Microsoft 365 MCP Server

list-onenote-section-groups

list-onenote-section-groups

Read-only

Retrieve a list of sectionGroup objects.

Instructions

Retrieve a list of sectionGroup objects.

💡 TIP: Lists all OneNote section groups (subfolders inside notebooks that contain their own sections and nested section groups) for the user. A section group is a folder-like container — many notebooks use them to organize sections by theme. Default sort is name asc. Supports $expand=sections,sectionGroups,parentNotebook,parentSectionGroup to traverse the full hierarchy. Pair with list-onenote-notebooks for a complete picture of the user's notebook structure.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`top`	No	Page size (Graph $top). Start small (e.g. 5–15) so responses fit the model context; raise only if needed. Use $select to return fewer fields per item. For more rows, use @odata.nextLink from the response instead of a very large $top.
`skip`	No	Items to skip for pagination. Not supported with $search.
`count`	No	Set true to enable advanced query mode (ConsistencyLevel: eventual). Required for complex $filter on flag/flagStatus or contains(). The response then includes @odata.count, the total for the filtered collection, which can exceed the items returned when fetchAllPages hits its page/item cap.
`expand`	No	Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with "Parsing OData Select and Expand failed". Request ordinary fields with $select instead. Some APIs accept only one relationship per request, so prefer a single value. Some relationships support nested selection, e.g. children($select=id,name).
`filter`	No	OData filter expression. Add $count=true for advanced filters (flag/flagStatus, contains()). Cannot combine with $search.
`search`	No	KQL search query in one pair of double quotes; directory (users/groups) instead quotes each clause with no outer pair. Cannot combine with $filter.
`select`	No	Comma-separated fields to return, e.g. id,subject,from,receivedDateTime
`orderby`	No	Sort expression, e.g. receivedDateTime desc
`skiptoken`	No	Next page: the @odata.nextLink from the previous response. Keep the other arguments the same.
`fetchAllPages`	No	Follow @odata.nextLink and merge up to 100 pages into one response. Can return enormous payloads—only when the user explicitly needs a full export. Prefer a small $top first, then paginate or narrow with $filter/$search.
`includeHeaders`	No	Include response headers (including ETag) in the response metadata
`excludeResponse`	No	Exclude the full response body and only return success or failure indication

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedv0.166.0Oct 14, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / count / description

Previous value: -"Set true to enable advanced query mode (ConsistencyLevel: eventual). Required for complex $filter on flag/flagStatus or contains()."New value: +"Set true to enable advanced query mode (ConsistencyLevel: eventual). Required for complex $filter on flag/flagStatus or contains(). The response then includes @odata.count, the total for the filtered collection, which can exceed the items returned when fetchAllPages hits its page/item cap."

changedInput schema / properties / expand / description

Previous value: -"Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with \"Parsing OData Select and Expand failed\", and an unsupported value may be ignored rather than reported. Request ordinary fields with $select instead."New value: +"Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with \"Parsing OData Select and Expand failed\". Request ordinary fields with $select instead. Some APIs accept only one relationship per request, so prefer a single value. Some relationships support nested selection, e.g. children($select=id,name)."

Changed11 schema fields changedv0.154.2Sep 17, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / expand / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / expand / items
```
Removed value: -{
-  "type": "string"
-}
```
removedInput schema / properties / expand / type
```
Removed value: -"array"
```

addedInput schema / properties / orderby / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / orderby / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```

addedInput schema / properties / select / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / select / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```
addedInput schema / properties / skip / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```

changedInput schema / properties / skip / type

Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"

addedInput schema / properties / top / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```

changedInput schema / properties / top / type

Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"

Changed1 schema field changedv0.154.0Sep 12, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / skiptoken / description

Previous value: -"Opaque cursor for the next page, taken from the previous response. Copy the $skiptoken value out of @odata.nextLink (or paste the whole nextLink URL — the token is extracted from it) and resend it with the SAME $filter/$select/$expand/$top as the first call. Use this to walk pages one at a time instead of fetchAllPages. Omit it for the first page."New value: +"Next page: the @odata.nextLink from the previous response. Keep the other arguments the same."

Changed2 schema fields changedv0.153.0Sep 12, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / search / description

Previous value: -"KQL search query — wrap value in double quotes. Cannot combine with $filter."New value: +"KQL search query in one pair of double quotes; directory (users/groups) instead quotes each clause with no outer pair. Cannot combine with $filter."

addedInput schema / properties / skiptoken

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Opaque cursor for the next page, taken from the previous response. Copy the $skiptoken value out of @odata.nextLink (or paste the whole nextLink URL — the token is extracted from it) and resend it with the SAME $filter/$select/$expand/$top as the first call. Use this to walk pages one at a time instead of fetchAllPages. Omit it for the first page.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedv0.134.4Jul 28, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / expand / description

Previous value: -"Expand related entities"New value: +"Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with \"Parsing OData Select and Expand failed\", and an unsupported value may be ignored rather than reported. Request ordinary fields with $select instead."

Changed1 schema field changedv0.131.2Jul 18, 2026
- changedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Previous value: -falseNew value: +true
```
Addedv0.114.0May 28, 2026
Removedv0.112.2May 22, 2026
Addedv0.110.0May 18, 2026
Removedv0.108.0May 15, 2026
Addedv0.105.0May 8, 2026

TDQS

A4/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and destructiveHint=false, so safety is covered. The description still adds useful behavior beyond that: default sort is name asc and the specific $expand navigation properties (sections, sectionGroups, parentNotebook, parentSectionGroup) that traverse the hierarchy. Pagination behavior is left to the schema.

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?

Front-loads the one-line definition, then the tip and hierarchy details. Mostly earns its place, though the emoji prefix and the somewhat redundant restatement of 'Lists all OneNote section groups' after the opening sentence add mild bloat.

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?

With 12 optional params fully documented in the schema, rich annotations, and no output schema, the description needs only to establish the resource and routing. It does that well, including the expandable hierarchy; it does not discuss pagination, but the schema covers that thoroughly.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description adds meaningful parameter guidance the schema does not: the default sort order and the concrete set of expandable relationships for this specific resource, which helps the agent pick $expand values on the first attempt.

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 ('Retrieve a list of sectionGroup objects') and then defines what a section group actually is (a folder-like container inside notebooks holding sections and nested section groups). This distinguishes it from the notebook- and section-listing siblings, though it never explicitly names the sibling it is not (e.g. list-all-onenote-sections).

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?

Gives real context: 'for the user', notes many notebooks organize sections by theme, and advises pairing with list-onenote-notebooks for a complete structural picture. No exclusion rule or explicit when-not-to-use versus list-all-onenote-sections, so it stops short of the top score.

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

Deploy Server

list-onenote-section-groups

Instructions

Input Schema

Schema Changelog

TDQS

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