QuickBooks Online MCP Server

report_vendor_expenses

Generate an Expenses by Vendor report with date range, accounting method, column grouping, and filters for vendor, class, account, customer, employee, item, or department.

Instructions

Run an Expenses by Vendor report. Supports date range, accounting method, summarization, and filters.

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": {
      "params": "<params>"
    },
    "name": "report_vendor_expenses"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`params`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Nov 6, 2026

TDQS

C2.9/5.0

Behavior2/5

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

No annotations exist, so the description carries the full behavioral burden and does not meet it. It never states that the operation is read-only, whether it hits live books or a snapshot, whether large date ranges are throttled, or what the response contains; only the word 'report' hints at read semantics.

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 short sentences with the purpose front-loaded and no filler. It could have earned a 5 only by spending the same budget on routing guidance instead of a bare capability list.

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

Completeness3/5

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

The nested schema documents each filter well, so an agent can construct a call, but with no annotations and no output schema the description should say more about read-only behavior and result shape. The missing when-to-use routing among a dozen-plus sibling reports is the largest gap for a tool of this complexity.

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?

The description groups the many nested parameters into recognizable buckets (date range, accounting method, summarization, filters), which gives a useful top-level map of an otherwise unnamed 'params' container. It adds no detail beyond the per-property schema descriptions, such as how date_macro interacts with start_date/end_date or valid summarize_column_by values.

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?

States a specific verb and resource — 'Run an Expenses by Vendor report' — which is clearly distinguishable in intent from general search tools. However, it gives no signal for distinguishing it from adjacent report siblings such as report_vendor_balance, report_vendor_balance_detail, or report_transaction_list_by_vendor.

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

Usage Guidelines2/5

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

The second sentence ('Supports date range, accounting method, summarization, and filters') is a capability list, not usage guidance. There is no statement of when to choose this report over the many other report_* tools, no prerequisites, and no exclusions.

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

Deploy Server