> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.americanspend.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.americanspend.com/mcp-methods/breakdowns-and-trends.md). # Breakdowns and trends breakdown, category\_trends, and category\_summary. ### breakdown Spend split by one or two dimensions. `group_by` is required. Two is the maximum. A state split is `spender_state` for where the cardholder lives, or `merchant_state` for where the store is. A store ZIP ranking is `merchant_postal_code`. A metro's categories are `group_by=category` with `location` set to the metro name, such as Pittsburgh. `payment_method` is the card rail: debit, credit, or PayPal. Apple Pay and buy-now-pay-later are not values here. `order_by` and `limit` rank the rows. `start_date` and `end_date` bound the window. Pass `merchant_id` when the split is for one merchant. ### category\_trends Spend for one category over time. `category` is a lower-case key, exact: `grocery`, `restaurants`, `retail`, `travel`, `delivery`, and the rest of the taxonomy the tool accepts. `start_date`, `end_date`, and `granularity` work as they do on `query_spend`. Fast casual is not a category. Compare those chains with `merchant_id`. ### category\_summary Every category's spend beside its public benchmarks, for one window. `start_date` and `end_date` are required. `category` limits the list. `geo` limits the place. --- # 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.americanspend.com/mcp-methods/breakdowns-and-trends.md?ask=&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.