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hs737

MCP Server for YNAB

by hs737

Transactions — List by account

transactions_list_by_account
Read-only

List transactions for a specific YNAB account, filter by cleared, approved, amount, date, or manual status, and fetch only changes since the last server knowledge.

Instructions

[READ] List transactions for a specific account. Amounts are in milliunits. A transfer to another on-budget account moves no category money — both accounts are already inside the budget — so a transfer in this list changed no category balance and no assignment. Check assignments separately, or use analysis_unassigned_transfers. Supports delta sync: pass last_knowledge_of_server — the server_knowledge value any earlier response returned — and YNAB sends only what changed since, which is how a long session stays current without re-reading everything. changes_since does the same across categories, months and transactions in one call.Returns a paginated envelope with items, count, has_more, and next_offset. limit defaults to 100 and cannot exceed 500. Filters applied before paging: cleared ('cleared', 'uncleared', 'reconciled'), approved (true/false), manual_only=true for transactions with no import_id (entered by hand), min_amount to keep only transactions whose absolute amount is at least that many milliunits. fields: name the columns you need and each item is projected down to them, which is where the size of a long list actually goes — fields=['id,date,amount,cleared,import_id,payee_name,memo'] is a fraction of the full row. id is always included, and an unknown name is refused with the list of valid ones. Fields that are null or empty are omitted from each item. A missing category_id therefore means the transaction is uncategorized, and a missing subtransactions list means it is not a split.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
typeNo
limitNo
fieldsNo
offsetNo
clearedNo
plan_idNo
approvedNo
account_idYes
min_amountNo
since_dateNo
manual_onlyNo
last_knowledge_of_serverNo

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.4.0

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

Annotations already mark it read-only/non-destructive, and the description adds substantial context beyond that: milliunits as the amount unit, that transfers move no category money, delta-sync semantics, that filters are applied before paging, and that omitted null fields signal uncategorized/unsplit items. That is genuine behavioral insight an agent couldn't infer from the annotations.

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?

Front-loaded and dense, but a few sentences don't earn their place — the trailing 'changes_since does the same...' remark is tangential to this tool, and 'which is how a long session stays current without re-reading everything' is filler. The delta-sync sentence is also run-on.

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?

Output schema exists so return values needn't be spelled out, yet the description still explains the paginated envelope and field projection. With most of the 12 parameters covered, only the unexplained type/plan_id/since_date prevent full completeness.

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 description coverage is 0%, so the description carries the whole burden and mostly delivers: it defines cleared values, approved, manual_only, min_amount (absolute value, milliunits), fields projection rules with id always included, limit default 100 / max 500, and last_knowledge_of_server. It leaves type, plan_id, and since_date unexplained, keeping it from a 5.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Opens with '[READ] List transactions for a specific account,' a specific verb + resource + scope that sharply separates it from siblings like transactions_list_by_category, transactions_list_by_payee, and transactions_list_by_month.

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 routing guidance: transfers aren't visible as category changes so it names analysis_unassigned_transfers as an alternative, and it explains when to use delta sync (last_knowledge_of_server) versus a full read, cross-referencing changes_since. It doesn't explicitly state when to prefer plain transactions_list or the by_month sibling, so it falls short of a full 5.

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