time_window
Answers the questions a deadline actually poses: is this instant inside the window, how long until it opens or closes, and if it is outside, by how much. Optionally compares two windows for overlap. A window comparison that silently succeeds against the wrong bounds is a failure mode that does no...
This record as markdown: /tools/com-fluentedi-tools/time-window.md
What time_window does on Tools
AI agents call time_window to retrieve information from Tools without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
end | string | — | Window closes at this instant. Omit if using `duration_hours`. |
start | string | Yes | Window opens at this instant: ISO 8601, unix timestamp, or "now". |
instant | string | — | The instant to test against the window. |
timezone | string | — | IANA timezone used to read naive inputs and render output. |
compare_end | string | — | End of the second window. |
compare_start | string | — | Start of a second window, to test for overlap with the first. |
duration_hours | number | — | Window length in hours, used when `end` is omitted. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why time_window is rated Low
Even though time_window only reads data, uncontrolled read access leaks sensitive information and racks up API costs: an agent caught in a retry loop can make thousands of calls a minute without anyone noticing.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs time_window safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Tools, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For time_window, this is the rule to start with:
time_window is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Tools, apply this rule, and every time_window call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about time_window
Answers the questions a deadline actually poses: is this instant inside the window, how long until it opens or closes, and if it is outside, by how much. Optionally compares two windows for overlap. A window comparison that silently succeeds against the wrong bounds is a failure mode that does not raise an error anywhere — the ship window is missed, or the ASN is late, and the only symptom is a chargeback later. This computes the boundary instead of assuming it. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Tools MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
time_window accepts 7 parameters: end, start, instant, timezone, compare_end, compare_start, duration_hours. Required: start. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Tools MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for time_window: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Tools. Nothing to install.
time_window is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the time_window rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for time_window. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
time_window is provided by the Tools MCP server (https://fluentedi.com/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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