YNAB MCP Server

Get Transactions

get_transactions

Read-onlyIdempotent

Lists YNAB transactions with filters for account, category, payee, month, and date range, returning raw bank text and pagination metadata to retrieve transaction history.

Instructions

List transactions with raw bank text in import_payee_name_original. Choose accountId, categoryId or payeeId. sinceDate defaults to one year ago. Non-delta cap: 500 (limit max 2000). Capped: {transactions,total,returned,offset,has_more,next_offset}; otherwise array. Prefer search_transactions for specific rows.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`type`	No	Filter by approval/categorization status
`limit`	No	Row cap (default 500, max 2000). Ignored for delta requests.
`month`	No	Filter by month (YYYY-MM-DD, first of month)
`offset`	No	Rows to skip, in YNAB's date-ascending order; pass next_offset from a capped result.
`payeeId`	No	Filter by payee ID
`budgetId`	No
`accountId`	No	Filter by account ID
`freshness`	No	fresh (default) reads YNAB. cached uses a session-isolated 30-second cache; complete means its reported coverage, which expands for older requested dates. Reports freshness; caller delta cursors bypass retention.
`sinceDate`	No	From YYYY-MM-DD, inclusive; default one year ago.
`untilDate`	No	Through YYYY-MM-DD, inclusive
`categoryId`	No	Filter by category ID
`projection`	No	Output fields: full (default) or lean IDs, values and essential status/link fields. Splits retain child IDs and amounts.
`includeFreshness`	No	Return an envelope with freshness/coverage metadata even on a fresh read.
`lastKnowledgeOfServer`	No	Delta cursor; returns { transactions, server_knowledge } uncapped.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed9 schema fields changedv6.1.0Oct 25, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

removedInput schema / properties / budgetId / description

Removed value: -"Budget ID (uses default if not provided)"

addedInput schema / properties / freshness

Added value: +{
+  "description": "fresh (default) reads YNAB. cached uses a session-isolated 30-second cache; complete means its reported coverage, which expands for older requested dates. Reports freshness; caller delta cursors bypass retention.",
+  "enum": [
+    "fresh",
+    "cached"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / includeFreshness

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Return an envelope with freshness/coverage metadata even on a fresh read.",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}

changedInput schema / properties / lastKnowledgeOfServer / description

Previous value: -"Delta request server knowledge. When provided, returns { transactions, server_knowledge } uncapped."New value: +"Delta cursor; returns { transactions, server_knowledge } uncapped."

addedInput schema / properties / projection

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Output fields: full (default) or lean IDs, values and essential status/link fields. Splits retain child IDs and amounts.",
+  "enum": [
+    "lean",
+    "full"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}

changedInput schema / properties / sinceDate / description

Previous value: -"Only return transactions on or after this date (YYYY-MM-DD). If omitted, YNAB defaults to one year ago."New value: +"From YYYY-MM-DD, inclusive; default one year ago."

changedInput schema / properties / untilDate / description

Previous value: -"Only return transactions on or before this date (YYYY-MM-DD)"New value: +"Through YYYY-MM-DD, inclusive"

changedOutput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

Changed4 schema fields changedv5.4.0Sep 15, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / lastKnowledgeOfServer / description

Previous value: -"Delta request server knowledge. When provided, returns { transactions, server_knowledge }."New value: +"Delta request server knowledge. When provided, returns { transactions, server_knowledge } uncapped."

addedInput schema / properties / limit

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Row cap (default 500, max 2000). Ignored for delta requests.",
+  "maximum": 2000,
+  "minimum": 1,
+  "type": "integer"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / offset

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Rows to skip, in YNAB's date-ascending order; pass next_offset from a capped result.",
+  "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+  "minimum": 0,
+  "type": "integer"
+}

removedOutput schema / properties / result / description

Removed value: -"Structured result returned by Get Transactions."

Changed1 schema field changedv5.1.1Jul 21, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "result": {
+      "description": "Structured result returned by Get Transactions."
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "result"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed2 schema fields changedv3.1.0Jul 5, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / sinceDate / description

Previous value: -"Only return transactions on or after this date (YYYY-MM-DD)"New value: +"Only return transactions on or after this date (YYYY-MM-DD). If omitted, YNAB defaults to one year ago."

addedInput schema / properties / untilDate

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Only return transactions on or before this date (YYYY-MM-DD)",
+  "type": "string"
+}

First observedv2.0.0May 28, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare a safe read-only, idempotent operation, and the description adds meaningful behavior: the 500-row non-delta cap, limit max of 2000, default sinceDate, and capped-vs-array return shape. It still omits some operational detail such as auth or rate-limit behavior, but adds strong context beyond annotations.

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 dense and front-loaded: purpose first, then filters, defaults, cap behavior, return shape, and sibling routing. Every sentence carries operational information with no wasted prose.

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?

For a 14-parameter tool with rich schema coverage, annotations, and an output schema, this description supplies the key operational context an agent needs: scope, defaults, pagination caps, return shape, and the main alternative tool. Remaining details are adequately covered by structured fields.

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 coverage is 93%, so the schema already documents nearly all parameter meaning. The description reinforces a few points such as sinceDate default, limit caps, and filter ID choices, but mostly restates schema-provided details rather than adding substantial new parameter semantics.

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 verb and resource ('List transactions'), names the raw bank-text field, and explicitly distinguishes this from search_transactions for specific rows. An agent can identify the tool's role and its broad-listing purpose without opening the schema.

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?

It gives a clear routing rule: prefer search_transactions for specific rows, and suggests filtering by accountId, categoryId, or payeeId. It does not discuss delta-vs-non-delta reads or freshness selection in prose, leaving those usage decisions to the schema.

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

Deploy Server