Connectors extend Navigator to external tools and agents, allowing employees to retrieve information and perform supported actions in those systems directly from the Navigator chat.

Administrators configure Connectors in Studio. Employees then connect to available Connectors from the Connectors panel in the Navigator chat.

Each employee connects individually. When Navigator uses a Connector, it uses the employee's own credentials and permissions in the external system. Connecting a Connector does not give an employee additional access.

Available and Custom Connectors 

Navigator supports two ways of making Connectors available:

• Available connectors: These connectors are available by default in Studio. Administrators can activate or deactivate them for their organization. Active connectors can be either MCP or Agent. The available active connectors are:
  • Atlassian
  • Workday
• Custom connectors: These connectors must be configured by an administrator in Studio. Administrators can configure custom MCP connectors or custom Agent connectors, depending on the external service they want to connect to.

Both available and custom connectors require employees to connect individually from the Navigator chat before they can use them.

Connector Types

Navigator supports two types of connectors:

• MCP connector: Connects Navigator to an external MCP server so it can use the server's tools to retrieve information or perform supported actions.
• Agent connector: Connects Navigator to an external agent so it can delegate supported tasks to that agent.

MCP Connectors

MCP connectors use the Model Context Protocol to give Navigator access to tools from external platforms. Any tool or application that offers an MCP server can be connected to Staffbase. An administrator adds an MCP server in Studio, and Navigator can use the server's tools to retrieve information or complete supported tasks on the employee's behalf.

For example, the Atlassian MCP connector gives Navigator access to Jira, Confluence, and other Atlassian tools, depending on what your organization uses. Employees can use Navigator to look up Jira issues or retrieve information from Confluence without leaving the chat.

Agent Connectors

Agent connectors connect Navigator to a specialized external agent. Instead of using the external system's tools directly, Navigator delegates supported tasks to the agent, which carries them out on the employee's behalf.

For example, with the Workday Agent connector, employees can use Navigator to complete supported Workday self-service tasks.

Choosing a Connector Type

Both MCP connectors and agent connectors require an administrator to make them active or configure them as custom connectors and an individual employee connection in Navigator. The main difference is how Navigator interacts with the external system.

Additional Helpful Information

• Configuring Navigator Settings
• Using Navigator to Get Guidance
• Adding and Managing MCP Connectors in Navigator
• Adding and Managing Agent Connectors in Navigator