# Search Stages

`Search_Stages` returns GovTribe pipeline stage records, including the stage owner, creator, and parent pipeline context needed for capture-workflow analysis.

## When To Use

Typical questions this tool answers well:

* Which stage records match a known stage name, stage ID, or pipeline ID?
* Which stages are owned or created by a specific workspace user?
* Which stages belong to a specific pipeline before creating or reordering pursuits?
* How many stages match a filter set before requesting row payloads?
* Which stage types are present in a pipeline (for example user, triage, or terminal)?
* Which stage IDs should be passed into other capture workflows that depend on stage context?

## Required Reading

1. [Search\_Query\_Guide](https://docs.govtribe.com/user-guide/mcp/guides/search_query_guide): Required before setting free-text query strings.

## Input Contract

* `query`: Free-text query string. See Required Reading: [Search\_Query\_Guide](https://docs.govtribe.com/user-guide/mcp/guides/search_query_guide).
  * `type`: `string`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `n/a`
* `page`: 1-based page index.
  * `type`: `null|number`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `1`
* `per_page`: Rows per page.
  * `type`: `null|number`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `10`
* `owner_ids`: Filter by owners. Use GovTribe IDs.
  * `type`: `array<string>`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `n/a`
* `owner_ids_operator`: Choose whether to include or exclude values for Owner GovTribe IDs.
  * `type`: `null|string`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `in`
  * `options`: `in`, `not_in`
* `creator_ids`: Filter by creators. Use GovTribe IDs.
  * `type`: `array<string>`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `n/a`
* `creator_ids_operator`: Choose whether to include or exclude values for Creator GovTribe IDs.
  * `type`: `null|string`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `in`
  * `options`: `in`, `not_in`
* `pipeline_ids`: Filter by pipelines. Use GovTribe IDs.
  * `type`: `array<string>`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `n/a`
* `pipeline_ids_operator`: Choose whether to include or exclude values for Pipeline GovTribe IDs.
  * `type`: `null|string`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `in`
  * `options`: `in`, `not_in`
* `stage_ids`: Include or exclude results by GovTribe IDs.
  * `type`: `array<string>`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `n/a`
* `stage_ids_operator`: Choose whether to include or exclude values for GovTribe IDs.
  * `type`: `null|string`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `in`
  * `options`: `in`, `not_in`
* `fields_to_return`: Optional field list for row payloads. If omitted and `per_page > 0`, rows default to `govtribe_id`. For `per_page: 0` aggregation/meta calls, this field may be omitted. Specify `fields_to_return` whenever the user asks for fields beyond `govtribe_id`, and prefer omitting it in pure aggregation workflows.
  * `type`: `array<string>`
  * `required`: `no`
  * `default`: `n/a`
  * `options`: `govtribe_id`, `govtribe_type`, `govtribe_url`, `name`, `description`, `type`, `created_at`, `updated_at`, `owner`, `creator`, `pipeline`

## Output Contract

* Top-level keys:
  * `current_page`: Current page number when `per_page > 0`.
  * `data`: Array of result rows when `per_page > 0`.
  * `from`: First row position in the current page.
  * `last_page`: Last page number for current filters.
  * `path`: GovTribe search URL for this result set.
  * `per_page`: Applied page size.
  * `to`: Last row position in the current page.
  * `total`: Total matched row count for current query filters.
  * `contains`: Dataset label for the returned result set.
  * `search_results_id_can_generate_saved_search`: Saved-search eligibility flag.
  * `search_results_id`: Server-side search result identifier.
  * `view_search_results_url`: URL to open this exact result set.
  * `per_page: 0` behavior: response omits pagination keys and `data`, returning metadata keys only.
* Row keys:
  * `govtribe_id`
  * `govtribe_type`
  * `govtribe_url`
  * `name`
  * `description`
  * `type`
  * `created_at`
  * `updated_at`
  * `owner`
  * `creator`
  * `pipeline`
* Relationship retrieval map:
  * `creator`
    * `resource_type`: `user`
    * `tool`: `Search_Users`
    * `filter`: `user_ids`
    * `nested_keys`: `govtribe_id`, `govtribe_type`, `name`, `email`
  * `owner`
    * `resource_type`: `user`
    * `tool`: `Search_Users`
    * `filter`: `user_ids`
    * `nested_keys`: `govtribe_id`, `govtribe_type`, `name`, `email`
  * `pipeline`
    * `resource_type`: `pipeline`
    * `tool`: `Search_Pipelines`
    * `filter`: `pipeline_ids`
    * `nested_keys`: `govtribe_id`, `govtribe_type`, `govtribe_url`, `name`

## Usage Patterns

Pattern A: Resolve stages for a single pipeline before pursuit triage or stage reordering work. Tool: `Search_Stages`

```json
{
  "query": "",
  "fields_to_return": [
    "govtribe_id"
  ],
  "pipeline_ids": [
    "<PIPELINE_ID>"
  ],
  "pipeline_ids_operator": "in",
  "page": 1,
  "per_page": 25
}
```

Pattern B: Find stages by exact stage-name phrases across all accessible pipelines. Tool: `Search_Stages`

```json
{
  "query": "\"Triage\" | \"Won\" | \"Lost\"",
  "fields_to_return": [
    "govtribe_id"
  ],
  "page": 1,
  "per_page": 20
}
```

Pattern C: Return a metadata-only count before fetching rows for owner-filtered stage analysis. Tool: `Search_Stages`

```json
{
  "query": "",
  "owner_ids": [
    "<OWNER_USER_ID>"
  ],
  "owner_ids_operator": "in",
  "page": 1,
  "per_page": 0
}
```

Then rerun with `per_page > 0` and the same filters when you need row payloads.

Pattern D: Exclude specific pipelines while exploring stage vocabulary. Tool: `Search_Stages`

```json
{
  "query": "proposal review stage and qualification stage",
  "fields_to_return": [
    "govtribe_id"
  ],
  "pipeline_ids": [
    "<PIPELINE_ID>"
  ],
  "pipeline_ids_operator": "not_in",
  "page": 1,
  "per_page": 10
}
```