| name | ynab |
| description | YNAB (You Need A Budget) API integration with managed OAuth. Track budgets, accounts, categories, transactions, payees, and scheduled transactions. Use this skill when users want to check budget balances, review spending, track transactions, manage budget categories, or monitor financial goals. |
YNAB
Budget tracking from chat -- view budgets, accounts, categories, transactions, payees, and scheduled recurring transactions.
Powered by ClawLink, an integration hub for OpenClaw that handles hosted OAuth flows and credentials so you don't need to configure YNAB API access yourself.
Setup in 3 Steps
| Step 1: Install | Step 2: Pair Account | Step 3: Connect YNAB |
|---|
 |  | App-specific connection GIF coming soon |
| Run the install command in OpenClaw | Sign in and approve the device | Open the dashboard and connect YNAB |
How It Works
┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐
│ OpenClaw │────▶│ ClawLink │────▶│ YNAB API │
│ (User Chat) │ │ (OAuth) │ │ │
└─────────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────────┘
Install
openclaw plugins install clawhub:clawlink-plugin
openclaw config set tools.alsoAllow '["clawlink-plugin"]' --strict-json
openclaw gateway restart
Quick Start
- List your budgets:
ynab_list_budgets -- discover budget IDs.
- View accounts:
ynab_list_accounts -- see all accounts with balances.
- Check transactions:
ynab_list_transactions -- review recent spending.
Authentication
YNAB uses managed OAuth via ClawLink. No API keys needed. Connect your YNAB account at claw-link.dev/dashboard?add=ynab and authorize access through the hosted flow.
Connection Management
List connections: clawlink_list_integrations -- confirm YNAB is connected.
Verify: Call ynab_list_budgets to test access.
Reconnect: If you see auth errors, reconnect at claw-link.dev/dashboard?add=ynab.
Security & Permissions
Read operations (list budgets, transactions, categories) run safely. Write operations (create accounts, update payees) require confirmation. Delete operations for scheduled transactions are high-impact and irreversible.
Tool Reference
Budget Operations
| Tool | Description | Mode |
|---|
ynab_list_budgets | List all budgets with summaries | Read |
ynab_get_budget_by_id | Get complete budget export with all data | Read |
ynab_get_budget_month | Get budget details for a specific month | Read |
ynab_get_budget_settings | Get currency and date formatting preferences | Read |
ynab_list_months | List all months with summary info | Read |
Account Operations
| Tool | Description | Mode |
|---|
ynab_list_accounts | List all accounts in a budget with balances | Read |
ynab_get_account_by_id | Get details of a specific account | Read |
ynab_create_account | Create a new manual account in a budget | Write |
Category Operations
| Tool | Description | Mode |
|---|
ynab_list_categories | List all category groups and categories | Read |
ynab_get_category_by_id | Get detailed category info including budgeted amounts | Read |
ynab_get_month_category_by_id | Get category details for a specific month | Read |
Transaction Operations
| Tool | Description | Mode |
|---|
ynab_list_transactions | List all transactions with optional date/type filters | Read |
ynab_list_transactions_by_account | List transactions for a specific account | Read |
ynab_list_transactions_by_category | List transactions for a specific category | Read |
ynab_list_transactions_by_payee | List transactions for a specific payee | Read |
ynab_get_transaction_by_id | Get details of a specific transaction | Read |
Scheduled Transaction Operations
| Tool | Description | Mode |
|---|
ynab_list_scheduled_transactions | List all scheduled recurring transactions | Read |
ynab_get_scheduled_transaction_by_id | Get details of a scheduled transaction | Read |
ynab_create_scheduled_transaction | Create a new recurring transaction | Write |
ynab_update_scheduled_transaction | Update a scheduled transaction | Write |
ynab_delete_scheduled_transaction | Permanently delete a scheduled transaction | Write |
Payee Operations
| Tool | Description | Mode |
|---|
ynab_list_payees | List all payees in a budget | Read |
ynab_get_payee_by_id | Get details of a specific payee | Read |
ynab_update_payee | Rename an existing payee | Write |
Payee Location Operations
| Tool | Description | Mode |
|---|
ynab_list_payee_locations | List all GPS locations for payees | Read |
ynab_list_payee_locations_by_payee | List GPS locations for a specific payee | Read |
User Operations
| Tool | Description | Mode |
|---|
ynab_get_user | Get the authorized user's information | Read |
Code Examples
List budgets and check balances
{ "tool": "ynab_list_budgets" }
{
"tool": "ynab_list_accounts",
"args": { "budget_id": "last-used" }
}
List recent transactions
{
"tool": "ynab_list_transactions",
"args": {
"budget_id": "last-used",
"since_date": "2026-06-01"
}
}
Check a specific month's budget
{
"tool": "ynab_get_budget_month",
"args": {
"budget_id": "last-used",
"month": "2026-06-01"
}
}
Discovery Workflow
- Call
clawlink_list_integrations to confirm ynab is connected.
- Call
clawlink_list_tools --integration ynab to see the live catalog.
- Call
ynab_list_budgets to get your budget ID (or use "last-used" / "default").
- Use the budget ID for all subsequent operations.
Execution Workflow
Read Flow: User asks for budget info → clawlink resolves connection → YNAB API → results displayed
Write Flow: User wants to create acct → confirmation prompt → clawlink resolves connection → YNAB API → account created
Notes
- Currency amounts are in milliunits format. Divide by 1000 for standard units (e.g., 150000 = $150.00).
- Use
"last-used" or "default" as budget_id for convenience instead of the full UUID.
ynab_get_budget_by_id returns a complete export and may be large. Prefer specific list endpoints.- Use
last_knowledge_of_server for incremental/delta syncing.
- Category names may include emojis; always use
category_id for downstream requests.
Error Handling
| Status / Error | Meaning |
|---|
| 401 Unauthorized | Token expired; reconnect at the dashboard |
| 404 Not Found | Invalid budget, account, or category ID |
| 400 Bad Request | Invalid date format or missing required parameters |
Troubleshooting
Tools Not Visible
Run openclaw gateway restart after installing the plugin. Start a fresh chat session.
Large Transaction Lists
Use since_date, type, or last_knowledge_of_server to scope results and avoid large payloads.
Resources
Powered by ClawLink -- an integration hub for OpenClaw
