> You are reading the Docusign Developer Documentation. For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > > Documentation indexes by section: > - APIs and SDKs: https://docusign.docs.buildwithfern.com/docs/llms.txt > - Platform 101: https://docusign.docs.buildwithfern.com/platform/llms.txt > - Extension Apps: https://docusign.docs.buildwithfern.com/extension-apps/llms.txt > - Docusign CLI: https://docusign.docs.buildwithfern.com/docusign-cli/llms.txt > > Authentication (OAuth, JWT Grant, M2M): https://docusign.docs.buildwithfern.com/platform/auth > Webhooks and Connect: https://docusign.docs.buildwithfern.com/platform/webhooks > > OpenAPI specifications: https://docusign.docs.buildwithfern.com/openapi.json > MCP server: https://docusign.docs.buildwithfern.com/_mcp/server # Comparing Official and Custom Connector > Discover to know the difference between official and custom MCP connector to use the Docusign MCP Server Before you connect Docusign account to your preferred AI assistant, it's important to understand the two ways to set up the integration: * Official connector * Custom connector Each serves a different purpose, and choosing the right one from the start saves you time and avoids misconfiguration. | | Official Connector | Custom Connector | | -------------------- | ----------------------------- | ---------------------------- | | **Purpose** | Production use | Testing and exploration | | **Docusign Account** | Production account | Demo account (recommended) | | **Setup** | Guided, pre-built integration | Manual configuration | | **Recommended for** | Business and enterprise users | First-time users, developers | | **Support** | Officially supported | Community / self-managed | **Official connectors** are the verified, supported integration built for connecting your **Production Docusign account** to your AI assistant. They are maintained and published by Docusign and follow the security and compliance standards expected for production workloads. **Custom connectors** walkthrough in this documentation is designed specifically for you to explore the Docusign MCP server using a **Developer Docusign account**. It lets you explore the various range of MCP tools available like sending envelopes, checking status, managing templates, etc.Custom connectors connected directly to the MCP server URL may give you earlier access to newly released tools during the preview phase. ### Choosing the Right Connector for Production Accounts > **Important:** > > * **If an official connector exists** (e.g., in Claude, ChatGPT):\ > ➜ **Use the official connector.** Configuring a custom connector for production is **not recommended**. > * **If no official connector exists** for your AI platform or LLM:\ > ➜ **Use a custom connector.** You may route it to the Docusign production MCP URL. > > For setup instructions, refer to the [Custom Connector Setup Guide](/platform/mcp-server/custom-connectors). If you are already using your production MCP Docusign URL in a custom connector, follow this process to [go-live with production account](/platform/mcp-server/limitations-workarounds#integration-key-not-approved-after-docusign-mcp-general-availability/). Use this decision flowchart before you begin setup: | I want to… | Use this | | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------ | | Try Docusign MCP tools for the first time | Custom Connector | | Test in a sandbox before going live | Custom Connector | | Connect a live production account | Official Connector | | Use this in a business/enterprise context | Official Connector | Both custom and official connectors are available across the following platforms. Use the links below to navigate to the right setup guide for your AI assistant. | AI Assistant | Official Connector | Custom Connector | | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Anthropic Claude** | [Anthropic Claude](https://support.docusign.com/s/document-item?language=en_US\&bundleId=ug3906200f-95c6-4a6b-90b1-f928c85961c6\&topicId=con54692874-8229-4739-916f-fdb70778038a.html&_LANG=enus) | [Anthropic (Claude)](/platform/mcp-server/anthropic-claude) | | **GitHub Copilot** | Not Available | [GitHub (Copilot)](/platform/mcp-server/github-copilot) | | **Google Gemini Enterprise** | [Google Gemini Enterprise](https://support.docusign.com/s/document-item?language=en_US\&bundleId=ug3906200f-95c6-4a6b-90b1-f928c85961c6\&topicId=con7d418007-d283-41eb-8ea6-6d28e80c161d.html&_LANG=enus) | Not Available | | **Microsoft Copilot Studio** | [Microsoft Copilot Studio](https://support.docusign.com/s/document-item?language=en_US\&bundleId=ug3906200f-95c6-4a6b-90b1-f928c85961c6\&topicId=con6af94bdb-1590-4510-898d-16e0347a9d02.html&_LANG=enus) | [Microsoft Copilot Studio](/platform/mcp-server/microsoft-copilot) | | **OpenAI ChatGPT** | [OpenAI ChatGPT](https://support.docusign.com/s/document-item?language=en_US\&bundleId=ug3906200f-95c6-4a6b-90b1-f928c85961c6\&topicId=on203761d9-ec8f-4767-b84c-08fa72a1a49d.html&_LANG=enus) | [OpenAI ChatGPT](/platform/mcp-server/openai-chatgpt) | | **Perplexity** | [Perplexity](http://support.docusign.com/s/document-item?bundleId=ug3906200f-95c6-4a6b-90b1-f928c85961c6\&topicId=conaa1701f4-8724-44f5-8d0c-45141fc94d28.html) | [Perplexity](/platform/mcp-server/perplexity) | | **Slackbot** | [Slack (Slackbot)](https://support.docusign.com/s/document-item?language=en_US&_gl=1*1ay3njf*_gcl_au*MTIxOTQzNTg3Mi4xNzg1NDA1MTAy\&bundleId=ug3906200f-95c6-4a6b-90b1-f928c85961c6\&topicId=con3544db71-334e-47f2-b144-58b360a73da3.html&_LANG=enus) | [Slack (Slackbot)](/platform/mcp-server/slackbot) | * **Authentication scope differences:** Custom connectors may require you to manually provide and rotate API keys or OAuth tokens. Official connectors often handle token refresh and scope management automatically, reducing the risk of authentication failures in long-running workflows. * **Rate limiting behavior:** Demo accounts and production accounts have different API rate limits in Docusign. Using a custom connector pointed at a production URL from a development setup could unexpectedly consume your production API quota during testing. * **Auditability:** Actions taken through official connectors may be logged differently within Docusign's audit trail compared to custom connector calls, which could matter for compliance-sensitive organizations. * **Feature parity lag:** Official connectors may not expose every MCP tool immediately when new tools are added to the DocuSign MCP server. Custom connectors connected directly to the MCP server URL may give you earlier access to newly released tools during the preview phase. * **Multiple production accounts:** If you manage multiple production Docusign accounts for different teams or business units, the custom connector gives you flexibility to test different accounts, whereas official connectors are typically tied to their individual Docusign account. * If an individual is part of multiple accounts in Docusign, they can access all their accounts in official connector. They can choose to disable the MCP access under their individual accounts in the admin screen. ## Next steps * Learn how to authenticate and the list of scopes required to connect Docusign MCP server. See [Authentication & Scope](/platform/mcp-server/authentication-scopes). * Learn the various MCP tools available in the Docusign MCP server. See [MCP Tools](/platform/mcp-server/mcp-tools) to explore its capabilities. * For more information on using production Docusign account with Docusign MCP server, see [Docusign MCP Server and AI Connector User Guide](https://support.docusign.com/s/document-item?language=en_US\&bundleId=ug3906200f-95c6-4a6b-90b1-f928c85961c6\&topicId=con1438e5dd-ae84-435f-8b2e-028117782a6d.html&_LANG=enus).