Claude for small Business: What It Is and How to Use It
Anthropic has launched Claude for small business, a plugin for its Claude Cowork desktop app that automates routine tasks such as payroll and invoicing by integrating with popular business tools like QuickBooks and PayPal.
Claude for small business is a plugin designed for the Claude Cowork desktop application, offering 15 pre-built workflows for recurring tasks such as payroll planning and invoice chasing. It integrates directly with tools like QuickBooks, PayPal, HubSpot, and Google Workspace, enabling users to delegate tasks that would otherwise require manual effort. The plugin operates within the user’s existing tech stack, pulling live data and executing actions with permission, reducing the administrative burden on small business owners. It is included at no extra cost with the Claude Pro plan ($20/month or $200/year) or higher, though complex multi-step tasks may require upgrading to the Max 5x plan ($100/month) due to higher usage demands.
To use the plugin, users must first install the Claude Cowork desktop app for macOS or Windows from claude.com/download. After opening the app, the plugin can be installed by navigating to Settings, selecting Plugins, and searching for "small business" in the Anthropic plugins section. The plugin comes with over 30 pre-loaded agent skills, which can be customized by editing prompts or creating new ones in Cowork mode. Users can preview skills and adjust them to better fit their specific needs before deploying them in their workflows.
Claude for small business supports connections to more than 10 commonly used apps, including QuickBooks, PayPal, HubSpot, Canva, DocuSign, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365. To enable these integrations, users must authorize each app through their existing login credentials, ensuring that permissions align with their current access levels. For apps not natively supported, users can leverage Zapier, which provides access to over 9,000 additional apps and functions as a seamless extension of the workflow without requiring separate setups for each application.
Once the plugin and necessary app connections are configured, users can initiate tasks by starting a new chat in Cowork mode and issuing instructions in plain English or using slash commands to specify required skills. For example, a user could prompt Claude to create a 30-day marketing campaign using the /canva-creator skill. The system then executes the task across the connected tools, streamlining operations and allowing small business owners to focus on higher-value activities rather than administrative duties.