What credentials are required for Plaid?

PLAID_CLIENT_ID, PLAID_SECRET, and PLAID_ENV must be configured in the environment.

Where are tokens stored and how should I back them up?

Tokens are saved in a JSON file in the agent workspace; the default path is state/plaid-tokens.json, and you should back up this file.

Why might the first transactionsSync call be slow?

transactionsSync is used for efficiency; the first call may be slower as Plaid builds the cursor.

plaid

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npx machina-cli add skill aneym/agent-skills/plaid --openclaw

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SKILL.md

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Plaid — Financial Data Skill

Query connected bank accounts for balances, transactions, and spending insights via Plaid API.

Environment Variables

Required:

PLAID_CLIENT_ID — Plaid client ID
PLAID_SECRET — Plaid secret key
PLAID_ENV — production, sandbox, or development

Optional:

PLAID_TOKENS_PATH — Override token storage path (default: $OPENCLAW_WORKSPACE/state/plaid-tokens.json)

Load from a .env file:

export $(grep -E '^PLAID_(CLIENT_ID|SECRET|ENV)=' /path/to/.env | xargs)

Install Dependencies

cd {baseDir} && npm install

First-Time Setup: Connect a Bank

node {baseDir}/scripts/server.js

Opens at http://localhost:3456. Connect multiple banks — server stays running. Tokens saved automatically.

Query Balances

node {baseDir}/scripts/balances.js [--json]

Query Transactions

node {baseDir}/scripts/transactions.js [options]

Options: --days N (default 30), --search "query", --category "food", --account "checking", --json

Financial Insights

node {baseDir}/scripts/insights.js [--days N] [--json]

Returns: cash flow summary, category breakdown, top merchants, recurring/subscription detection, card usage, credit utilization.

Notes

Plaid categorizes transactions automatically (FOOD_AND_DRINK, TRANSPORTATION, etc.)
Charge cards (Amex Gold/Platinum) don't report credit limits — utilization only reflects revolving cards
transactionsSync is used for efficiency — first call may be slower as Plaid builds the cursor
Token storage is a JSON file in the agent workspace; back it up if needed

Source

git clone https://github.com/aneym/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/plaid/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

Plaid-based skill to connect bank accounts and pull real-time balances, transactions, and spending insights. It supports balances, transaction history, and financial summaries with automatic category tagging.

How This Skill Works

The skill uses Plaid API with credentials (PLAID_CLIENT_ID, PLAID_SECRET, PLAID_ENV) and stores tokens in a JSON file. Start with the first-time setup by running node {baseDir}/scripts/server.js to connect banks; multiple banks can be connected and tokens saved automatically. You can query balances with balances.js, transactions with transactions.js, and insights with insights.js, using flags like --days, --search, --category, --account, and --json as needed.

When to Use It

A user asks for current balances on bank or credit card accounts.
A user requests recent transactions or spending history.
A user needs a cash-flow or category breakdown over a period.
A user wants to connect a new bank account or re-link existing accounts.
A user needs a financial summary including recurring payments or utilization insights.

Quick Start

Step 1: Set up environment variables PLAID_CLIENT_ID, PLAID_SECRET, PLAID_ENV and optional PLAID_TOKENS_PATH.
Step 2: Run node {baseDir}/scripts/server.js to connect banks; the server opens at http://localhost:3456 and tokens are saved automatically.
Step 3: Query data with node {baseDir}/scripts/balances.js, node {baseDir}/scripts/transactions.js, or node {baseDir}/scripts/insights.js (use flags as needed).

Best Practices

Set PLAID_CLIENT_ID, PLAID_SECRET, and PLAID_ENV in the environment; use production or sandbox as appropriate.
Store tokens securely in PLAID_TOKENS_PATH (default: state/plaid-tokens.json) and back up the file.
Run the first-time setup with node {baseDir}/scripts/server.js to connect banks; tokens are saved automatically.
Use balances.js for real-time balances, transactions.js for history, and insights.js for cash flow and category breakdown.
Remember Plaid categorizes transactions automatically; note that charge cards (e.g., Amex) don't report credit limits and utilization reflects revolving cards.

Example Use Cases

User asks for the current balance of their checking account.
User wants to see last 30 days of transactions and a top merchants list.
User requests a spending category breakdown and cash flow summary.
User wants to connect a new bank account or update linked accounts.
User asks for credit utilization and recurring payments detection.

Frequently Asked Questions

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