Paperless MCP

List Background Tasks

list_tasks

Read-onlyIdempotent

Check Paperless background tasks (Celery) to monitor progress and filter by status, type, or acknowledged state.

Instructions

List Paperless Celery tasks.

Defaults to unacknowledged tasks only (set include_acknowledged=True or acknowledged=True to see acknowledged ones). Returns one page, newest first.

Pass task_type to filter by the kind of work — "bulk_update" is the search-index rebuild that bulk_edit_documents queues, so that tool's deferred indexing can be waited on with wait_for_task. Version 10 adds task_type, trigger_source, structured result_data, related_document_ids and timing fields. Statuses retain their uppercase spelling. Legacy task_name, type, result and related_document remain compatibility projections; use the v10 fields for full detail.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`page`	No
`status`	No
`page_size`	No
`task_type`	No
`acknowledged`	No
`include_acknowledged`	No

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`next`	No
`count`	Yes
`results`	No
`previous`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed13 schema fields changedv2.1.0Sep 21, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / task_type

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "description": "Kinds of background work Paperless records in ``/api/tasks/``.\n\nThese are payload version 10 spellings. On version 9 fallback, the HTTP\nboundary translates the filter to task_name and maps sanity_check to\ncheck_sanity and llm_index to llmindex_update. Not every task kind exists\non Paperless 2.x. See\n``docs/design/reference/paperless-bulk-edit-indexing.md``.",
+      "enum": [
+        "consume_file",
+        "train_classifier",
+        "sanity_check",
+        "index_optimize",
+        "mail_fetch",
+        "llm_index",
+        "empty_trash",
+        "check_workflows",
+        "bulk_update",
+        "reprocess_document",
+        "build_share_link",
+        "bulk_delete",
+        "apply_ai_suggestions"
+      ],
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / description

Added value: +"Task details with structured results and compatible legacy projections."

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / date_started

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "format": "date-time",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / duration_seconds

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / input_data

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / related_document_ids
```
Added value: +{
+  "items": {
+    "type": "integer"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}
```

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / result_data

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / status_display

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / task_type

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / task_type_display

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / trigger_source

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / trigger_source_display

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / wait_time_seconds

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

First observedv1.0.1Jul 8, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Annotations already mark the tool as read-only, idempotent, and non-destructive. The description adds substantial detail beyond that: default unacknowledged filtering, one-page newest-first pagination, version 10 field additions, legacy compatibility projections, uppercase status spelling, and the meaning of the bulk_update task_type. No contradiction 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.

Conciseness4/5

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

The description is dense but well organized: core purpose, default behavior, filtering guidance, and version compatibility notes. It front-loads the most important facts. The version-compatibility paragraph is somewhat long but earns its place given the API's complexity, so this is not a case of fluff.

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?

Given the output schema and annotations, the description covers defaults, pagination, task_type filtering, and version differences. It leaves minor gaps around the exact semantics of the status filter and page_size, but the tool is still safely callable. For a tool with six parameters and versioned behavior, this is a high level of completeness.

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 0%, so the description must compensate for the parameters. It does explain include_acknowledged, acknowledged, and task_type, with a concrete bulk_update example. However, status, page, and page_size are not meaningfully described beyond the phrase 'Returns one page,' leaving some parameter semantics to be inferred from names and schema enums.

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 opens with a specific verb and resource: 'List Paperless Celery tasks.' It clearly distinguishes itself from sibling list_documents by focusing on background work rather than documents, and it connects to related tools by noting that bulk_update is the indexing rebuild queued by bulk_edit_documents and can be waited on with wait_for_task.

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?

The description gives explicit context for when to use the tool, such as inspecting unacknowledged tasks by default and passing task_type to filter. It also explains the workflow relationship with bulk_edit_documents and wait_for_task. It does not explicitly list exclusions or say 'use get_task instead for a single task,' but the guidance is strong.

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

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