# UCP product catalogue connection

Use an existing UCP connection to search a business's catalogue and retrieve its product details and filters.

*Release 3.3 · admin, developer, operator*

**Settings › Commerce › Commerce Providers** · **Settings › AI › Connections**

## What it is

**UCP Connection** lets INSIDE use catalogue capabilities advertised by a connected business. Products and filters appear through the same commerce search and product cards used by other providers. Available operations depend on that business's connection.

## Who uses it and why

Administrators with **Settings** or **Developer** select the connection and its commerce operations. Operators browse its catalogue when it supplies **Products**. Powerfront manages the underlying connection setup.

## Where to find it

Select **UCP Connection** as **Provider type** in **Settings › Commerce › Commerce Providers**, then choose **UCP Connection** in the connection field.

**Settings › AI › Connections** is Powerfront-managed. Ask Powerfront to create or change the underlying connection, authentication or capability discovery.

## How it works

INSIDE offers only the catalogue operations the connected business advertises. These can include **Product search**, **Product facets** and **Product lookup**. Calls use the connection's supported MCP or REST transport and configured authentication.

INSIDE maps returned products into shared product information, including supplied options, variants, prices, availability and actions. Missing information remains unknown. An exact product lookup may reuse a trusted earlier catalogue result when it already contains the requested product.

## Configure it

1. Ask Powerfront to prepare the website's UCP connection and discover its catalogue capabilities.
2. With **Settings** and the relevant **AI** access, or **Developer**, create a Commerce Provider.
3. Choose **UCP Connection** and select the prepared connection.
4. Select supported operations under **Use for**, set **Availability**, save and use **test**.
5. To use the catalogue in **Products**, enable **Replace the standard Products panel**. Choose **Product filters** if facets are available.

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCP Connection | Settings › Commerce › Commerce Providers | Yes | Selects an existing UCP connection belonging to this website and its advertised catalogue operations. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Select an existing UCP connection in Commerce Providers, subject to AI access and View Only. |
| AI | Allows commerce administration for a restricted Settings role. |
| Developer | Configure the commerce provider using an existing UCP connection. |

## Limits and good to know

- Catalogue search accepts text, supplied filters or both, with up to 50 products requested per page.
- Facet requests are bounded to 1,000 requested values and up to 50 normalised facets. The connection can return less.
- The UCP commerce provider supplies catalogue operations. It does not advertise native private customer or order operations.
- A connected business that supports search does not necessarily support product lookup or facets.
- Product cards cannot invent missing options, stock or actions. Basket behaviour needs separate supported integration.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [Shared AI service connections](AIP-013.md): An existing registered UCP connection supplies the business capabilities and connection settings.
- **Requires** [Commerce provider setup and selection](COM-001.md): The connection must be selected in an enabled Commerce Provider with the required operations.
- **Configured in** [Roles and permissions](ADM-008.md): Roles control selection and administration of the commerce provider.
- **Works better with** [Product search and filters](COM-007.md): UCP catalogue search and facets appear through shared product search.
- **Works better with** [Product options and variant selection](COM-008.md): Product lookup supplies available option and variant details.
- **Works better with** [Store product selection for chat](COM-009.md): A UCP catalogue can supply the operator Products panel.

### Used by

- **Enhances** [Shared AI service connections](AIP-013.md): UCP connections discover commerce services and their supported capabilities.
- **Enhances** [MCP tool connections for AI](AIP-017.md): Compatible UCP connections can supply tools through MCP.
- **Enhances** [Commerce provider setup and selection](COM-001.md): Supplies the UCP Connection provider option.
- **Enhances** [Product search and filters](COM-007.md): A UCP connection can supply advertised catalogue search and facets.
- **Enhances** [Product options and variant selection](COM-008.md): UCP can supply advertised product details and variants.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why is the connection list empty?

Ask Powerfront to register a UCP connection for this website. Connections for another website cannot be selected here.

### Why can I select search but not product details?

The connected business must advertise **Product lookup**. Ask Powerfront to check its discovered capabilities.

### Why are there no product filters?

Check that the connection supports **Product facets**, that the provider enables it, and that **Product filters** has a selection. An empty selection intentionally gives operators a search-only panel.

### Can this connection read customer orders?

This provider exposes catalogue operations. Use a commerce integration with supported customer and order operations for private records.