Lunch Money MCP Server

updateRecurringItem

Modify properties of an existing recurring financial transaction in Lunch Money, such as amount, frequency, or category, to keep records current.

Instructions

Update an existing recurring item's properties

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": {
      "id": "<id>"
    },
    "name": "updateRecurringItem"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`id`	Yes
`payee`	No
`amount`	No
`currency`	No
`category_id`	No
`notes`	No
`account_id`	No
`tag_id`	No
`frequency`	No
`flow`	No
`start_date`	No
`end_date`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Jan 28, 2026

TDQS

C2.7/5.0

Behavior2/5

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. While 'Update' implies a mutation operation, the description doesn't address critical behavioral aspects: what permissions are required, whether the update is partial or complete, what validation occurs, how errors are handled, or what the response contains. For a mutation tool with 12 parameters and no annotation coverage, this represents a significant transparency gap.

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?

The description is extremely concise - a single sentence with no wasted words. It's front-loaded with the core action and target. However, this conciseness comes at the cost of completeness for a tool with significant complexity (12 parameters, mutation operation).

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?

For a mutation tool with 12 parameters, 0% schema description coverage, no annotations, and no output schema, the description is severely incomplete. It doesn't explain what constitutes a 'recurring item' in this context, what properties are updatable, what the update operation entails, or what the agent should expect as a result. The description fails to provide adequate context for safe and effective tool invocation.

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?

With 0% schema description coverage for all 12 parameters, the description provides no additional semantic information about any parameters. It mentions 'properties' generically but doesn't explain what specific properties can be updated, their purposes, or constraints. The description fails to compensate for the complete lack of parameter documentation in the schema.

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?

The description clearly states the action ('Update') and target resource ('existing recurring item's properties'), which is specific and unambiguous. However, it doesn't differentiate this tool from sibling tools like 'updateTransaction' or 'updateAsset' - all appear to be update operations on different resource types, so the distinction is implicit rather than explicit.

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 description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. With sibling tools like 'updateTransaction' and 'updateRecurringItem' both available, there's no indication of when one should update a recurring item versus updating individual transactions. No prerequisites, exclusions, or alternative recommendations are mentioned.

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