avenir-mcp

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Category balances for a month

get_category_balances

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve budgeted, spent, and available amounts per category for a YNAB month to answer how much money is left in any category or list all category balances.

Instructions

Budgeted, spent (activity) and available (balance) per category for a month.

Use it for "how much is left in Groceries?" or to list every category's money. Amounts in currency units; activity is negative for spending. Hidden and internal categories are left out, and so are categories with nothing budgeted, spent or available unless include_empty is true. For the share of each budget consumed use get_budget_vs_actual; for the month's totals, get_monthly_summary; for the months before, get_spending_trends. One YNAB request; changes nothing.

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": {
      "plan_id": "<plan_id>"
    },
    "name": "get_category_balances"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`month`	No	'YYYY-MM-01' or 'current'.	current
`plan_id`	Yes	YNAB plan id or 'last-used'.
`include_empty`	No	Also list categories with no amount at all.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Sep 29, 2026

TDQS

A4.9/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Beyond the readOnly/idempotent annotations, the description adds useful operational context: one YNAB request, no changes, currency units, negative activity for spending, hidden/internal category exclusion, and default omission of empty categories. It does not contradict the annotations and provides enough behavioral detail for safe invocation.

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 purpose is front-loaded, followed by usage examples, alternatives, filtering behavior, and operational notes in a compact form. Every sentence contributes useful guidance without filler.

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

Completeness5/5

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

Given the existing output schema, annotations, and fully described parameters, the description is complete for an agent to select and call the tool correctly. It covers purpose, alternatives, data conventions, filtering, and mutation safety.

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. The description adds meaning beyond the schema for include_empty by explaining the default filtering behavior and what it includes, though it does not add much detail for month or plan_id beyond the schema.

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 states a specific resource and scope: budgeted, spent, and available amounts per category for a month. It also explicitly distinguishes itself from siblings by naming get_budget_vs_actual, get_monthly_summary, and get_spending_trends for related questions.

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

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

It gives concrete usage examples such as "how much is left in Groceries?" and listing every category's money. It also names alternatives with their intended use cases and explains default exclusions and the include_empty exception.

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