Microsoft Business Central MCP Server

list_items

Fetch records from Microsoft Business Central by resource, using OData filters and pagination to retrieve targeted data.

Instructions

Get items from Business Central with filtering and pagination

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": {
      "resource": "<resource>"
    },
    "name": "list_items"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`top`	No	Maximum number of items to return (optional)
`skip`	No	Number of items to skip for pagination (optional)
`filter`	No	OData filter expression (optional)
`resource`	Yes	The resource name (e.g., customers, contacts, salesOpportunities)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.4Aug 7, 2026

TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Behavior2/5

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden. It only restates 'Get items' and 'filtering and pagination' without disclosing additional behavioral traits like read-only nature, pagination limits, error handling, or required permissions. The description adds little beyond what the name and schema already convey.

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?

The description is a single, focused sentence that front-loads the action and resource. It contains no fluff or unnecessary details, exemplifying conciseness.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the simple list operation with 4 params and schema coverage 100%, the description is minimally adequate. However, it lacks guidance on usage vs siblings, return value structure (no output schema), and any edge-case behavior, leaving some gaps for an agent.

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 the baseline is 3. The description mentions 'filtering and pagination' which maps to filter/top/skip, but this adds no new information beyond the schema descriptions. It does not provide extra meaning for any parameter.

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?

The description clearly states the action ('Get items') and the resource ('from Business Central'), with key features 'filtering and pagination'. This distinguishes it from siblings like get_schema, create_item, update_item, and delete_item, which have different purposes.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies usage for listing items with filtering/pagination but does not explicitly compare with alternatives like get_items_by_field. No 'when-to-use' or 'when-not-to-use' guidance is given, making the usage context only implied rather than clearly stated.

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

Deploy Server