> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bigdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# bigdata_edit_monitor

> Activate, rename, reschedule, or change what a search monitor tracks.

## Overview

The `bigdata_edit_monitor` tool updates a search monitor you own in your Bigdata.com account. Send only the fields that change. Fields you leave out stay as they are.

This is also how a monitor is turned on. [`bigdata_create_monitor`](https://docs.bigdata.com/mcp-reference/tools/bigdata-create-monitor) always saves monitors inactive.

## When to Use

Edit Monitor is ideal for:

* **Activating:** Turning a monitor on after previewing it, with email delivery if the user asked for it
* **Rescheduling:** Replacing the frequency or cron schedule
* **Refining:** Narrowing what the monitor keeps with `intent_refinement` or `extraction_instructions`
* **Changing scope:** Replacing the search queries, the entities, or the structured output schema

## How It Works

1. **Find** the monitor `id` with [`bigdata_get_monitor`](https://docs.bigdata.com/mcp-reference/tools/bigdata-get-monitor) if the user has not supplied it
2. **Call** `bigdata_edit_monitor` with the `id` and at least one change
3. **Read** the returned monitor detail to confirm the result

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `id` | string | Yes | ID of the monitor to edit. |
| `name` | string | No | New display name. |
| `status` | string | No | `active` or `inactive`. |
| `search_queries` | string\[] | No | Replacement search queries. See [Search queries](https://docs.bigdata.com/mcp-reference/tools/bigdata-create-monitor.md#search-queries). |
| `schedule` | object | No | Replacement schedule. See [Schedule](https://docs.bigdata.com/mcp-reference/tools/bigdata-create-monitor.md#schedule). |
| `structured_output` | object \| null | No | Replacement field map. `null` clears it. See [Structured output](https://docs.bigdata.com/mcp-reference/tools/bigdata-create-monitor.md#structured-output). |
| `intent_refinement` | string | No | A sentence that refines the intent. Cannot be blank. Max 1000 characters. |
| `extraction_instructions` | string \| null | No | Replacement extraction instructions. `null` clears them. |
| `entities` | string\[] \| null | No | Replacement RavenPack entity IDs. `null` clears them. See [Entities](https://docs.bigdata.com/mcp-reference/tools/bigdata-create-monitor.md#entities). |
| `delivery` | object \| null | No | `{"type": "email"}`, or `null` to clear it. See [Delivery](https://docs.bigdata.com/mcp-reference/tools/bigdata-create-monitor.md#delivery). |

To activate a monitor with email, send one call. Add `delivery` only if the user asked for email:

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "b0253b18-0dd8-4a01-a9a4-f209bce91a26",
  "status": "active",
  "delivery": {"type": "email"}
}
```

### Important Notes

* `id` is required, plus at least one other field. A call with nothing to change returns an error
* An explicit `null` only clears `structured_output`, `extraction_instructions`, `entities`, or `delivery`
* `intent_refinement` cannot be combined with `structured_output` or with an `entities` change. Change the entities first, then send the refinement in a second call
* If every field you send already matches what is stored, nothing is updated and the current monitor is returned
* Schema edits and refinements are tried only once, because each one is a model call. A rejection returns the reason, and nothing from that call is saved
* If email delivery is requested for an owner with no email address, the whole update is rejected. Retry without `delivery`
* An unknown monitor `id` returns a not-found error

## Data Returned

Returns the updated [monitor detail](https://docs.bigdata.com/mcp-reference/tools/bigdata-create-monitor.md#data-returned), as markdown and as `structuredContent`.

## Practical Tips

### Only add email when asked

Activating a monitor does not require delivery. Add `{"type": "email"}` only when the user asked to be emailed.

### Entities, then refinement

To change entities and refine the intent, make two calls: first the `entities` change, then the `intent_refinement`.

### Preview after a change

After changing queries, entities, or the schema, run a flash preview with [`bigdata_simulate_monitor`](https://docs.bigdata.com/mcp-reference/tools/bigdata-simulate-monitor) to check the new results.


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