> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.kick.co/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.kick.co/api/api-reference/transactions.md).

# Transactions

Read a workspace's transactions across all of its entities, read a single transaction, and update one.

Transactions are read across every entity in a workspace, so every endpoint is nested under the workspace uuid. `startDate` and `endDate` are inclusive calendar days.

Updates are partial: fields left out of the body keep their current value, and `classIds` replaces the class assignments as a whole. Inside a locked bookkeeping period only `memo` can change, and anything else is rejected with `409`. The period ends at the entity's lock date, which you read or set through [Locks](/api/api-reference/locks.md).

## List transactions

> Returns the workspace's transactions across all of its entities. \`startDate\`/\`endDate\` are inclusive calendar days. Optional filters narrow the list by entity (\`entityIds\`), chart of accounts account (\`accountIds\`, \`accrualAccountIds\`), class (\`classIds\`), absolute amount (\`minAmount\`/\`maxAmount\`), money \`direction\`, \`status\`, and reviewed or not reviewed fields (\`reviewedFields\`/\`unreviewedFields\`); multi-choice filters accept a single or a repeated query param, and an id outside the workspace is rejected with 400. Results are paged with \`limit\`/\`offset\`. Pass \`relations=reviews\` to include each transaction's reviewed fields in \`reviews\`, and \`relations=pairedTransfer\` to include the other side of a transfer in \`pairedTransfer\`.

```json
{"openapi":"3.0.2","info":{"title":"Kick Platform API","version":"v1"},"servers":[{"description":"Production","url":"https://use.kick.co/api"}],"security":[{"organizationAccessToken":[]}],"components":{"securitySchemes":{"organizationAccessToken":{"description":"Organization access token issued by Kick, sent as `Authorization: Bearer kick_org_...`.","scheme":"bearer","type":"http"}}},"paths":{"/platform/v1/workspaces/{workspaceId}/transactions":{"get":{"description":"Returns the workspace's transactions across all of its entities. `startDate`/`endDate` are inclusive calendar days. Optional filters narrow the list by entity (`entityIds`), chart of accounts account (`accountIds`, `accrualAccountIds`), class (`classIds`), absolute amount (`minAmount`/`maxAmount`), money `direction`, `status`, and reviewed or not reviewed fields (`reviewedFields`/`unreviewedFields`); multi-choice filters accept a single or a repeated query param, and an id outside the workspace is rejected with 400. Results are paged with `limit`/`offset`. Pass `relations=reviews` to include each transaction's reviewed fields in `reviews`, and `relations=pairedTransfer` to include the other side of a transfer in `pairedTransfer`.","operationId":"transactions.list","parameters":[{"in":"path","name":"workspaceId","required":true,"schema":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"}},{"in":"query","name":"limit","schema":{"default":100,"maximum":100,"minimum":1,"type":"integer"}},{"in":"query","name":"offset","schema":{"default":0,"minimum":0,"nullable":true,"type":"integer"}},{"description":"Related data to include in the response: `reviews`, `pairedTransfer`. A single value or a repeated `relations` query param both work. Relations that are not requested are left out of the response.","in":"query","name":"relations","schema":{"items":{"enum":["reviews","pairedTransfer"],"type":"string"},"minItems":1,"nullable":true,"type":"array"}},{"in":"query","name":"startDate","schema":{"format":"date","type":"string"}},{"in":"query","name":"endDate","schema":{"format":"date","type":"string"}},{"description":"Only transactions of these entities of the workspace. A single value or a repeated `entityIds` query param both work. An entity outside the workspace is rejected.","in":"query","name":"entityIds","schema":{"items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"minItems":1,"nullable":true,"type":"array"}},{"description":"Only transactions with a journal entry posted to any of these chart of accounts accounts. A single value or a repeated `accountIds` query param both work. An account outside the workspace is rejected.","in":"query","name":"accountIds","schema":{"items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"minItems":1,"nullable":true,"type":"array"}},{"description":"Only transactions categorized to any of these chart of accounts accounts on the accrual basis. A single value or a repeated `accrualAccountIds` query param both work. An account outside the workspace is rejected.","in":"query","name":"accrualAccountIds","schema":{"items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"minItems":1,"nullable":true,"type":"array"}},{"description":"Only transactions assigned any of these classes. A single value or a repeated `classIds` query param both work. A class outside the workspace is rejected.","in":"query","name":"classIds","schema":{"items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"minItems":1,"nullable":true,"type":"array"}},{"description":"Only transactions whose absolute amount is greater than or equal to this value. The sign is ignored on both sides of the comparison.","in":"query","name":"minAmount","schema":{"nullable":true,"type":"number"}},{"description":"Only transactions whose absolute amount is less than or equal to this value. The sign is ignored on both sides of the comparison.","in":"query","name":"maxAmount","schema":{"nullable":true,"type":"number"}},{"description":"Only transactions with this status.","in":"query","name":"status","schema":{"enum":["pending","completed","failed"],"type":"string"}},{"description":"Only money coming in (`money_in`, amount >= 0) or going out (`money_out`, amount <= 