Get transaction details by ID, and return it as a JSON string.
AI agents call beancount_get_transaction to retrieve information from Beancount without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves and returns transaction data based on an ID parameter. The verb 'get' and the action of returning data as JSON are characteristic of a Read operation. There are no side effects, no data modification, and no irreversible actions. While Beancount ledgers may contain financial records, the tool itself only queries/retrieves information without executing financial transactions or modifications.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'beancount_get_transaction' and description 'Get transaction details by ID, and return it as a JSON string' indicate a retrieval operation with no modification.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access beancount_get_transaction gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Beancount, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for beancount_get_transaction:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"beancount_get_transaction": {}
}
}beancount_get_transaction is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Get transaction details by ID, and return it as a JSON string. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Beancount MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Beancount MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for beancount_get_transaction: 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 Beancount. Nothing to install.
beancount_get_transaction 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 beancount_get_transaction 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 beancount_get_transaction. 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.
beancount_get_transaction is provided by the Beancount MCP server (stdioa/beancount-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Beancount, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
6 Beancount tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.