ynab_update_transaction
Modify existing YNAB transactions by updating fields like amount, date, payee, category, or status to correct errors or reflect changes.
Instructions
Updates an existing transaction. All fields except transactionId are optional - only provide fields you want to change.
Input Schema
TableJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| budgetId | No | The ID of the budget (optional, defaults to YNAB_BUDGET_ID environment variable) | |
| transactionId | Yes | The ID of the transaction to update | |
| accountId | No | Move transaction to a different account | |
| date | No | The date of the transaction in ISO format (e.g. 2024-03-24) | |
| amount | No | The amount in dollars (e.g. -10.99 for outflow, 10.99 for inflow) | |
| payeeId | No | The ID of the payee | |
| payeeName | No | The name of the payee (creates new payee if doesn't exist) | |
| categoryId | No | The category ID for the transaction | |
| memo | No | A memo/note for the transaction | |
| cleared | No | The cleared status | |
| approved | No | Whether the transaction is approved | |
| flagColor | No | The transaction flag color |
Implementation Reference
- The main handler function that performs the YNAB transaction update using the API, conditionally sets updatable fields, handles errors, and returns formatted response.export async function execute(input: UpdateTransactionInput, api: ynab.API) { try { const budgetId = getBudgetId(input.budgetId); // Build the update object with only provided fields const transactionUpdate: ynab.SaveTransactionWithOptionalFields = {}; if (input.accountId !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.account_id = input.accountId; } if (input.date !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.date = input.date; } if (input.amount !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.amount = Math.round(input.amount * 1000); } if (input.payeeId !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.payee_id = input.payeeId; } if (input.payeeName !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.payee_name = input.payeeName; } if (input.categoryId !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.category_id = input.categoryId; } if (input.memo !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.memo = input.memo; } if (input.cleared !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.cleared = mapClearedStatus(input.cleared); } if (input.approved !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.approved = input.approved; } if (input.flagColor !== undefined) { transactionUpdate.flag_color = input.flagColor as ynab.TransactionFlagColor; } const response = await api.transactions.updateTransaction( budgetId, input.transactionId, { transaction: transactionUpdate } ); if (!response.data.transaction) { throw new Error("Failed to update transaction - no transaction data returned"); } const txn = response.data.transaction; return { content: [{ type: "text" as const, text: JSON.stringify({ success: true, transaction: { id: txn.id, date: txn.date, amount: (txn.amount / 1000).toFixed(2), payee_name: txn.payee_name, category_name: txn.category_name, memo: txn.memo, cleared: txn.cleared, approved: txn.approved, account_name: txn.account_name, flag_color: txn.flag_color, }, message: "Transaction updated successfully", }, null, 2), }], }; } catch (error) { console.error("Error updating transaction:", error); return { content: [{ type: "text" as const, text: JSON.stringify({ success: false, error: getErrorMessage(error), }, null, 2), }], }; } }
- Zod schema defining the input parameters for the tool, including descriptions.export const inputSchema = { budgetId: z.string().optional().describe("The ID of the budget (optional, defaults to YNAB_BUDGET_ID environment variable)"), transactionId: z.string().describe("The ID of the transaction to update"), accountId: z.string().optional().describe("Move transaction to a different account"), date: z.string().optional().describe("The date of the transaction in ISO format (e.g. 2024-03-24)"), amount: z.number().optional().describe("The amount in dollars (e.g. -10.99 for outflow, 10.99 for inflow)"), payeeId: z.string().optional().describe("The ID of the payee"), payeeName: z.string().optional().describe("The name of the payee (creates new payee if doesn't exist)"), categoryId: z.string().optional().describe("The category ID for the transaction"), memo: z.string().optional().describe("A memo/note for the transaction"), cleared: z.enum(["cleared", "uncleared", "reconciled"]).optional().describe("The cleared status"), approved: z.boolean().optional().describe("Whether the transaction is approved"), flagColor: z.enum(["red", "orange", "yellow", "green", "blue", "purple"]).optional().describe("The transaction flag color"), };
- src/tools/UpdateTransactionTool.ts:5-6 (registration)Exports the tool name and description for registration.export const name = "ynab_update_transaction"; export const description = "Updates an existing transaction. All fields except transactionId are optional - only provide fields you want to change.";
- Helper to retrieve or default the budget ID from input or environment.function getBudgetId(inputBudgetId?: string): string { const budgetId = inputBudgetId || process.env.YNAB_BUDGET_ID || ""; if (!budgetId) { throw new Error("No budget ID provided. Please provide a budget ID or set the YNAB_BUDGET_ID environment variable."); } return budgetId; }
- Helper to map string cleared status to YNAB enum.function mapClearedStatus(cleared: string): ynab.TransactionClearedStatus { switch (cleared) { case "cleared": return ynab.TransactionClearedStatus.Cleared; case "reconciled": return ynab.TransactionClearedStatus.Reconciled; default: return ynab.TransactionClearedStatus.Uncleared; } }