QuickBooks Online MCP Server

search_items

Search QuickBooks Online items by criteria to find products, services, or inventory records for AI-driven workflows.

Instructions

Search items in QuickBooks Online using criteria (maps to node-quickbooks findItems).

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": "search_items"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`params`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Nov 6, 2026

TDQS

C2.7/5.0

Behavior2/5

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

No annotations are supplied, so the description carries the full behavioral burden. It does not say the operation is read-only, how many results are returned, whether pagination or a max-result cap applies, what the criteria operators are, or what the response looks like. Only the mapping note 'maps to node-quickbooks findItems' is added, which is implementation trivia rather than agent-facing behavior.

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?

One short sentence with the core action front-loaded. The trailing parenthetical about node-quickbooks findItems does not help tool selection and could be dropped, but overall there is no bloat.

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

Completeness2/5

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

Given an untyped nested criteria object, no output schema, and no annotations, the description is far too thin for the complexity. It should at minimum document the criteria format and any result-limit behavior for the agent to invoke this correctly.

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

Parameters2/5

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

Schema description coverage is 0% and the single parameter is a nested object whose 'criteria' property is fully untyped ({}), with additionalProperties allowed. The description adds nothing about the shape, allowed operators, or example criteria, so the agent has no way to construct a valid call from the definition alone.

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: 'Search items in QuickBooks Online'. An agent can tell this is a filtered item query, but the description never contrasts it with the sibling read_item (single fetch) or with the other search_* tools, so differentiation is left to inference.

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 phrase 'using criteria' hints at a filtered query but gives no when-to-use guidance, no exclusions, and no pointer to read_item for single-record lookup or to search_* alternatives. An agent has to guess the boundary conditions.

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

Deploy Server