Greenhouse MCP

create_department

Create a new department in Greenhouse ATS for admin users. Specify a parent department to build hierarchy or an external ID for HRIS mapping.

Instructions

Create a new department. Write operation — admin only.

For parent_id (optional): list_departments → find parent by name.

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": {
      "name": "<name>"
    },
    "name": "create_department"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`name`	Yes	Department name
`parent_id`	No	Parent department ID for hierarchy — get from list_departments
`external_id`	No	Your HRIS/external identifier for this department

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed3 schema fields changedv0.5.0Oct 5, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / external_id

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "description": "Your HRIS/external identifier for this department",
+  "title": "External Id"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / name / description
```
Added value: +"Department name"
```

addedInput schema / properties / parent_id / description

Added value: +"Parent department ID for hierarchy — get from list_departments"

Addedv0.3.4Apr 15, 2026

TDQS

A3.8/5.0

Behavior3/5

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full behavioral burden. It discloses that this is a write and that admin privileges are required, which is useful. However it says nothing about side effects, uniqueness/dedup behavior on name or external_id, idempotency, or error cases expected of a create operation.

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 short sentences, the core action front-loaded, followed only by the one genuinely needed hint. Nothing is wasted or redundant.

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?

An output schema exists, so return values need no explanation, and the permission constraint plus parent_id sourcing hint cover the practical needs of a 3-parameter create tool. The remaining gap is behavioral edge cases (uniqueness, errors) rather than anything blocking correct invocation.

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 baseline is 3. The description adds a pointer for parent_id (optional, obtained from list_departments by name), which is marginally useful, but says nothing about external_id beyond what the schema already provides.

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 ("Create a new department") so the agent knows exactly what it does, and the verb distinguishes it from siblings get_department, list_departments, and update_department. It doesn't explicitly name those siblings, so it stops short of full differentiation.

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 concrete context: it is a write operation and admin-only, and it tells the agent how to source the optional parent_id via list_departments. There is no "when not to use" or mention of failure conditions, so it is clear guidance without exclusions.

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

Deploy Server