Helium - Student Planner

Preview a term import

preview_import_term

Read-onlyIdempotent

Check a term's assignments, events, classes, meeting times, and grading categories against what Helium accepts, without saving anything: a new term, or classes for one already in Helium. Returns every problem to fix, or a summary of what import_term would create, with what the plan leaves unset.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "plan": "<plan>"
    },
    "name": "preview_import_term"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`plan`	Yes	A term's assignments, events, classes, schedules, and grading, read from the syllabi of every class in the term, for a new term or one already in Helium. Dates and times are local: Helium places them in the time zone set in the student's Helium account.
`allow_duplicates`	No	Import even if the new term (same title and dates) or a class (same title, in an existing term) is already in Helium.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedNov 12, 2026

TDQS

A4.1/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description still adds useful behavior: it discloses that the response is either a full list of problems to fix or a summary of the resulting import, including what the plan leaves unset — something the annotations do not convey.

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

Conciseness4/5

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

Two sentences, front-loaded with the verification action and followed by the return behavior; no filler. The second sentence is long and carries several clauses, but every clause adds information about the output.

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

Completeness4/5

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

For a complex nested plan validated by a dry run, the description covers what is checked, that nothing is persisted, and what comes back. With an output schema present, the return shape needn't be spelled out further; only the allow_duplicates interaction with the preview is left implicit.

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

Parameters3/5

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

Schema coverage is 100% with rich nested descriptions, so the schema carries parameter meaning. The description adds only a light gloss — that the plan may describe a new term or classes for a term already in Helium — and says nothing about allow_duplicates, which is the one parameter whose effect an agent might misjudge.

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

Purpose5/5

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

States a specific verb and scope: check a term's assignments, events, classes, meeting times, and grading categories against Helium's acceptance rules. The clause 'without saving anything' immediately separates it from import_term, so an agent can route between the two without opening either schema.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

The phrase 'against what Helium accepts, without saving anything' plus the reference to 'what import_term would create' makes the validate-before-import context clear. It stops short of an explicit instruction ('call this before import_term') or any exclusion such as when a preview is unnecessary.

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

All Helium - Student Planner tools Inspect

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