Historical Orders

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

Adds important behavioral details beyond annotations: excludes today, lists exact return fields, and describes pagination via a separate endpoint. No contradictions with annotations.

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

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

Three front-loaded sentences with no waste. Purpose, return shape, and pagination details each earn their place.

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

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

With 5 params and no output schema, the description fully covers return fields, required parameters, and US-specific pagination. No gaps given the tool's complexity.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, but description adds significant meaning: explains RFC3339 format, clarifies us_page/us_limit pagination behavior (separate endpoint, default size), and states US-only restriction not in schema.

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

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

The description clearly states it gets historical orders between dates, excludes today, and lists return fields. It implicitly distinguishes from 'today_orders' and other order-related tools.

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

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

Specifies US accounts only and explains pagination behavior. Provides clear context for when to use (historical period) but does not explicitly compare to sibling tools like 'today_orders'.

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