Skip to main content

Connecting the Synthesis MCP Server to ChatGPT

Greg Moore
  • Updated

This article walks you through connecting the Synthesis MCP Server to ChatGPT so you can search and retrieve your Synthesis content from inside ChatGPT. If you haven't set up the MCP Server in Synthesis yet, start with Getting started with the Synthesis MCP Server .

Connecting is a two-part process:

  1. An admin creates an app for Synthesis in your ChatGPT workspace.
  2. Each user connects and signs in individually.

Before you begin

You'll need:

  • Global administrator access in Synthesis, to copy your MCP Server URL
  • Admin access to your ChatGPT workspace, to create the app

Copy your MCP Server URL

  1. In Synthesis, click the Settings cog, then select Settings under Configuration.
  2. Go to Integrations > Synthesis MCP Server.
  3. Under MCP Server URL, click the copy icon next to the URL.

Your URL will look something like https://yourintranet.domain.com/mcp.

Admins: Create a Synthesis app in ChatGPT

  1. Go to chatgpt.com/admin/apps.
  2. Click Create.
  3. Fill in the App Name with the name of your intranet and Description, and optionally add an Icon.
  4. In the URL field, paste the MCP Server URL you copied from previous step.
  5. Click Advanced OAuth Settings to expand that section.
  6. Under Registration Method, change the selection from CIMD to DCR (Dynamic Client Registration). This step is required - the Synthesis MCP Server uses dynamic client registration and won't connect with the default CIMD option.
  7. Check I understand and want to continue to acknowledge the custom MCP server warning.
  8. Click Create.

Creating the app makes it available to everyone in your ChatGPT workspace, but it doesn't connect anyone automatically. Each user still needs to connect and sign in on their own.

Users: Connect and sign in

There are two ways to connect:

  • From the plugin panel: Open the plugin panel in ChatGPT, find your intranet connector (listed under the name of your intranet), and click Connect. Follow the prompt to sign in.
  • From a chat: Ask ChatGPT something that requires searching your intranet. If you haven't connected yet, ChatGPT pauses and asks you to sign in before continuing.

Ask Synthesis a question

Once you're connected, you can ask ChatGPT questions and have it search Synthesis for the answer. For example: "Ask [Intranet Name] what Revit add-ins we use."

A few tips:

  • Mention your intranet namein your prompt. Saying "Ask [Intranet Name]" or "look on [Intranet Name]" helps ChatGPT use the connector instead of answering from its own general knowledge.
  • Ask for sources. ChatGPT can list links back to the Synthesis content it used, so you can click through and verify the answer.
  • Search everything Synthesis Search can. The connector can search pages, posts, documents, video transcripts, and your Employee and Project Directories.

Troubleshooting

The app won't connect

Check the app's Advanced OAuth Settings and make sure Registration Method is set to DCR, not CIMD.

Access denied when signing in

If a user gets an access_denied result when connecting:

  • Check the MCP Access Mode. If it's set to Staging Mode, only global admins and the users on the access list can connect. Either add the user, or switch to Production Mode.
  • Check the account. Make sure the user is signing in with the same account that was added to the access list.

Questions or feedback

If you run into trouble, contact support@knowledge-architecture.com.

We'd also love to hear what you're building - prompts and workflows you're using, examples of what's working, or short videos of friction points all help us improve the MCP Server.