--- name: "books_repay_claims" area: "books" title: "Pay back expense claims" price: "$0.01" method: "POST" url: "https://api.conecto.chat/v1/tools/books_repay_claims" mcp_server: "https://api.conecto.chat/mcp/books" auth: "Authorization: Bearer " docs_url: "https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_repay_claims" --- # Pay back expense claims (`books_repay_claims`) Pays someone back for costs they paid with their own money (expense claims), like Xero's, with a SEPA file when asked. Pay back what someone paid for the business with their own money (expense claims, from books_record_expense with paid_by), like Xero's: all their open claims in one currency, or the claims named, in one entry from paid_from (default the bank account) against Expense claims to repay. sepa_file: true adds a SEPA credit transfer file to their iban, to upload to the bank. Price: $0.01 a call. A call that fails costs nothing. ## Use it when Someone on the team is owed for receipts they paid privately, say at the end of the month. - For a cost the business paid itself, use [books_record_expense](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_record_expense.md). ## Say this to your agent > Pay Lena back for her train tickets and the hardware store, and give me the bank file. ## Inputs | Name | Type | Required | Description | Allowed values | Default | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | `person` | string | yes | Their email, as paid_by had it. 3 to 254 characters. | | | | `claims` | array of integers | no | Only these claims (claim_id). 1 to 200 items. | | | | `currency` | string | no | When it is not the base currency, e.g. "USD". The rate is then rate, a standing rate, or the European Central Bank's for the date. Matches ^[A-Za-z]{3}$. | | | | `date` | string | no | When it was paid. Default today. Matches ^\\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}$. | | | | `paid_from` | string | no | An account code from the chart, e.g. "6600". 1 to 20 characters. | | | | `reference` | string | no | Up to 140 characters. | | | | `sepa_file` | boolean | no | | | `false` | | `iban` | string | no | Up to 42 characters. | | | | `bic` | string | no | Up to 11 characters. | | | ## Example Written for Hansen & Voss, a restaurant-equipment wholesaler in Hamburg with 60 staff. MCP: call `books_repay_claims` on the MCP server `https://api.conecto.chat/mcp/books` with these arguments: ```json { "person": "lena.brandt@hansenvoss.example", "sepa_file": true, "iban": "DE02 1203 0000 0000 2020 51" } ``` REST: ```bash curl https://api.conecto.chat/v1/tools/books_repay_claims \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $CONECTO_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"person": "lena.brandt@hansenvoss.example", "sepa_file": true, "iban": "DE02 1203 0000 0000 2020 51"}' ``` ## Response ```json { "call_id": "5f0c8a2e-3b7d-4c1e-9a64-2d8e1f7b0c93", "tool": "books_repay_claims", "status": "succeeded", "replayed": false, "cost_usd": "$0.01", "balance_usd": "$19.75", "result": { "repaid": [ { "claim_id": 4101, "person": { "email": "lena.brandt@hansenvoss.example", "name": "Lena Brandt", "person_id": null }, "date": "2026-10-05", "currency": "EUR", "amount": "119.00", "description": "Deutsche Bahn", "status": "repaid", "entry": 3, "repaid_on": "2026-10-14", "repaid_entry": 5, "receipt_file_id": null }, { "claim_id": 4102, "person": { "email": "lena.brandt@hansenvoss.example", "name": "Lena Brandt", "person_id": null }, "date": "2026-10-08", "currency": "EUR", "amount": "45.50", "description": "Hagebau", "status": "repaid", "entry": 4, "repaid_on": "2026-10-14", "repaid_entry": 5, "receipt_file_id": null } ], "currency": "EUR", "total": "164.50", "entry": { "entry": 5, "date": "2026-10-14", "memo": "Expense claims paid back to Lena Brandt", "reference": null, "party": "Lena Brandt", "source": "expense_claim", "total": "164.50", "currency": "EUR", "rate": null, "lines": [ { "account": "2250", "account_name": "Expense claims to repay", "debit": "164.50", "credit": null, "description": "Expense claims: Lena Brandt", "tax": null }, { "account": "1010", "account_name": "Bank", "debit": null, "credit": "164.50", "description": "Paid back to Lena Brandt", "tax": null } ], "reverses": null, "reversed_by": null, "receipt_file_id": null, "recorded_at": "2026-10-19T02:28:54+00:00", "recorded_by": "key 4101 (Pip)" }, "file": { "file_id": "37a8fa79-7c22-477b-a371-918fa41e0a85", "name": "SEPA expense claims Lena Brandt 2026-10-14.xml", "content_type": "application/xml", "size": "1 KB", "size_bytes": 1039, "sha256": "2322893ed0094aaf26cdbc095c2270cb1d94f320c7b232a4746c2ae9383b5d80", "created_at": "2026-10-14T08:00:00+00:00", "download_url": "https://cncto.co/d/37a8fa79-7c22-477b-a371-918fa41e0a85?t=eyJmIjoiMzdhOGZhNzktN2MyMi00NzdiLWEzNzEtOTE4ZmE0MWUwYTg1IiwiZXhwIjoxNzkyOTgxNzM0fQ:1xId7O:j4HExBqdjXz6nrjJpdXn9BvMkTYeVey9jKyaK_GBPRo", "link_expires_in_hours": 168 } } } ``` `result`: repaid: the claims paid back, currency, total, entry: the repayment, and file: the SEPA file with its download link when asked. ## Errors | Code | Status | When | Fix | |---|---|---|---| | `no_books` | 409 | The business keeps no books yet. | Set them up with books_setup (base currency, start date). | | `not_found` | 404 | No account, tax, entry or file of the books has that code, name or id. | Check the codes with books_list_accounts and the taxes with books_get. | | `archived` | 409 | The account or tax is archived. | Use another one, or un-archive it with books_save_accounts. | | `unbalanced` | 400 | The debits and credits do not add up to the same amount. | Make the lines balance. | | `before_start` | 409 | The date is before the books start. | Use a later date. | | `period_locked` | 409 | The books are locked for that date. | Use a later date, or unlock with books_lock. | | `no_rate` | 409 | There is no exchange rate for the currency on that day. | Pass rate, or set a standing rate with books_setup rates. | | `rates_loading` | 503 | The day's exchange rates are still loading. | Try again in a few minutes, or pass rate. | | `not_found` | 404 | The person has no claims to repay, or a claim named is not one of theirs. | List them with books_list_claims. | | `invalid_input` | 400 | Their claims are in more than one currency, a SEPA file for claims not in euros, or the date is in the future. | Give currency, or fix what the message names. | | `nothing_to_repay` | 409 | Their open claims come to nothing or less (money they returned). | Nothing to pay back. | | `no_iban` | 409 | For the SEPA file, no iban for the person or none on the bank account. | Pass iban, and add the bank account's with books_save_accounts. | The refusals every tool can give (401 key, 402 balance, 429 limits) are on the errors page: https://conecto.chat/docs/errors.md ## Related - [books_setup](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_setup.md): Starts the business's double-entry books (currency, start date, chart of accounts) or changes their settings. $0.001 a call. - [books_get](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_get.md): The books' settings: currency, start date, fiscal year, locked period, roles, payment accounts, taxes, and what is waiting. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_list_accounts](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_list_accounts.md): Every account with its code, type, role and balance on a day. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_save_accounts](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_save_accounts.md): Adds accounts or changes them, matched by code: name, type, description, code, role or archived. $0.001 a call. - [books_save_tax](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_save_tax.md): Adds or changes a tax rate the books use (VAT, GST, sales tax), matched by name. $0.001 a call. - [books_record_expense](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_record_expense.md): Books a cost the business paid, with its tax split off and the receipt attached. $0.01 a call. - [books_record_entry](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_record_entry.md): Books a journal entry of two or more balancing lines, for whatever the other tools do not cover. $0.01 a call. - [books_attach_receipt](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_attach_receipt.md): Attaches a receipt from the file store to an entry that has none. $0.01 a call. - [books_reverse_entry](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_reverse_entry.md): Undoes an entry by booking its mirror image; entries are never edited or deleted. $0.01 a call. - [books_list_entries](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_list_entries.md): Entries, newest first, with their lines, by dates, account, source or text. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_import_bank](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_import_bank.md): Reads a bank statement from the file store (CSV, CAMT.053 or OFX) onto a bank account, skipping lines imported before. Free. - [books_bank_lines](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_bank_lines.md): Imported bank lines (by default the ones still to match), each with up to three suggestions of what it was. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_match_bank_lines](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_match_bank_lines.md): Says what bank lines were: entries already booked, invoices or bills they pay, an account to book them to, or nothing to book. $0.02 per bank line matched. - [books_save_bank_rule](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_save_bank_rule.md): Saves a bank rule, like Xero's: which new bank lines it matches and how they are booked, to one account or split by percent, each part with its own tax. $0.001 a call. - [books_list_bank_rules](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_list_bank_rules.md): Lists the bank rules in the order they are tried, with where they book and how often they were used. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_apply_bank_rules](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_apply_bank_rules.md): Books every new bank line a rule matches, each by the first rule that matches. $0.02 per bank line booked. - [books_delete_bank_rule](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_delete_bank_rule.md): Deletes a bank rule; what it booked stays booked. Free. - [books_report](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_report.md): A report: profit and loss, balance sheet, trial balance, ledger, tax, the VAT or OSS return, the cash flow ahead or a snapshot of the business. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_save_tracking](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_save_tracking.md): Saves a tracking category with its options, like Xero's: a department, a region or a project line that any line of the books can carry. $0.001 a call. - [books_list_tracking](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_list_tracking.md): Lists the tracking categories and their options. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_save_budget](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_save_budget.md): Saves a budget per income and expense account and month, like Xero's budget manager: amounts, monthly or yearly. $0.001 a call. - [books_list_budgets](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_list_budgets.md): Lists the budgets with every line's monthly amounts and total. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_delete_budget](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_delete_budget.md): Deletes a budget; the books don't change. Free. - [books_list_claims](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_list_claims.md): Lists expense claims: what people paid for the business privately, and what each is owed. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_save_asset](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_save_asset.md): Registers a fixed asset (a van, a machine) and how it depreciates, like Xero's: straight line, declining balance, at once or not at all. $0.001 a call. - [books_list_assets](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_list_assets.md): The fixed asset register: each asset's cost, accumulated depreciation and book value, what a run would book now, and the register held against the books. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [books_depreciate](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_depreciate.md): Books the depreciation of every registered asset through a month's end, one entry a month, like Xero's run depreciation; or undoes it after a date. $0.01 a call. - [books_dispose_asset](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_dispose_asset.md): Sells or writes off a fixed asset, like Xero's dispose: depreciation to the day it goes, then its cost, the price and the gain or loss. $0.01 a call. - [books_delete_asset](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_delete_asset.md): Takes an asset registered by mistake out of the register; the books don't change. Free. - [books_lock](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_lock.md): Locks the books through a date, so nothing new is booked on or before it; null unlocks. $0.001 a call. - [books_close_year](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_close_year.md): Closes a fiscal year for good: nothing is booked on or before its last day again, and it can't be undone. $0.001 a call. - [books_export](https://conecto.chat/tools/books/books_export.md): A CSV of the journal or the accounts, a DATEV Buchungsstapel for a German tax adviser or a French FEC, with a download link. $0.001 a call.