0). Combine with `minAmount`/`maxAmount` to bound a signed range.","in":"query","name":"direction","schema":{"enum":["money_in","money_out"],"type":"string"}},{"description":"Only transactions with these fields marked as reviewed, combined according to `reviewedFieldsMode`. A single value or a repeated `reviewedFields` query param both work.","in":"query","name":"reviewedFields","schema":{"items":{"enum":["account","accrualAccount","classes","counterparty","entity","memo"],"type":"string"},"minItems":1,"nullable":true,"type":"array"}},{"description":"How `reviewedFields` combine: `any` (default) keeps transactions with at least one of the fields reviewed, `every` keeps those with all of them reviewed.","in":"query","name":"reviewedFieldsMode","schema":{"default":"any","enum":["any","every"],"type":"string"}},{"description":"Only transactions with these fields not marked as reviewed, combined according to `unreviewedFieldsMode`. A single value or a repeated `unreviewedFields` query param both work.","in":"query","name":"unreviewedFields","schema":{"items":{"enum":["account","accrualAccount","classes","counterparty","entity","memo"],"type":"string"},"minItems":1,"nullable":true,"type":"array"}},{"description":"How `unreviewedFields` combine: `every` (default) keeps transactions with none of the fields reviewed, `any` keeps those with at least one of them not reviewed.","in":"query","name":"unreviewedFieldsMode","schema":{"default":"every","enum":["any","every"],"type":"string"}}],"responses":{"200":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"data":{"items":{"properties":{"accountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"accrualAccountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"amount":{"type":"number"},"bankDescription":{"description":"Description as it arrived from the bank or provider.","type":"string"},"classIds":{"description":"Classes assigned to the transaction, at most one per root dimension.","items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"type":"array"},"date":{"description":"Calendar day the money moved, as YYYY-MM-DD.","format":"date","type":"string"},"entityId":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"id":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"isBusiness":{"description":"Whether the transaction is booked as business or personal.","type":"boolean"},"memo":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"},"pairedTransfer":{"description":"The transaction referenced by `pairedTransferId`, without its own relations. Null when the transaction is not paired. Present only when `relations` includes `pairedTransfer`.","nullable":true,"properties":{"accountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"accrualAccountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"amount":{"type":"number"},"bankDescription":{"description":"Description as it arrived from the bank or provider.","type":"string"},"classIds":{"description":"Classes assigned to the transaction, at most one per root dimension.","items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"type":"array"},"date":{"description":"Calendar day the money moved, as YYYY-MM-DD.","format":"date","type":"string"},"entityId":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"id":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"isBusiness":{"description":"Whether the transaction is booked as business or personal.","type":"boolean"},"memo":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"},"pairedTransferId":{"description":"The other side of a transfer between two accounts of the workspace, null when the transaction is not paired.","format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"status":{"enum":["pending","completed","failed"],"type":"string"},"type":{"enum":["external","stripe","imported","ramp","mercury","paypal","manual","check","deposit","gusto","billcom"],"type":"string"}},"required":["id","entityId","date","amount","bankDescription","memo","type","status","accountId","accrualAccountId","isBusiness","classIds","pairedTransferId"],"type":"object"},"pairedTransferId":{"description":"The other side of a transfer between two accounts of the workspace, null when the transaction is not paired.","format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"reviews":{"description":"Fields of the transaction marked as reviewed, one entry per field sorted by field name. Empty when nothing has been reviewed. Present only when `relations` includes `reviews`.","items":{"properties":{"field":{"enum":["account","accrualAccount","classes","counterparty","entity","memo"],"type":"string"},"reviewedAt":{"description":"When the field was most recently marked as reviewed.","format":"date-time","type":"string"}},"required":["field","reviewedAt"],"type":"object"},"type":"array"},"status":{"enum":["pending","completed","failed"],"type":"string"},"type":{"enum":["external","stripe","imported","ramp","mercury","paypal","manual","check","deposit","gusto","billcom"],"type":"string"}},"required":["id","entityId","date","amount","bankDescription","memo","type","status","accountId","accrualAccountId","isBusiness","classIds","pairedTransferId"],"type":"object"},"type":"array"},"pagination":{"properties":{"limit":{"type":"integer"},"offset":{"type":"integer"},"total":{"type":"integer"}},"required":["limit","offset","total"],"type":"object"}},"required":["data","pagination"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"200"},"400":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"400"},"401":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"401"},"404":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"404"},"429":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"429"}},"summary":"List transactions","tags":["transactions"]}}}}
```

