Key takeaway: when you ask for a total through the spyne MCP, it is calculated directly by the spyne database, not added up by the AI. The figure is accurate, including for reach and rates.
How it works
With the spyne MCP, the AI asks the spyne database for totals directly, and the database calculates them from the raw data:
the AI does no calculations itself, so the figures are accurate;
reach and rates are recalculated correctly, even at total level.
What you get
A grand total: across the whole period and all your filters (e.g. total spend over the last 30 days).
Subtotals by level: a total at each level of your analysis (e.g. by channel, then by channel + campaign).
How to ask for it
Just ask in plain language:
"Give me spend and clicks by channel and by campaign over the last 30 days, with subtotals and the grand total."
Limits to keep in mind
Filter on a metric value (e.g. "campaigns with more than €1,000 spend"): no total is returned. The AI will tell you and offer the total across all rows instead.
More than 3 levels of analysis: only the first 3 levels get subtotals.
More than 50 rows in a level: subtotals for that level aren't returned (the grand total is still available).
Top 10: the total covers all rows, not just the 10 displayed.
Percentage shares ("Meta = 34% of spend"): not available yet. You get Meta's spend and the total, but not the percentage. Coming soon.
Why the total may differ from the spyne pivot table
The pivot table adds up the rows shown on screen, while the MCP recalculates everything from the database. The two match most of the time, except in two cases:
a top N is active in the table;
the metric is a rate, a ratio or reach.
In both cases, the MCP figure is the correct one.
Case 1: a top N is active in the table
You're displaying your top 10 campaigns out of 400. The table's Total row adds up the 10 campaigns displayed, while the MCP returns the total for all 400.
Example: total spend of €500,000, of which €300,000 is on the top 10.
Pivot table, Total row: €300,000
MCP, grand total: €500,000
To know how much you spent in total, use the MCP figure. To know what the 10 displayed campaigns represent, the table gives you the answer.
Case 2: rates, ratios and reach
Some metrics don't add up. A person reached on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday counts as 1 in reach, not 3. The MCP recalculates these metrics from the raw data, so each person is only counted once.
For rates, ratios and reach, use the MCP figure.