m365-mcp

Get Item

m365_get

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve a single Microsoft 365 item by ID: email, event, contact, folder, rule, calendar, OneDrive file details, or operation status.

Instructions

Read one item whose ID you already have: an email with its body, an event with attendees, a contact, a mail or contact folder, an inbox rule, a calendar, a OneDrive item's details, or the status of a copy started with drive_copy (resource='operation'). Use m365_list or m365_search to find IDs. Use m365_get_content to download files or attachments. Returns the item.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`id`	No	Item ID from a previous result (for operation: the operation_id). Aliases are accepted for email_folder, calendar (default) and drive_item (root).
`path`	No	drive_item only: OneDrive path instead of id.
`refresh`	No	Bypass the cache and fetch fresh data.
`resource`	Yes	Type of item.
`account_id`	No	Account ID or email address. Omit when only one account is signed in.
`include_body`	No	email and event: include the body text.
`body_max_chars`	No	email and event: truncate the body after this many characters.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`item`	Yes
`summary`	Yes	One-line human summary. The tool's text content is this result serialized as JSON (summary included), so a client that ignores structuredContent still sees every field.
`resource`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Addedv1.0.0Sep 29, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds a genuine behavioral precondition (requires an ID you already have) and cross-tool dependency (resource='operation' reflects a drive_copy job), which the structured fields do not convey.

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?

Three sentences, zero padding, front-loaded with the core requirement (needs an ID). Each sentence routes to a different sibling or states a precondition, so every clause earns its place.

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?

An output schema exists, so return-value detail is unnecessary, and the description plus 100%-covered schema plus safety annotations give an agent everything needed to select and invoke it correctly.

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 100%, so id/path/refresh/include_body/body_max_chars are all documented in the schema. The description only adds the mapping of resource='operation' to a drive_copy operation, a marginal gain over the enum 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?

States a specific verb ('Read one item') and enumerates the concrete resource types it covers (email with body, event with attendees, contact, folders, inbox rule, calendar, OneDrive item, copy operation status). This lets an agent distinguish it from m365_list, m365_search, and m365_get_content without opening a schema.

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?

Explicitly names the alternatives and the condition for each: use m365_list/m365_search to find IDs, use m365_get_content to download files or attachments, and use this tool only when the ID is already known. No inference required.

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