## Retrieve a transaction

> Returns a single transaction of the workspace. Pass \`relations=reviews\` to include its reviewed fields in \`reviews\`, and \`relations=pairedTransfer\` to include the other side of a transfer in \`pairedTransfer\`. A transaction outside the organization's book of business reads as not found.

```json
{"openapi":"3.0.2","info":{"title":"Kick Platform API","version":"v1"},"servers":[{"description":"Production","url":"https://use.kick.co/api"}],"security":[{"organizationAccessToken":[]}],"components":{"securitySchemes":{"organizationAccessToken":{"description":"Organization access token issued by Kick, sent as `Authorization: Bearer kick_org_...`.","scheme":"bearer","type":"http"}}},"paths":{"/platform/v1/workspaces/{workspaceId}/transactions/{transactionId}":{"get":{"description":"Returns a single transaction of the workspace. Pass `relations=reviews` to include its reviewed fields in `reviews`, and `relations=pairedTransfer` to include the other side of a transfer in `pairedTransfer`. A transaction outside the organization's book of business reads as not found.","operationId":"transactions.get","parameters":[{"in":"path","name":"workspaceId","required":true,"schema":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"}},{"in":"path","name":"transactionId","required":true,"schema":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"}},{"description":"Related data to include in the response: `reviews`, `pairedTransfer`. A single value or a repeated `relations` query param both work. Relations that are not requested are left out of the response.","in":"query","name":"relations","schema":{"items":{"enum":["reviews","pairedTransfer"],"type":"string"},"minItems":1,"nullable":true,"type":"array"}}],"responses":{"200":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"transaction":{"properties":{"accountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"accrualAccountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"amount":{"type":"number"},"bankDescription":{"description":"Description as it arrived from the bank or provider.","type":"string"},"classIds":{"description":"Classes assigned to the transaction, at most one per root dimension.","items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"type":"array"},"date":{"description":"Calendar day the money moved, as YYYY-MM-DD.","format":"date","type":"string"},"entityId":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"id":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"isBusiness":{"description":"Whether the transaction is booked as business or personal.","type":"boolean"},"memo":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"},"pairedTransfer":{"description":"The transaction referenced by `pairedTransferId`, without its own relations. Null when the transaction is not paired. Present only when `relations` includes `pairedTransfer`.","nullable":true,"properties":{"accountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"accrualAccountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"amount":{"type":"number"},"bankDescription":{"description":"Description as it arrived from the bank or provider.","type":"string"},"classIds":{"description":"Classes assigned to the transaction, at most one per root dimension.","items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"type":"array"},"date":{"description":"Calendar day the money moved, as YYYY-MM-DD.","format":"date","type":"string"},"entityId":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"id":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"isBusiness":{"description":"Whether the transaction is booked as business or personal.","type":"boolean"},"memo":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"},"pairedTransferId":{"description":"The other side of a transfer between two accounts of the workspace, null when the transaction is not paired.","format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"status":{"enum":["pending","completed","failed"],"type":"string"},"type":{"enum":["external","stripe","imported","ramp","mercury","paypal","manual","check","deposit","gusto","billcom"],"type":"string"}},"required":["id","entityId","date","amount","bankDescription","memo","type","status","accountId","accrualAccountId","isBusiness","classIds","pairedTransferId"],"type":"object"},"pairedTransferId":{"description":"The other side of a transfer between two accounts of the workspace, null when the transaction is not paired.","format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"reviews":{"description":"Fields of the transaction marked as reviewed, one entry per field sorted by field name. Empty when nothing has been reviewed. Present only when `relations` includes `reviews`.","items":{"properties":{"field":{"enum":["account","accrualAccount","classes","counterparty","entity","memo"],"type":"string"},"reviewedAt":{"description":"When the field was most recently marked as reviewed.","format":"date-time","type":"string"}},"required":["field","reviewedAt"],"type":"object"},"type":"array"},"status":{"enum":["pending","completed","failed"],"type":"string"},"type":{"enum":["external","stripe","imported","ramp","mercury","paypal","manual","check","deposit","gusto","billcom"],"type":"string"}},"required":["id","entityId","date","amount","bankDescription","memo","type","status","accountId","accrualAccountId","isBusiness","classIds","pairedTransferId"],"type":"object"}},"required":["transaction"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"200"},"400":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"400"},"401":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"401"},"404":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"404"},"429":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"429"}},"summary":"Retrieve a transaction","tags":["transactions"]}}}}
```

