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Home Assistant MCP Server

Home Assistant MCP Server

Official
by homeassistant-ai
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
Python
Remote

Set Todo Item

ha_set_todo_item
Destructive

Create, update, rename, complete, or reorder Home Assistant todo items, including due dates, descriptions, status, and list position.

Instructions

Create, update or reorder a todo item in Home Assistant.

Without item (create mode): creates a new item from summary. With item (update mode): changes the fields given, and moves the item when move_after is given, alone or together with other changes. Home Assistant refuses a description or due date the list does not support, and says which. The reply carries todo_item, the item as Home Assistant stores it afterwards, uid included, or null with a warning when it cannot be read back. With auto-backup on, an updated item is backed up first; warnings names a backup that was not taken because the item could not be read or the backup could not start.

EXAMPLES:

  • Add item: ha_set_todo_item("todo.tasks", summary="Pay bills", due_date="2024-12-31")

  • Complete item: ha_set_todo_item("todo.shopping_list", item="Buy milk", status="completed")

  • Rename item: ha_set_todo_item("todo.tasks", item="Old task", rename="New task name")

  • Move to top: ha_set_todo_item("todo.tasks", item="Pay bills", move_after="")

If a Claude Desktop user gets a 4-minute timeout with no result on this call, read the target back before repeating it, and tell them to wait a few seconds before clicking the manual-approve button, as clicking it too quickly is known to cause hangs in Claude Desktop. This workaround is specific to Claude Desktop.

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": {
      "entity_id": "<entity_id>"
    },
    "name": "ha_set_todo_item"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
itemNoExisting item to update - can be the item UID or the exact item summary/name.
renameNoNew name/summary for an existing item.
statusNoItem status: 'completed' to mark done, 'needs_action' to mark incomplete. Update mode only: to add a done item, create it, then update it.
summaryNoItem text/name. Ignored in update mode — use 'rename' to change the item name.
due_dateNoDue date in YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., '2024-12-25'). An empty string clears the due date on update.
entity_idYesTodo list entity ID (e.g., 'todo.shopping_list')
move_afterNoMove the item directly below this item (UID or exact summary). An empty string moves it to the top of the list.
descriptionNoDetailed description for the item. An empty string clears it on update.
due_datetimeNoDue datetime in ISO format (e.g., '2024-12-25T14:00:00'). An empty string clears the due date on update.

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed7 schema fields changedv9.1.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / description / description
      Previous value: -"Detailed description for the item"New value: +"Detailed description for the item. An empty string clears it on update."
    • changedInput schema / properties / due_date / description
      Previous value: -"Due date in YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., '2024-12-25')"New value: +"Due date in YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., '2024-12-25'). An empty string clears the due date on update."
    • changedInput schema / properties / due_datetime / description
      Previous value: -"Due datetime in ISO format (e.g., '2024-12-25T14:00:00'). Overrides due_date if both provided."New value: +"Due datetime in ISO format (e.g., '2024-12-25T14:00:00'). An empty string clears the due date on update."
    • addedInput schema / properties / move_after
      Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "description": "Move the item directly below this item (UID or exact summary). An empty string moves it to the top of the list."
+}
    • changedInput schema / properties / rename / description
      Previous value: -"New name/summary for an existing item. Only used in update mode."New value: +"New name/summary for an existing item."
    • changedInput schema / properties / status / anyOf
      Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "enum": [
-      "needs_action",
-      "completed"
-    ],
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]
    • changedInput schema / properties / status / description
      Previous value: -"Item status: 'completed' to mark done, 'needs_action' to mark incomplete. Only used in update mode."New value: +"Item status: 'completed' to mark done, 'needs_action' to mark incomplete. Update mode only: to add a done item, create it, then update it."
  2. Changed2 schema fields changedv8.6.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / item / description
      Previous value: -"Existing item to update - can be the item UID or the exact item summary/name. When provided, operates in update mode. When omitted, creates a new item."New value: +"Existing item to update - can be the item UID or the exact item summary/name."
    • changedInput schema / properties / summary / description
      Previous value: -"Item text/name. Required when creating a new item. Ignored in update mode — use 'rename' to change the item name."New value: +"Item text/name. Ignored in update mode — use 'rename' to change the item name."
  3. First observedv7.14.2

TDQS

A3.9/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Beyond the annotations (destructiveHint=true, idempotentHint=false), the description discloses that Home Assistant rejects unsupported description/due-date fields and reports which, that the reply carries `todo_item` or null plus a warning, and that auto-backup runs first with `warnings` naming a skipped backup. The gap is that nothing explains what makes the call destructive (e.g. whether omitted fields are cleared) despite destructiveHint=true.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness3/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The purpose and mode rules are front-loaded and the examples are compact. However, the closing Claude Desktop timeout paragraph is lengthy, tangential to what the tool does, and reads as client-specific operational advice rather than tool semantics, which dilutes the otherwise tight definition.

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 an output schema present, the description need not document return shape, yet it still explains the `todo_item`/null-plus-warning outcome, which is helpful. For a 9-parameter mutation tool with destructiveHint=true, the missing piece is a statement of what state is overwritten in update mode.

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, but the description adds cross-parameter meaning the schema cannot: `item` acts as a mode switch, and `move_after` is described as usable alone or alongside other changes. That mode/parameter interaction is genuine added value.

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 opening sentence names a specific verb set (create, update, reorder) and resource (a todo item in Home Assistant), and the create-mode/update-mode split clarifies the two behaviours behind one tool. It does not name sibling tools such as ha_get_todo or ha_remove_todo_item, so the boundary against those is inferred from the names alone.

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?

Explicit branching guidance: absent `item` means create, present `item` means update, and `move_after` can be combined with other changes or used alone. The worked examples make each mode concrete, though there are no explicit exclusions pointing to ha_remove_todo_item for deletion or ha_get_todo for reading.

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

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