Connect, Your credentials | Everyone | The accounts your tools call with |
| Inventory, Tools | Authors | The tools you own or write, and New tool |
| Reviews | Reviewers and approvers | Tool versions waiting for a decision, and Call approvals |
| Admin, Connectors | Admins | Connectors and workspace credentials |
| Admin, Tools | Admins | Every tool, and toolkits |
| Admin, Monitoring | Admins | Every call, with its outcome and timing |
| Admin, Access, Rules | Admins | Tool rules: allow, block, limit, approvals and credentials |
Use tools in Claude
Turn tools on, connect your accounts and call them from your AI apps
Connectors
The services tools call and how calls sign in to them
Credentials
Your own accounts, workspace credentials and which one a call uses
Write a tool
Request tools, the tool page and what admins can change
Code tools
JavaScript that calls the connector's API several times
MCP connectors
Import the tools of another MCP server
Tests, review and release
Test cases, reviews, publishing and versions
Toolkits
Group tools for one rule and one MCP address
Access rules
Who may call which tools, when, how often and with which account
Call approvals
Hold calls until someone approves them
Token exchange
Calls that carry the person's own identity, with no stored account
Monitoring
The call log, live calls and numbers per tool
Call traces
Each call's steps, request and answer in full
Switching features off
Admins switch the tool features under Admin, Features, in the Tools module. Every feature below the tool gateway needs it, so it is off whenever the gateway is. A feature can also show "Not available for this workspace", which a workspace admin cannot change.
| Feature | What happens while it is off |
|---|---|
| Tool gateway | Tools leave Explore, Inventory, folders and person pages. Tool pages, New tool, Call approvals, Admin, Connectors and Admin, Tools are gone, and Admin, Access loses its Rules tab. Skills name no tools they need. AI apps list no workspace tools and Parcel refuses tool calls. Admin, Monitoring keeps only memory searches |
| Code tools | The Code type leaves the tool editor. Code tools leave the lists and the review queue and cannot be called |
| MCP connectors | The MCP server connector type, Import tools, Refresh from server and MCP server tools are gone, with the personal accounts for MCP connectors |
| Toolkits | The toolkit editor, toolkit addresses and allow rules that grant a toolkit stop. Block and limit rules on a toolkit keep applying, so switching toolkits off never widens access |
| Call approvals | Rules run without their approvals. Waiting approvals and their notices are hidden |
| Token exchange | The token exchange settings are hidden and calls stop exchanging. Calls use the connector's other sign-in options |
| Call traces | The trace switches are hidden, new calls keep no trace and Monitoring shows none |
What a feature holds stays stored while it is off. When an admin saves a connector, tool or rule meanwhile, Parcel keeps the parts the feature hides (an exchange, a trace switch, an approval, a toolkit rule), and they apply again once the feature is back on.