Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Goes well beyond the annotations (destructive/openWorld): it discloses that tracking overwrites any existing tracking, that each updated order triggers a buyer shipment message, that non-owned orders are skipped, and that the result is bucketed per-order success/failure. This is exactly the side-effect detail an agent needs for a destructive write.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the core action and cap, then behavioral caveats, then return shape. Three dense sentences with little waste, though the 200 limit is repeated from the schema and the endpoint path is somewhat incidental.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description supplies the return shape (per-order success/failure buckets) plus ownership filtering, overwrite behavior, and side effects. Nothing material for correct invocation is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3, but the description adds real meaning: the tracking fields are applied identically to every listed order, and carrier_name is auto-detected when only a tracking number is supplied. That clarifies the all-orders-or-nothing semantics the schema alone doesn't convey.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a precise verb+resource (mark orders as shipped), the scope (up to 200 of the calling seller's own orders), and the optional tracking write. No sibling overlaps this operation, so it is unambiguously distinguishable from bulk_export_orders or get_order_status.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description establishes clear context: it operates on the calling seller's orders only, in bulk, with an optional tracking payload. It doesn't explicitly name a when-not case or an alternative tool, but no sibling covers single-order shipping, so the omission is minor.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.