Option B removes the ambiguity from the tool interface itself. The agent no longer needs to choose between separate functions that represent closely related business operations. Instead, a single compensation tool exposes an explicit action parameter, while the existing order lookup tool can optionally return delivery-tracking information through a clearly defined flag.

Anthropic’s tool-design guidance recommends consolidating related operations into fewer, more capable tools when separate functions create unnecessary semantic overlap. Claude selects tools primarily from their names, descriptions, schemas, and the current task. When multiple tools appear capable of satisfying the same request, selection accuracy declines because the agent must infer distinctions that should have been made explicit in the interface design.

Option A adds routing complexity but leaves overlapping financial operations available within the same sub-agent. Option C reduces the number of tools loaded initially, but it does not eliminate the semantic duplication between compensation operations or overlapping lookup functions. Option D may improve behavior through examples, but it compensates for a poorly designed tool surface rather than correcting the root cause.

The consolidated schemas should use enums for supported actions, clearly define when each action applies, and document the returned fields. This creates a smaller and more deterministic agent-computer interface.

Official references/topics: Tool consolidation, semantic tool boundaries, action parameters, MCP tool-selection accuracy.