## Update a transaction

> Updates the fields present in the body and leaves the others untouched. \`classIds\` replaces the class assignments as a whole — the full desired set, at most one class per root dimension. \`memo\`, \`accountId\` and \`accrualAccountId\` accept \`null\` to clear the current value; the two account ids must reference accounts of the transaction's entity. Inside a locked bookkeeping period only \`memo\` can be changed; anything else is rejected with 409. Pass \`relations=reviews\` or \`relations=pairedTransfer\` to include the transaction's reviewed fields or its paired transfer in the response.

```json
{"openapi":"3.0.2","info":{"title":"Kick Platform API","version":"v1"},"servers":[{"description":"Production","url":"https://use.kick.co/api"}],"security":[{"organizationAccessToken":[]}],"components":{"securitySchemes":{"organizationAccessToken":{"description":"Organization access token issued by Kick, sent as `Authorization: Bearer kick_org_...`.","scheme":"bearer","type":"http"}}},"paths":{"/platform/v1/workspaces/{workspaceId}/transactions/{transactionId}":{"patch":{"description":"Updates the fields present in the body and leaves the others untouched. `classIds` replaces the class assignments as a whole — the full desired set, at most one class per root dimension. `memo`, `accountId` and `accrualAccountId` accept `null` to clear the current value; the two account ids must reference accounts of the transaction's entity. Inside a locked bookkeeping period only `memo` can be changed; anything else is rejected with 409. Pass `relations=reviews` or `relations=pairedTransfer` to include the transaction's reviewed fields or its paired transfer in the response.","operationId":"transactions.update","parameters":[{"in":"path","name":"workspaceId","required":true,"schema":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"}},{"in":"path","name":"transactionId","required":true,"schema":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"}},{"description":"Related data to include in the response: `reviews`, `pairedTransfer`. A single value or a repeated `relations` query param both work. Relations that are not requested are left out of the response.","in":"query","name":"relations","schema":{"items":{"enum":["reviews","pairedTransfer"],"type":"string"},"minItems":1,"nullable":true,"type":"array"}},{"description":"A unique key that makes the request idempotent. Retrying with the same key within 24 hours replays the original response (marked with `Idempotent-Replayed: true`) instead of executing again.","in":"header","name":"Idempotency-Key","required":false,"schema":{"maxLength":255,"minLength":1,"type":"string"}}],"requestBody":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"additionalProperties":false,"properties":{"accountId":{"description":"Chart of accounts account the transaction is categorized to on the cash basis. Must belong to the transaction's entity and cannot be the account of the transaction's own financial account. Pass null to uncategorize.","format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"accrualAccountId":{"description":"Chart of accounts account the transaction is categorized to on the accrual basis. Must belong to the transaction's entity and cannot be the account of the transaction's own financial account. Pass null to uncategorize.","format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"classIds":{"description":"Full desired set of classes for the transaction, at most one per root dimension. Pass an empty array to clear all assignments.","items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"maxItems":10,"type":"array"},"memo":{"description":"Free-form note on the transaction. Pass null to clear it.","maxLength":1000,"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"type":"object"}}},"description":"Body"},"responses":{"200":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"transaction":{"properties":{"accountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"accrualAccountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"amount":{"type":"number"},"bankDescription":{"description":"Description as it arrived from the bank