compare_spend
Use this when the user wants to compare spend between two time periods (e.g. 'Compare the latest three months including this month with January through March'). Period 1 is N-1 full calendar months plus current month-to-date; period 2 is an explicit date range. Returns two separate sets of monthl...
This record as markdown: /tools/doit/compare-spend.md
What compare_spend does on Doit
AI agents call compare_spend to retrieve information from Doit 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
cloud | string | — | Filter to a specific cloud provider. Accepts aliases like "aws", "gcp", "azure". |
groupBy | string | — | Grouping (default "service"): service = cloud service, project = project/account/subscription, cloud = cloud provider. Each period independently selects its top |
period2 | object | Yes | Comparison period as explicit inclusive UTC calendar dates in RFC3339 format. |
period1Months | integer | — | Period 1 covers N-1 full calendar months plus current month-to-date, 1–24 (default 3). It is not necessarily a calendar quarter. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why compare_spend is rated Low
Even though compare_spend 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 compare_spend safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Doit, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For compare_spend, this is the rule to start with:
compare_spend 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 Doit, apply this rule, and every compare_spend call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about compare_spend
Use this when the user wants to compare spend between two time periods (e.g. 'Compare the latest three months including this month with January through March'). Period 1 is N-1 full calendar months plus current month-to-date; period 2 is an explicit date range. Returns two separate sets of monthly rows, each independently limited to its top 10 groups across that period. Groups can differ; no difference or percentage change is computed. For more than two periods or advanced comparative analysis, use run_query instead. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Doit MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
compare_spend accepts 4 parameters: cloud, groupBy, period2, period1Months. Required: period2. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Doit MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for compare_spend: 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 Doit. Nothing to install.
compare_spend 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 compare_spend 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 compare_spend. 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.
compare_spend is provided by the Doit MCP server (@doitintl/doit-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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