> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.repdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Tools

> Everything the Research Desk MCP Server can do.

The server exposes ten tools that your AI assistant chooses based on your ask. Knowing what is available helps you work with your AI assistant to be more productive.

## Read tools

Read tools are always safe: they look things up and never change anything.

| Tool                  | What it does                                                                                                                                                             |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `list_projects`       | Lists the projects you can see, with their names, numbers, and managers                                                                                                  |
| `list_surveys`        | Lists surveys with their full setup, quota fill, and **live fielding performance** — entrants, terminates, completes, realized incidence and interview length, and cost. |
| `list_users`          | Lists the users on your account                                                                                                                                          |
| `list_accounts`       | Lists the account you have access to                                                                                                                                     |
| `list_definitions`    | Lists every valid configuration value: countries and languages, time zones, survey statuses, pacing options, device types                                                |
| `list_qualifications` | Lists every targeting question and its answer options for a given country and language                                                                                   |

## Write tools

Write tools create or modify records. All four use the same safety handshake that's enforced by the server: the first call returns a plain-language **preview** of the pending change and applies nothing; the change executes only when it's confirmed. There are **no delete operations**.

| Tool             | What it does                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `create_project` | Creates a project. Needs an account, a project manager, a project name, and a project number (unique within the account)                                                                          |
| `update_project` | Changes a project's name, project number, project manager, or business unit. The owning account can't be changed                                                                                  |
| `create_survey`  | Creates a survey under a project, with its configuration (country, language, LOI, incidence, pricing, entry link, close date) and targeting quotas. New surveys always start in **Draft** status. |
| `update_survey`  | Changes a survey, including its status (`Live` to launch, `Paused` to pause), settings, quotas, etc.                                                                                              |

## Need to know

* **Everything runs with your permissions.** If you can't see or edit something in the Research Desk UI, your assistant can't either.
* **One country, one language per survey.** For multi-market studies, create a survey per market like you would in the UI or API.
* **Quotas control fielding, not the `respondents` count.** The respondent target is informational; the quota caps are what actually govern who qualifies and how many complete.
* **Targeting IDs are country-specific.** Qualification and answer-option IDs differ by country and must come from `list_qualifications` for the market you're targeting. There are no ranges — ages 18–21 are `[18, 19, 20, 21]`, never `"18-21"`.
* **Set the entry link explicitly.** The survey `entry_link` must be your real survey URL and must contain the `[%RDUD%]` variable, which Research Desk replaces with a unique respondent ID for tracking and reconciliation.
* **Quota updates replace the whole set.** When updating a survey's quotas, the list you send becomes the survey's quota set and quotas left out are removed. Always send the complete intended set.