**Source URL:** https://general.veevavault.dev/mcp/vault-documentation-mcp/guides/using-the-mcp-server

# Using the MCP Server

To get the best results from the Vault Documentation MCP Server, treat your queries like highly specific search engine terms. While the **search\_documentation** and **search\_release\_notes** tools support natural language, they perform best when you include specific technical identifiers in your query.

## Formatting Queries

The following best practices apply to both **search\_documentation** and **search\_release\_notes** queries:

*   **Be Surgical**: Include the specific noun of what you are looking for. For example, "document", "picklist", or "RecordService".
*   **Use Contextual Keywords**: Add verbs such as "create", "update", "query", or "execute" to narrow down the documentation section.

## Handling Parameters

You don't set tool parameters directly. Your LLM client reads your query and determines the appropriate parameter values to send to the MCP server.

### search\_documentation

The **search\_documentation** tool accepts three parameters: `source`, `app_family`, and `release`.

For example, to search the limited release API documentation, phrase your query naturally:

> Search the limited release API docs for the Generate API access token endpoint details.

Your LLM client sends `release="limited"` to the MCP server based on the context of your query. The same applies to `source` and `app_family`.

#### Query Example

```
> update single user api uri path parameters
```

**Response**

```text
✦ The Update Single User API endpoint uses the following URI path parameter:

  URI Path Parameter

│ Parameter │ Description |
───────────┼───────────────────────────┤
│ {id} │ The system-assigned unique numeric ID of the user. You can also use the keyword me to update the profile of the currently authenticated user. │

  Endpoint Details
   * Method: PUT
   * URI Path: /api/{version}/objects/users/{id}
   * Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

  Example Request

   1 curl -X PUT -H "Authorization: {AUTH_VALUE}" \
   2 -H "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded" \
   3 -d "user_timezone__v=America/New_York" \
   4 -d "user_title__v=Senior Engineer" \
   5 "https://{server}/api/v26.1/objects/users/25001"

  Pro-Tip
  Since Vault v18.1, users are managed as Object Records. For most updates, it is recommended to use the generic Update Object Record endpoint instead:
  PUT /api/{version}/vobjects/user__sys/{id}
```

### search\_release\_notes

The **search\_release\_notes** tool accepts three parameters: `source`, `start_release`, and `end_release`.

For example, to search for developer changes in a specific release, phrase your query naturally:

> What new Vault API features were added in the most recent Vault release?

Your LLM client sends `source="vault_developer_release_notes"` and the appropriate `start_release` value to the MCP server based on the context of your query. To search across a range of releases, include both a start and end version in your query.

#### Query Example

```
> What new Vault API features were added in 26R2?
```

**Response**

```text
✦ The following Vault API changes were introduced in 26R2:

  Global API Header Changes (Service Announcement)
  Starting with the 26R1.2 release, Vault API returns a numeric-only status
  line and no longer returns the Expires header.

  Grouping ID in Audit Exports
  The grouping_id attribute is now available in the document audit details
  for the Retrieve Audit Details and Retrieve Complete Audit History for a
  Single Document endpoints.

  API/SDK Support for Object Reference Notation for Document Fields
  Object reference notation can now be used to set object reference field
  values on a document via Vault API or Vault Java SDK.
```

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