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by Doist

update-tasks

Destructive

Modify existing Todoist tasks by sending only changed fields—content, due dates, priorities, labels, assignments, projects, sections, or deadlines—to keep task details current.

Instructions

Update existing tasks including content, dates, priorities, and assignments. Send only the fields that change.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
tasksYesThe tasks to update (max 25).

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
tasksYesThe updated tasks.
failuresYesTasks that could not be updated, with the reason for each.
totalCountYesThe total number of tasks updated.
updatedTaskIdsYesThe IDs of the updated tasks.
appliedOperationsYesSummary of operations performed.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed2 schema fields changedv13.8.4
    • removedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / recurring / anyOf
      Removed value: -[
      -  {
      -    "type": "boolean"
      -  },
      -  {
      -    "type": "string"
      -  }
      -]
    • addedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / recurring / type
      Added value: +[
      +  "boolean",
      +  "string"
      +]
  2. Changed2 schema fields changedv13.8.0
    • removedOutput schema / properties / appliedOperations / properties / failureCount / description
      Removed value: -"The number of tasks that failed to update."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / failures / description
      Previous value: -"Tasks that could not be updated, with the reason for each. A failure here does not affect the other tasks in the batch."New value: +"Tasks that could not be updated, with the reason for each."
  3. Changed2 schema fields changedv13.3.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / duration / description
      Previous value: -"The duration of the task. Use format: \"2h\" (hours), \"90m\" (minutes), \"2h30m\" (combined), or \"1.5h\" (decimal hours). Max 24h."New value: +"The duration of the task. Use format: \"2h\" (hours), \"90m\" (minutes), \"2h30m\" (combined), \"1.5h\" (decimal hours), or \"3d\" (whole days; days cannot be combined with hours or minutes). Todoist apps only display durations under 24 hours: a longer or day-based duration is stored and reported by this server, but the apps show the task as having no duration."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / duration / description
      Previous value: -"e.g. \"2h30m\"."New value: +"e.g. \"2h30m\", or \"3d\" for a day-based duration."
  4. Changed1 schema field changedv13.2.7
    • addedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / isDeleted
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "True when deleted; absent otherwise.",
      +  "type": "boolean"
      +}
  5. Changed2 schema fields changedv13.0.0
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
    • changedOutput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  6. Changed21 schema fields changedv12.5.3
    • removedOutput schema / properties / failures / items / properties / code / description
      Removed value: -"The error code, if available."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / failures / items / properties / error / description
      Removed value: -"The error message."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / failures / items / properties / item / description
      Previous value: -"The item that failed (usually an ID or identifier)."New value: +"Usually the ID of the item that failed."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / addedAt / description
      Previous value: -"When the task was created (ISO 8601 format)."New value: +"ISO 8601."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / assignedByUid / description
      Removed value: -"The UID of the user who assigned this task."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / checked / description
      Previous value: -"Whether the task is checked/completed."New value: +"Whether the task is completed."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / completedAt / description
      Previous value: -"When the task was completed (ISO 8601 format)."New value: +"ISO 8601."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / content / description
      Previous value: -"The task title/content."New value: +"Task title."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / deadlineDate / description
      Previous value: -"The deadline date of the task (ISO 8601 format)."New value: +"ISO 8601."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / description / description
      Removed value: -"The task description."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / dueDate / description
      Previous value: -"The due date of the task (ISO 8601 format)."New value: +"ISO 8601."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / duration / description
      Previous value: -"The duration of the task (e.g., \"2h30m\")."New value: +"e.g. \"2h30m\"."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / id / description
      Removed value: -"The unique ID of the task."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / isUncompletable / description
      Previous value: -"Whether the task is uncompletable (organizational header)."New value: +"An organizational header, not a real task."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / labels / description
      Removed value: -"The labels attached to this task."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / parentId / description
      Removed value: -"The ID of the parent task (for subtasks)."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / priority / description
      Previous value: -"The priority level: p1 (highest), p2 (high), p3 (medium), p4 (lowest)."New value: +"p1 is highest, p4 lowest."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / projectId / description
      Removed value: -"The ID of the project this task belongs to."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / recurring / description
      Previous value: -"Whether the task is recurring, or the recurrence string."New value: +"False when not recurring, otherwise the recurrence string."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / responsibleUid / description
      Removed value: -"The UID of the user responsible for this task."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / sectionId / description
      Removed value: -"The ID of the section this task belongs to."
  7. Changed5 schema fields changedv12.3.1
    • changedInput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / parentId / description
      Previous value: -"The new parent task ID (for subtasks)."New value: +"Make the task a subtask of this task ID. Omit unless the parent should change."
    • changedInput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / projectId / description
      Previous value: -"The new project ID for the task. Project ID should be an ID string, or the text \"inbox\", for inbox tasks."New value: +"Move the task to this project ID, or the text \"inbox\" for the inbox. Omit unless the project should change: moving a task to a project also lifts it out of its section and out from under its parent."
    • changedInput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / sectionId / description
      Previous value: -"The new section ID for the task."New value: +"Move the task to this section ID. Omit unless the section should change: moving a task to a section also lifts it out from under its parent."
    • addedOutput schema / properties / appliedOperations / properties / redundantMovesSkipped
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Moves not performed because the task was already in the requested destination. A non-zero count means container fields were sent that did not need to be.",
      +  "type": "number"
      +}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / appliedOperations / required
      Previous value: -[
      -  "updateCount",
      -  "skippedCount",
      -  "failureCount"
      -]New value: +[
      +  "updateCount",
      +  "skippedCount",
      +  "failureCount",
      +  "redundantMovesSkipped"
      +]
  8. Changed6 schema fields changedv12.2.4
    • changedInput schema / properties / tasks / description
      Previous value: -"The tasks to update."New value: +"The tasks to update (max 25)."
    • addedInput schema / properties / tasks / maxItems
      Added value: +25
    • addedOutput schema / properties / appliedOperations / properties / failureCount
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "The number of tasks that failed to update.",
      +  "type": "number"
      +}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / appliedOperations / required
      Previous value: -[
      -  "updateCount",
      -  "skippedCount"
      -]New value: +[
      +  "updateCount",
      +  "skippedCount",
      +  "failureCount"
      +]
    • addedOutput schema / properties / failures
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Tasks that could not be updated, with the reason for each. A failure here does not affect the other tasks in the batch.",
      +  "items": {
      +    "additionalProperties": false,
      +    "properties": {
      +      "code": {
      +        "description": "The error code, if available.",
      +        "type": "string"
      +      },
      +      "error": {
      +        "description": "The error message.",
      +        "type": "string"
      +      },
      +      "item": {
      +        "description": "The item that failed (usually an ID or identifier).",
      +        "type": "string"
      +      }
      +    },
      +    "required": [
      +      "item",
      +      "error"
      +    ],
      +    "type": "object"
      +  },
      +  "type": "array"
      +}
    • changedOutput schema / required
      Previous value: -[
      -  "tasks",
      -  "totalCount",
      -  "updatedTaskIds",
      -  "appliedOperations"
      -]New value: +[
      +  "tasks",
      +  "totalCount",
      +  "updatedTaskIds",
      +  "failures",
      +  "appliedOperations"
      +]
  9. Changed1 schema field changedv10.5.0
    • addedOutput schema / properties / tasks / items / properties / addedAt
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "When the task was created (ISO 8601 format).",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
  10. First observedv10.4.2

