update_category_budget
Modify the budgeted amount for a YNAB category in a specific month to adjust your financial planning and maintain accurate budget tracking.
Instructions
Update the budgeted amount for a category in a specific month.
Args:
budget_id: The ID of the budget (use 'last-used' for default budget)
month: Month in YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., 2025-01-01 for January 2025)
category_id: The category ID to update
budgeted: The budgeted amount to set
Returns:
JSON string with the updated categoryInput Schema
TableJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget_id | Yes | ||
| budgeted | Yes | ||
| category_id | Yes | ||
| month | Yes |
Output Schema
TableJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| result | Yes |
Implementation Reference
- src/ynab_mcp/server.py:432-452 (handler)MCP tool handler function decorated with @mcp.tool(), which registers the tool and executes by calling the YNABClient method.
@mcp.tool() async def update_category_budget( budget_id: str, month: str, category_id: str, budgeted: float, ) -> str: """Update the budgeted amount for a category in a specific month. Args: budget_id: The ID of the budget (use 'last-used' for default budget) month: Month in YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., 2025-01-01 for January 2025) category_id: The category ID to update budgeted: The budgeted amount to set Returns: JSON string with the updated category """ client = get_ynab_client() result = await client.update_category_budget(budget_id, month, category_id, budgeted) return json.dumps(result, indent=2) - Core helper method in YNABClient class that performs the actual YNAB API PATCH request to update the category's budgeted amount for the specified month.
async def update_category_budget( self, budget_id: str, month: str, category_id: str, budgeted: float, ) -> dict[str, Any]: """Update the budgeted amount for a category in a specific month. Uses direct API calls since ynab-sdk is read-only. Args: budget_id: The budget ID or 'last-used' month: Month in YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., 2025-01-01) category_id: The category ID to update budgeted: The budgeted amount to set Returns: Updated category dictionary """ try: url = f"{self.api_base_url}/budgets/{budget_id}/months/{month}/categories/{category_id}" data = { "category": { "budgeted": int(budgeted * 1000) # Convert to milliunits } } result = await self._make_request_with_retry("patch", url, json=data) cat = result["data"]["category"] return { "id": cat["id"], "name": cat["name"], "budgeted": cat["budgeted"] / 1000 if cat["budgeted"] else 0, "activity": cat["activity"] / 1000 if cat["activity"] else 0, "balance": cat["balance"] / 1000 if cat["balance"] else 0, } except Exception as e: raise Exception(f"Failed to update category budget: {e}") from e - src/ynab_mcp/server.py:432-452 (registration)The @mcp.tool() decorator registers this function as an MCP tool.
@mcp.tool() async def update_category_budget( budget_id: str, month: str, category_id: str, budgeted: float, ) -> str: """Update the budgeted amount for a category in a specific month. Args: budget_id: The ID of the budget (use 'last-used' for default budget) month: Month in YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., 2025-01-01 for January 2025) category_id: The category ID to update budgeted: The budgeted amount to set Returns: JSON string with the updated category """ client = get_ynab_client() result = await client.update_category_budget(budget_id, month, category_id, budgeted) return json.dumps(result, indent=2)