update_alert
Use this when the user wants to modify an existing cost alert. Supports partial updates, including name-only, recipients-only, or individual config fields. Omitted fields are preserved; scopes: [] clears scopes. Changes apply immediately. Do NOT use this for creating new alerts (use create_alert)...
This record as markdown: /tools/doit/update-alert.md
What update_alert does on Doit
AI agents use update_alert to create or update resources in Doit, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Doit environment.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
id | string | Yes | The ID of the alert to update (required). |
name | string | — | Alert name. Must be non-empty if provided. |
config | object | — | Only configuration fields to change. Omitted fields are preserved; a supplied metric requires both type and value. |
recipients | array | — | Email addresses to notify when triggered. On create, defaults to the caller's email; omitted on update preserves recipients. The API requires at least one email |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why update_alert is rated Medium
An AI agent can call update_alert faster than any human can review: one bad instruction and it creates or modifies resources in Doit by the hundred, each call as confident as the last.
Risk signalsHigh parameter count (20 properties)
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs update_alert 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 update_alert, this is the rule to start with:
update_alert stays usable, but capped: an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. 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 update_alert call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about update_alert
Use this when the user wants to modify an existing cost alert. Supports partial updates, including name-only, recipients-only, or individual config fields. Omitted fields are preserved; scopes: [] clears scopes. Changes apply immediately. Do NOT use this for creating new alerts (use create_alert) or budgets (use create_budget). It is categorised as a Write tool in the Doit MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
update_alert accepts 4 parameters: id, name, config, recipients. Required: id. 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 update_alert: 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.
update_alert is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the update_alert 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 update_alert. 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.
update_alert 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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