When the connection misbehaves.

The assistant can't find the tools

If your assistant answers as though it has no ScoutRival tools, the client hasn't loaded the server yet. Open your client's MCP settings and confirm the ScoutRival server shows as connected and enabled — not paused, not errored.

• For token clients, recheck the URL is exactly https://user.scoutrival.com/api/mcp — no trailing path, no typo.
• Confirm the Authorization header reads Bearer sr_mcp_… with a single space after Bearer and no stray spaces or line breaks around the token.
• Restart the client after editing a config file — most clients only read the file on start-up.

The tool list looks old or a new tool is missing

Clients cache the tool list. If a tool you expect is absent, or a brief or feature looks thin right after we ship an improvement, the client is still holding an older copy. Toggle the connection off and on — or start a fresh chat — so the client re-reads the tools from the server. This is the single most common fix, and worth trying before anything else.

Signed in but it won't connect, or the token is rejected

Almost always this is the wrong connection method for the client. The two paths are not interchangeable.

• Claude.ai on the web and ChatGPT connect by signing in to ScoutRival — there is no token to paste, so don't paste one.
• Cursor, Claude Desktop and Claude Code take a token in their config.

A rejected token is usually revoked, mistyped, or truncated. Tokens are shown once and can't be retrieved, so if you're unsure, mint a fresh one at Settings → MCP and paste the whole thing in one piece. See access tokens for the full lifecycle.

A tool says the data isn't connected

Some tools need a prerequisite set up inside ScoutRival before they can return anything. The tool isn't broken — it's telling you what's missing.

• Traffic needs Search Console connected to your brand.
• The search-vs-AI bridge needs both Search Console and at least one AI-visibility check.
• Publishing needs a WordPress site linked to your brand.

Set these up in the app, then ask again and the tool will have data to work with.

MCP isn't available, or you see an upgrade prompt

MCP is a Starter-and-up feature. The Free plan doesn't include it, so the token page shows an upgrade prompt rather than a mint button. Upgrade to Starter or higher to create a token.

Separately, a Viewer teammate's connection is always read-only by design. Read tools work as normal, but write and run actions will be refused — that's the Viewer role, not a fault.

A generate or run action was refused

Paid tools — content, checks and audits — need credits, and a token can also carry its own daily cap. If a run is refused, check two things: your account credit balance, and the daily cap on the token you're using.

• Reads never cost anything, so read tools keep working even at zero credits.
• BYOK connections spend no credits on AI content — you're paying your own provider.