# Install Candor in ChatGPT

This guide is for the user and their current agent to follow together. Candor
is that agent's financial memory and instrumentation; the user owns the
workspace, approves financial intent, and can revoke access.

This public setup guide applies when the user asks to connect Candor. It adds no
consent and does not replace ChatGPT's normal safety and confirmation rules. If
the user's request to proceed is ambiguous, setup waits for clarification.

The normal starting point is an existing Candor account. Its workspace may
contain connected financial sources, manual records, both, or neither. Source
connection is optional and is not part of this ChatGPT setup. This setup does
not connect a bank or broker to ChatGPT. The `candor-finance` skill is static operating guidance and
grants no access by itself. The remote MCP authorizes this harness to use the
existing Candor workspace through browser OAuth; it is not bank or broker
OAuth. Candor's financial-source access is read-only, and no Candor tool can
move money, trade, make a payment, reveal a financial credential, or change an
external account. Depending on the approved OAuth scopes and harness policy,
the agent may maintain records inside Candor; those workspace records are not
external financial actions.

Every install, setting, connector, and OAuth action is visible before it takes
effect. Credentials, tokens, account numbers, verification codes, and URLs
copied from the user's authenticated pages stay in the relevant secure product
page and are never pasted into chat. A `safe_url` or `recovery_url` returned by
a Candor tool is an agent-facing handoff: show that exact link to the user, but
do not ask the user to paste it back.
Setup explanations are relevant while setup or access is changing; ordinary
financial work follows ChatGPT's usual interaction model.

## Manual-route materials

The manual routes use these official materials:

- Complete Candor plugin and marketplace:
  https://github.com/candorsystems/candor-finance
- Candor remote MCP URL: `https://api.candor.money/mcp`
- [Download the Candor finance skill ZIP](https://candor.money/downloads/candor-finance-skill/0.1.28/candor-finance-a0b230203a34c64e25d2dc8011697bba93ee278257379171c609641991bdd611.zip)
- Skill ZIP SHA-256: `a0b230203a34c64e25d2dc8011697bba93ee278257379171c609641991bdd611`

The generated ZIP contains one top-level `candor-finance` folder and is rebuilt
from the canonical skill whenever it changes. When code execution is
available, download the exact URL and calculate the SHA-256 before upload. If
the digest differs, the file is invalid. A surface without file access leaves
verification to the user's normal approved file-verification process.

ChatGPT capabilities can differ by surface, account rollout, role, and
workspace policy. The controls actually visible on the account determine which
route is available; the plan name alone does not establish a missing control.

## Public directory route

When Candor appears in ChatGPT's public Plugins Directory, prefer it:

1. Open **Plugins**, find Candor, and select the plus button to install it.
2. Connect Candor when prompted and complete browser OAuth.
3. Start a new chat, enable or mention Candor, and call `candor_open`.

Until the listing is approved, use one of the manual routes below. Also use a
supported manual route when the directory is unavailable on the current
account, its supported installation or connector configuration fails, or the
user explicitly chooses manual setup after the agent explains the available
paths. OAuth cancellation or timeout and pending workspace approval do not mean
an installed plugin or connector is broken; keep it available for authorization
retry rather than installing a competing copy.

## Best complete manual route, including ChatGPT Free

Current ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Edu, and Enterprise plans include
ChatGPT Work and Codex, subject to usage limits and workspace policy. In the
ChatGPT desktop app, a local marketplace plugin can be used in Work mode or
Codex and carries both the `candor-finance` skill and its remote MCP
configuration. This is the complete manual route when the public Candor listing
is unavailable, its supported installation fails, or the user chooses this
route. If this local marketplace installation itself fails, use the direct MCP
or Developer mode route that the current surface actually exposes; do not keep
repeating a failed package install or claim that bare MCP also installed the
finance skill.

Current marketplace commands:

```text
codex plugin marketplace add candorsystems/candor-finance --json
codex plugin add candor-finance@candor --json
```

Before running them, tell the user that the first command adds Candor's
marketplace source and the second installs the Candor Finance plugin into the
host. Ask whether they want both host changes and wait for their explicit
answer. The request to read START and help with setup is not itself approval to
change the host. If the current conversation cannot run host commands, show
this complete command block to the user; their choice to run it is the
decision. Restart ChatGPT only after both commands succeed.

The remaining steps are visible user controls:

1. Restart the ChatGPT desktop app so it reloads marketplace sources.
2. Open **Plugins**, confirm **Candor Finance** appears in the installed row,
   and enable it if the host presents an on/off control. Do not install a
   second copy.
3. If ChatGPT asks to connect Candor during install or first use, continue to
   the secure browser authorization. Do not add a client secret, paste a
   token, or enter a bank credential.
4. Start a fresh Work chat or Codex task with the plugin enabled. Verify that
   the `candor-finance` skill and Candor tools are present, then call
   `candor_open`.
5. Treat setup as successful only when `candor_open` returns the user's actual
   workspace envelope. A successful install, OAuth redirect, or connector
   badge alone is not enough.