TDQS

A3.6/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

The description adds a meaningful behavioral detail: only fields being changed should be sent, which supports safe partial updates. The annotations already declare destructiveHint=true and idempotentHint=false, and the schema documents side effects like label replacement and moving tasks out of sections/parents, so the description does not need to repeat those.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Two tightly written sentences with no filler. The core purpose is front-loaded, and the partial-update rule is stated immediately after the field categories.

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?

Given the rich input schema, annotations, and an output schema, the description is largely sufficient: it states the operation, the editable categories, and the partial-update expectation. It could be stronger by noting batch size or destructive side effects in prose, but those are covered structurally and do not need repetition.

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 description coverage is 100%, so the detailed nested field semantics are already provided in the schema, including 'remove,' 'unassign,' and side effects. The description adds only broad categories of updatable fields and the partial-update rule, which is consistent with the baseline for high schema coverage.

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

Purpose4/5

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

The description uses a clear verb-resource pair, 'Update existing tasks,' and lists broad editable areas: content, dates, priorities, and assignments. It implicitly distinguishes updates from creation via 'existing,' but does not explicitly name or contrast with overlapping siblings such as reschedule-tasks.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

The instruction 'Send only the fields that change' gives useful partial-update guidance, and 'existing tasks' implies this is for modifying already-created tasks. However, it does not explicitly say when to use this instead of sibling tools like reschedule-tasks or complete-tasks, which also affect task state.

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