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YNAB MCP Server

YNAB MCP Server

by oliverames

Review Unapproved

review_unapproved
Read-onlyIdempotent

Review all-history unapproved YNAB rows by payee to see which are ready to approve or need categories first, with compact, summary, and mixed-group flags.

Instructions

Review all-history unapproved rows by payee: ready_to_approve (categorized/split/transfer) or needs_category_first. Flags: ynab://guide/flags-reference. match_broken and realized composite IDs are writable. Mixed groups: category_name:null, category_names/mixed_categories, inflow/outflow totals. summary aggregates; compact keeps IDs/essentials. Above maxTransactions (default 400), degrades to compact then summary; reports mode.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
compactNoUnless summary: keep id/date/payee/amount/category/account/flags and matched_transaction_id for match_broken rows.
summaryNoReturn counts/payee aggregates for both groups, no rows. Drill down with get_transactions.
budgetIdNo
maxTransactionsNoFull rows threshold (default 400); above: compact, above twice: summary. Reports mode/notice. Raise for detail.

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
resultYes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed6 schema fields changedv6.1.0
    • 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)"
    • changedInput schema / properties / compact / description
      Previous value: -"If true (and summary is not set), keep per-transaction rows but only the fields needed to act (id, date, payee_name, amount, category_name, account_name, flags; matched_transaction_id for match_broken rows)."New value: +"Unless summary: keep id/date/payee/amount/category/account/flags and matched_transaction_id for match_broken rows."
    • changedInput schema / properties / maxTransactions / description
      Previous value: -"Above this many unapproved rows (default 400) a full response degrades to compact, and above twice it to summary; the response reports mode and a notice. Raise it to force detail."New value: +"Full rows threshold (default 400); above: compact, above twice: summary. Reports mode/notice. Raise for detail."
    • changedInput schema / properties / summary / description
      Previous value: -"If true, omit per-transaction details from the response and return only counts + by-payee aggregates (for both ready_to_approve and needs_category_first). Use this when the full unapproved queue is large; drill into specifics with get_transactions afterwards."New value: +"Return counts/payee aggregates for both groups, no rows. Drill down with get_transactions."
    • changedOutput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  2. Changed3 schema fields changedv5.4.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / compact / description
      Previous value: -"If true (and summary is not set), keep per-transaction detail but return only the fields needed to act — id, date, payee_name, amount, category_name, account_name, flags — dropping bulky fields (import strings, subtransactions, import ids) that push the full response past the inline size limit. Rows flagged match_broken additionally keep matched_transaction_id, since triaging that flag means GETting the matched id. Use when you need transaction IDs to approve or recategorize but the full queue would overflow."New value: +"If true (and summary is not set), keep per-transaction rows but only the fields needed to act (id, date, payee_name, amount, category_name, account_name, flags; matched_transaction_id for match_broken rows)."
    • addedInput schema / properties / maxTransactions
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Above this many unapproved rows (default 400) a full response degrades to compact, and above twice it to summary; the response reports mode and a notice. Raise it to force detail.",
      +  "maximum": 2000,
      +  "minimum": 1,
      +  "type": "integer"
      +}
    • removedOutput schema / properties / result / description
      Removed value: -"Structured result returned by Review Unapproved."
  3. Changed1 schema field changedv5.2.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / compact / description
      Previous value: -"If true (and summary is not set), keep per-transaction detail but return only the fields needed to act — id, date, payee_name, amount, category_name, account_name, flags — dropping bulky fields (import strings, subtransactions, matched/import ids) that push the full response past the inline size limit. Use when you need transaction IDs to approve or recategorize but the full queue would overflow."New value: +"If true (and summary is not set), keep per-transaction detail but return only the fields needed to act — id, date, payee_name, amount, category_name, account_name, flags — dropping bulky fields (import strings, subtransactions, import ids) that push the full response past the inline size limit. Rows flagged match_broken additionally keep matched_transaction_id, since triaging that flag means GETting the matched id. Use when you need transaction IDs to approve or recategorize but the full queue would overflow."
  4. Changed1 schema field changedv5.1.1
    • changedOutput schema / (root)
      Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
      +  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
      +  "additionalProperties": false,
      +  "properties": {
      +    "result": {
      +      "description": "Structured result returned by Review Unapproved."
      +    }
      +  },
      +  "required": [
      +    "result"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
  5. Changed1 schema field changedv3.1.0
    • addedInput schema / properties / compact
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "If true (and summary is not set), keep per-transaction detail but return only the fields needed to act — id, date, payee_name, amount, category_name, account_name, flags — dropping bulky fields (import strings, subtransactions, matched/import ids) that push the full response past the inline size limit. Use when you need transaction IDs to approve or recategorize but the full queue would overflow.",
      +  "type": "boolean"
      +}
  6. First observedv2.0.0

TDQS

B3.4/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already establish read-only, idempotent, non-destructive behavior, and the description adds meaningful operational context: fallback from full rows to compact then summary above maxTransactions, mode reporting, mixed-group representation, and which identifiers are writable. The term 'writable' is slightly ambiguous but not contradictory to readOnlyHint.

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?

The description is compact and front-loads the purpose, but it is a dense run-on of semicolon-separated jargon such as 'match_broken,' 'realized composite IDs,' and 'mixed groups.' Every clause carries information, but the structure makes it harder to parse than it needs to be.

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?

For a complex review tool with an output schema, the description covers the key special cases: grouping, mixed categories, aggregate vs compact output, and threshold-based degradation. It is nearly complete, though it omits budgetId semantics and explicit alternative-tool guidance.

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 75%, so baseline is 3. The description reinforces compact/summary semantics and degradation around maxTransactions, but does not explain budgetId and mostly repeats schema-level parameter descriptions.

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

Purpose4/5

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

The description states a specific verb and resource: review all-history unapproved rows by payee, split into ready_to_approve and needs_category_first. That distinguishes it from generic transaction listing/search tools, though it does not explicitly name sibling alternatives.

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

Usage Guidelines2/5

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

It describes what the review returns and how output modes degrade, but gives no explicit guidance on when to use this instead of get_transactions, search_transactions, or other sibling tools. The usage context is implied by 'unapproved rows' rather than stated as a decision rule.

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