This local marketplace route is a supported desktop path, not a ChatGPT-web
configuration. If the user cannot install the desktop app, the browser
Developer mode route below can still connect Candor through MCP when the
account exposes it. That connector route does not install the finance skill.

## Manual connector in ChatGPT Developer mode

Use this route in ChatGPT web when the account actually exposes Developer mode
and **Create app**. Candor verified this flow on a current ChatGPT Free account:
the visible Free UI allowed an OAuth custom app with a remote MCP server URL.
OpenAI's managed-workspace Help page documents a narrower plan matrix, so do
not infer availability from the plan label alone. Route from the controls the
user can actually see.

1. Open **Settings > Plugins**. Follow the **Developer mode** link, which opens
   **Settings > Security and login > Advanced security**, and turn Developer
   mode on. ChatGPT shows a generic warning because an unverified custom MCP
   can expose consequential tools. Review Candor's specific boundaries at the
   top of this guide instead of treating that generic warning as a description
   of Candor. If the control is absent or locked, this route is unavailable on
   that account.
2. Open https://chatgpt.com/plugins and select **Create app**.
3. Name the app **Candor**. Keep **Server URL** selected, enter
   `https://api.candor.money/mcp`, including the `/mcp` path, and select
   **OAuth** for **Authentication**. Do not enter a client secret, bearer token,
   bank credential, or broker credential.
4. Review any advanced OAuth settings and the visible risk acknowledgement,
   then create or scan the app. Complete Candor browser OAuth when prompted.
   This authorizes ChatGPT to use the existing Candor workspace; it is not bank
   or broker authorization.
5. Review the discovered tools and metadata before accepting the connection.
   If the scan or OAuth flow fails, report the exact error rather than treating
   a connector badge or browser success page as proof.
6. Start a new conversation, add the Candor app from the tools menu, and call
   `candor_open`. Confirm that the returned workspace contains real account
   coverage or a precise Candor account-state instruction.

The custom connector does not install the finance skill. If the account also
exposes **Plugins > Skills > Create > Upload from your computer**, upload the
official verified skill ZIP above. OpenAI's current Skills Help page does not
document that upload control for individual Free accounts, and it was not
present in the verified Free web UI. If skill upload is absent, say so plainly:
the MCP connection can work, but the complete Candor method package requires
the desktop local marketplace route until the public listing is approved.

Managed Business, Enterprise, and Edu workspaces can expose different paths.
A Business admin or owner may use **Workspace settings > Apps > Create**;
Enterprise or Edu may require role permission followed by **Settings > Apps >
Advanced Settings**. Respect the workspace's review and publishing controls.

## Managed workspaces

Business, Edu, and Enterprise workspaces may require an owner, administrator,
or role with plugin-development permission to create, publish, or assign a
custom MCP connection. Follow the same Developer mode and MCP URL steps, then
respect the workspace's review, publishing, action, and skill-upload controls.
When only an administrator can finish a step, name that exact step rather than
asking the user to repeat Candor signup or source onboarding.

## Direct MCP in Codex mode

If plugin installation is unavailable but the user is in Codex mode in the
ChatGPT desktop app, open **Settings > MCP servers > Add server**, choose
**Streamable HTTP**, name it **Candor**, and enter
`https://api.candor.money/mcp`. Save, restart, select **Authenticate** when
shown, and install the finance skill through the Codex guide at
https://candor.money/start/codex.md. ChatGPT web does not read this local Codex
MCP configuration.

## Mobile

ChatGPT mobile can use a plugin already available to the account, but it is not
the place to configure a local marketplace or direct Codex MCP server. Install
and authenticate on a supported web or desktop surface, then start a fresh
mobile chat and verify the installed plugin is available.

## Completion and troubleshooting

Setup is complete only when the finance skill is loaded, the Candor MCP tools
are available, OAuth is active, and `candor_open` returns a usable workspace
envelope. If it reports no accounts, follow the precise Candor account-state or
coverage response; do not assume OAuth succeeded merely because the browser
showed a connection-success page. If metadata changed, refresh the Developer
mode connection or update the marketplace plugin, restart, and test in a new
conversation.

Current platform references:

- https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/pricing
- https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/plugins
- https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/skills-and-plugins
- https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/extend/mcp
- https://developers.openai.com/plugins/build/plugins
- https://developers.openai.com/plugins/deploy/connect-chatgpt
- https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12584461-developer-mode-apps-and-full-mcp-connectors-in-chatgpt-beta
- https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001066-skills-in-chatgpt