or provider.","type":"string"},"classIds":{"description":"Classes assigned to the transaction, at most one per root dimension.","items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"type":"array"},"date":{"description":"Calendar day the money moved, as YYYY-MM-DD.","format":"date","type":"string"},"entityId":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"id":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"isBusiness":{"description":"Whether the transaction is booked as business or personal.","type":"boolean"},"memo":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"},"pairedTransfer":{"description":"The transaction referenced by `pairedTransferId`, without its own relations. Null when the transaction is not paired. Present only when `relations` includes `pairedTransfer`.","nullable":true,"properties":{"accountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"accrualAccountId":{"format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"amount":{"type":"number"},"bankDescription":{"description":"Description as it arrived from the bank or provider.","type":"string"},"classIds":{"description":"Classes assigned to the transaction, at most one per root dimension.","items":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"type":"array"},"date":{"description":"Calendar day the money moved, as YYYY-MM-DD.","format":"date","type":"string"},"entityId":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"id":{"format":"uuid","type":"string"},"isBusiness":{"description":"Whether the transaction is booked as business or personal.","type":"boolean"},"memo":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"},"pairedTransferId":{"description":"The other side of a transfer between two accounts of the workspace, null when the transaction is not paired.","format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"status":{"enum":["pending","completed","failed"],"type":"string"},"type":{"enum":["external","stripe","imported","ramp","mercury","paypal","manual","check","deposit","gusto","billcom"],"type":"string"}},"required":["id","entityId","date","amount","bankDescription","memo","type","status","accountId","accrualAccountId","isBusiness","classIds","pairedTransferId"],"type":"object"},"pairedTransferId":{"description":"The other side of a transfer between two accounts of the workspace, null when the transaction is not paired.","format":"uuid","nullable":true,"type":"string"},"reviews":{"description":"Fields of the transaction marked as reviewed, one entry per field sorted by field name. Empty when nothing has been reviewed. Present only when `relations` includes `reviews`.","items":{"properties":{"field":{"enum":["account","accrualAccount","classes","counterparty","entity","memo"],"type":"string"},"reviewedAt":{"description":"When the field was most recently marked as reviewed.","format":"date-time","type":"string"}},"required":["field","reviewedAt"],"type":"object"},"type":"array"},"status":{"enum":["pending","completed","failed"],"type":"string"},"type":{"enum":["external","stripe","imported","ramp","mercury","paypal","manual","check","deposit","gusto","billcom"],"type":"string"}},"required":["id","entityId","date","amount","bankDescription","memo","type","status","accountId","accrualAccountId","isBusiness","classIds","pairedTransferId"],"type":"object"}},"required":["transaction"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"200"},"400":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"400"},"401":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"401"},"403":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"403"},"404":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"404"},"409":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"409"},"429":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"properties":{"message":{"type":"string"},"traceId":{"nullable":true,"type":"string"}},"required":["message"],"type":"object"}}},"description":"429"}},"summary":"Update a transaction","tags":["transactions"]}}}}
```


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://docs.kick.co/api/api-reference/transactions.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.