Query Live HubDB Data in Perplexity Desktop via CData Connect AI

Perplexity is an AI-powered research and answer engine that combines web search, structured data, and connected tools through a unified conversational interface. With Perplexity Desktop for macOS, you can bring external data sources directly into your workflow using MCP, enabling fast, context-aware insights powered by live data.

Integrating Perplexity Desktop with CData Connect AI via its built-in MCP connector allows the AI to query, explore, and reason over live HubDB data without copying data out of its source system. The result is a research experience where you can ask questions about your governed enterprise data directly from Perplexity Desktop.

This article outlines how to configure HubDB connectivity in Connect AI, generate the required access token, register Connect AI's MCP Server in Perplexity Desktop, and then use the chat interface to explore live HubDB data.

Step 1: Configure HubDB connectivity for Perplexity Desktop

Connectivity to HubDB from Perplexity Desktop is made possible through CData Connect AI's Remote MCP Server. To interact with HubDB data from Perplexity Desktop, start by creating and configuring a HubDB connection in CData Connect AI.

1. Log into Connect AI, click Sources, and then click Add Connection

2. Select HubDB from the Add Connection panel

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to HubDB.

   There are two authentication methods available for connecting to HubDB data source: OAuth Authentication with a public HubSpot application and authentication with a Private application token.

   Using a Custom OAuth App

   AuthScheme must be set to "OAuth" in all OAuth flows. Be sure to review the Help documentation for the required connection properties for you specific authentication needs (desktop applications, web applications, and headless machines).

   Follow the steps below to register an application and obtain the OAuth client credentials:

   1. Log into your HubSpot app developer account.
      • Note that it must be an app developer account. Standard HubSpot accounts cannot create public apps.
   2. On the developer account home page, click the Apps tab.
   3. Click Create app.
   4. On the App info tab, enter and optionally modify values that are displayed to users when they connect. These values include the public application name, application logo, and a description of the application.
   5. On the Auth tab, supply a callback URL in the "Redirect URLs" box.
      • If you're creating a desktop application, set this to a locally accessible URL like http://localhost:33333.
      • If you are creating a Web application, set this to a trusted URL where you want users to be redirected to when they authorize your application.
   6. Click Create App. HubSpot then generates the application, along with its associated credentials.
   7. On the Auth tab, note the Client ID and Client secret. You will use these later to configure the driver.

   8. Under Scopes, select any scopes you need for your application's intended functionality.

      A minimum of the following scopes is required to access tables:

      • hubdb
      • oauth
      • crm.objects.owners.read
   9. Click Save changes.
   10. Install the application into a production portal with access to the features that are required by the integration.
       • Under "Install URL (OAuth)", click Copy full URL to copy the installation URL for your application.
       • Navigate to the copied link in your browser. Select a standard account in which to install the application.
       • Click Connect app. You can close the resulting tab.

   Using a Private App

   To connect using a HubSpot private application token, set the AuthScheme property to "PrivateApp."

   You can generate a private application token by following the steps below:

   1. In your HubDB account, click the settings icon (the gear) in the main navigation bar.
   2. In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Integrations > Private Apps.
   3. Click Create private app.
   4. On the Basic Info tab, configure the details of your application (name, logo, and description).
   5. On the Scopes tab, select Read or Write for each scope you want your private application to be able to access.
   6. A minimum of hubdb and crm.objects.owners.read is required to access tables.
   7. After you are done configuring your application, click Create app in the top right.
   8. Review the info about your application's access token, click Continue creating, and then Show token.
   9. Click Copy to copy the private application token.

   To connect, set PrivateAppToken to the private application token you retrieved.

   
4. Click Save & Test
5. Navigate to the Permissions tab and update user-based permissions

Add a Personal Access Token

A Personal Access Token (PAT) is used to authenticate the connection to Connect AI from Perplexity Desktop. It is best practice to create a separate PAT for each integration to maintain granular access control.

1. Click the gear icon () at the top right of the Connect AI app to open Settings
2. On the Settings page, go to the Access Tokens section and click Create PAT
3. Give the PAT a descriptive name and click Create

4. The personal access token is only visible at creation, so be sure to copy it and store it securely for future use

Create an OAuth App in CData Connect AI

Perplexity Desktop uses OAuth 2.0 to authenticate users against the CData Connect AI MCP Server. This requires creating an OAuth App in your CData Connect AI account.

1. Click the Gear icon () in the top-right corner of Connect AI to open Settings
2. Navigate to OAuth Apps and click + Create App. The Create OAuth App dialog appears
3. Fill in the following fields:
   • Name: Enter a descriptive name (e.g., PerplexityOAuth)
   • Authentication Flow: Select User-based (Authorization Code)
   • Callback URL: Enter the callback URL provided by Perplexity Desktop when adding the connector
   
4. Click Confirm. CData Connect AI generates a Client ID and Client Secret
5. Copy both values and store them securely. You will need them in Step 2

With the HubDB connection configured and an OAuth App created, Perplexity Desktop can now connect to HubDB data through Connect AI.

Step 2: Configure Connect AI in Perplexity Desktop

Next, register the CData Connect AI MCP Server as a custom remote connector in Perplexity Desktop. This feature requires a Perplexity Pro, Max, or Enterprise account and the macOS desktop app. Once configured, Perplexity's AI can call the tools exposed by CData Connect AI to access live HubDB data.

1. Download the Perplexity Desktop application for macOS and sign in with your Pro, Max, or Enterprise account
2. Click Customize in the left sidebar and open the Connectors tab. Click + Custom connector in the top-right corner to open the Add custom connector dialog
3. Enter a Name for the connector (e.g., CData Connect AI) and, optionally, a Description. In the MCP server URL field, enter the CData Connect AI MCP endpoint: https://mcp.cloud.cdata.com/mcp
4. Expand Advanced and configure the following:
   • Authentication: Select OAuth, then enter the Client ID and Client Secret from the OAuth App created in Step 1
   • Transport: Select Streamable HTTP
   • Network access: Select Public
   Check the box acknowledging that custom connectors can introduce risks, then click Add
5. The new connector appears in the Connectors list. Click + on the connector to connect it. When redirected to CData Connect AI, sign in and click Allow to grant Perplexity access

Step 3: Query your live HubDB data from Perplexity Desktop

1. Click New Session and make sure the CData Connect AI connector is enabled for the session. The active connector appears above the prompt box
2. Start asking questions about your HubDB data. For example:

   "Which data sources do you have access to via Connect AI?"

   
3. Try additional queries such as:
   • "List all the tables available in my HubDB data connection."
   • "Show the available schemas in HubDB."
   • "Retrieve the top 10 records from the Account table."
   • "Summarize the high-priority open opportunities in HubDB."

Perplexity Desktop is now fully integrated with the CData Connect AI MCP Server and can reason over live HubDB data directly from the chat interface.

Get CData Connect AI

To access hundreds of SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources directly from your AI tools, try CData Connect AI today!