# How to connect Blackbaud to Hermes Agent (no API keys)

> Connect Blackbaud to Hermes with ClawLink in one click — hosted OAuth, no API keys, no manual setup. Run real actions straight from chat.

Web version: https://claw-link.dev/hermes/blackbaud

Most guides for giving Hermes Agent Blackbaud access start with registering your own OAuth app or pasting API keys into env files, then leave the token refresh and tool wiring to you. ClawLink gives Hermes a more practical Blackbaud setup: pair once in the browser and your always-on Hermes agent can act on Blackbaud for you, reading and doing real work on your behalf with no auth, token refresh, or tool wiring to build yourself.

## Blackbaud MCP for Hermes

Looking for a Blackbaud MCP server for Hermes Agent? ClawLink connects Blackbaud to Hermes Agent and exposes 0 Blackbaud tools your agent can call over [MCP](https://claw-link.dev/learn/what-is-an-mcp-server), with [hosted auth](https://claw-link.dev/learn/oauth-for-ai-agents) and nothing to run or maintain yourself. Using OpenClaw instead? The [OpenClaw Blackbaud integration](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/blackbaud) works the same way.

**Start here — paste this into Hermes to set up ClawLink:**

> Set up ClawLink for Hermes and tell me when it's ready.
> 1. Install the plugin: `hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable`
> 2. Start pairing with `hermes clawlink begin`. It prints an approval link, so show me the link and stop, don't wait.
> 3. I'll approve it in my browser, then reply "approved".
> 4. When I say approved, finish setup: `hermes clawlink finish`
> 5. Then run `hermes clawlink test` and tell me whether ClawLink is ready.

## Setup

It takes three steps to connect Hermes to Blackbaud.

1. **Install ClawLink** — add the plugin to Hermes Agent once.
2. **Connect Blackbaud** — one-click OAuth in the ClawLink dashboard.
3. **Use it from chat** — ask Hermes Agent in plain English.

**Alternative for any agent (no plugin needed):** if the Hermes Agent plugin route isn't available or doesn't work, any AI agent with shell access can use the ClawLink CLI instead:

```bash
npx -y @useclawlink/cli login          # sign in via browser — no API key to paste
npx -y @useclawlink/cli connect blackbaud  # connect Blackbaud (browser OAuth)
npx -y @useclawlink/cli actions blackbaud  # list available actions
npx -y @useclawlink/cli run blackbaud <action> --input '<json>'  # execute (add --confirm for writes)
```

## What the Hermes Agent Blackbaud integration can do

- **CRM & Sales** — tools appear after Blackbaud is connected.

## Example prompts

No example prompts are available yet.

## ClawLink vs. building it yourself

The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual OAuth app setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for Hermes Agent. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want Blackbaud working from chat.

| | Manual | ClawLink |
|---|---|---|
| **Connection flow** | Register a Blackbaud app, configure redirect URLs, manage consent details, and reconnect users when auth settings drift. | Users connect Blackbaud through the hosted browser flow and ClawLink keeps the token lifecycle out of your app code. |
| **Ongoing maintenance** | You own refresh logic, permission debugging, environment config, and every provider-specific edge case for Blackbaud. | ClawLink handles the repetitive integration plumbing so your team can focus on the workflow instead of the infrastructure. |
| **Agent usability** | You still need to expose the right Blackbaud actions to the runtime in a format your agent can reliably use. | 0 tools for Blackbaud are already exposed through ClawLink, so the agent can read and act from chat immediately. |

## ClawLink vs. Composio

Composio also exposes Blackbaud to AI agents. It is developer infrastructure: Python and TypeScript SDKs, an MCP server, and a catalog past 1,000 apps, aimed at teams shipping agent products. ClawLink is built for Hermes Agent users instead. You install the plugin once, connect Blackbaud in the browser, and the connected Blackbaud account works from chat. There is no SDK, no config file, and no API key handling. Choosing between them? Read the full [Composio alternatives](https://claw-link.dev/hub/composio-alternatives) comparison.

### Hermes paired but still can't use Blackbaud
Pairing is a two-step handshake: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, then run `hermes clawlink finish`. If you ran finish before approving, or the approval link expired, run `hermes clawlink begin` again to get a fresh link. Confirm the plugin was installed with `--enable`, then verify with `hermes clawlink test`.

### Connection succeeds but no tools appear
Reconnect Blackbaud from the dashboard, then start a fresh chat if the runtime still has the old tool catalog loaded.

### "Tool schema not loaded yet" error when calling Blackbaud tools
Blackbaud tool schemas load on demand the first time a tool runs and are cached after that, so this error usually clears on its own: wait a few seconds and retry the same request. If every Blackbaud call keeps failing with it in a fresh chat, reconnect from the dashboard, and contact support if it still persists — that pattern points to a configuration problem on our side, not something you can fix by reconnecting again.

### Blackbaud returns 403 or "permission denied" on one action while others work
Two usual causes. The connected account may not have access to the specific workspace, inbox, store, or project in the request — check that first. If access looks right, the agent may have sent a placeholder value (like "YOUR_ID" or an example id from documentation) instead of a real one: ask it to run a list or search tool first, then retry the action with a real id from those results. Most failures at this stage are one of these two, not ClawLink bugs.

### OAuth finished in the browser but the account is still missing
Try reconnecting Blackbaud and complete the consent flow in the same browser session. Partial OAuth approvals or switching accounts mid-flow can leave the connection incomplete.

### Is there a Hermes Agent Blackbaud integration?
Yes. ClawLink is the fastest way to connect Hermes to Blackbaud: link your Blackbaud account once in the browser and Hermes Agent can call the Blackbaud API through ready-made tools — no custom code or token handling.

### How do I connect Blackbaud to Hermes with ClawLink?
Install the plugin with `hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable`, then pair once: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, and run `hermes clawlink finish`. Connect Blackbaud in the dashboard and Hermes can use it from the next message — no config files or API keys to manage.

### How long does it take to connect Blackbaud to Hermes Agent?
About two minutes. Sign in, click Connect next to Blackbaud in the dashboard, authenticate, and Hermes Agent can use it from the next chat message.

### Why use ClawLink instead of wiring Blackbaud up myself?
The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual OAuth app setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for Hermes Agent. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want Blackbaud working from chat.

### Hermes paired but still can't use Blackbaud
Pairing is a two-step handshake: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, then run `hermes clawlink finish`. If you ran finish before approving, or the approval link expired, run `hermes clawlink begin` again to get a fresh link. Confirm the plugin was installed with `--enable`, then verify with `hermes clawlink test`.

## Related

- [Connect Apollo](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/apollo) — Search leads and manage contacts
- [HighLevel](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/highlevel) — All-in-one sales, marketing, and CRM platform
- [Hermes HubSpot integration](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/hubspot) — Manage contacts, deals, and pipelines