# actual_bank_sync

Trigger 3rd party bank sync (GoCardless, SimpleFIN) for linked bank accounts. Returns immediately with an error if no bank-linked accounts are found. When bank-linked accounts exist, waits up to 30 seconds for the provider to confirm the operation and surfaces errors such as rate limits or auth failures that occur within that window. Successful syncs may take a few additional moments for transactions to appear in Actual Budget.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `actual_bank_sync`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-bank-sync

## Facts

- Tool: `actual_bank_sync`
- Server: Actual (`actual-mcp-server`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual.md
- Install: `npx -y actual-mcp-server`
- Homepage: git+https://github.com/agigante80/actual-mcp-server.git
- Risk category: Execute (High risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "actual_bank_sync",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why actual_bank_sync is rated High

This tool executes an external operation that triggers bank synchronization with third-party providers and causes observable side effects (transactions appear in the system). While it involves financial data, it does not move money or create financial obligations directly—it merely synchronizes existing transaction data.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool description states it 'Trigger[s] 3rd party bank sync' and 'waits up to 30 seconds for the provider to confirm the operation', indicating active execution of an external operation with side effects (bank data synchronization)."

## Use case

AI agents invoke actual_bank_sync to trigger actions in Actual. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Actual:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "actual_bank_sync": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "actual_bank_sync_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Actual (63)

- `actual_accounts_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-accounts-delete.md
- `actual_categories_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-categories-delete.md
- `actual_category_groups_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-category-groups-delete.md
- `actual_payees_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-payees-delete.md
- `actual_rules_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-rules-delete.md
- `actual_schedules_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-schedules-delete.md
- `actual_tags_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-tags-delete.md
- `actual_transactions_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-transactions-delete.md
- `actual_query_run` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-query-run.md
- `actual_session_close` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-session-close.md
- `actual_accounts_list` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-accounts-list.md
- `actual_budgets_get_all` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-budgets-get-all.md
- `actual_budgets_getMonth` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-budgets-getmonth.md
- `actual_budgets_getMonths` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-budgets-getmonths.md
- `actual_budgets_list_available` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-budgets-list-available.md
- `actual_categories_get` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-categories-get.md
- `actual_category_groups_get` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-category-groups-get.md
- `actual_entities_search` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-entities-search.md
- `actual_get_id_by_name` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-get-id-by-name.md
- `actual_notes_get` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-notes-get.md
- `actual_payee_rules_get` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-payee-rules-get.md
- `actual_payees_common_list` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-payees-common-list.md
- `actual_payees_get` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-payees-get.md
- `actual_rules_get` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-rules-get.md
- `actual_schedules_get` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-schedules-get.md
- `actual_server_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-server-info.md
- `actual_session_list` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-session-list.md
- `actual_tags_list` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-tags-list.md
- `actual_transactions_filter` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-transactions-filter.md
- `actual_transactions_get` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/actual/actual-transactions-get.md
- …and 33 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/actual.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=actual · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/actual