Process Needs Action

Process Needs Action

Process pending action items from a designated folder and create detailed implementation plans based on organizational rules.

Required Clarifications

Before processing, gather these essential details:

1. What is your vault/workspace directory path? (e.g., AI_Employee_Vault/, workspace/, etc.)
2. What should I filter by? (Process all pending items, or filter by priority: high/medium/low?)

Optional Clarifications

3. Should I preview plans before creating them? (Show plan content for approval before saving)
4. Should I auto-update file statuses? (Change from pending to in_progress automatically, or ask first)

Note: Avoid asking all questions at once. Ask required questions first, then optional ones if needed.

Before Implementation

Gather context to ensure successful processing:

Instructions

1. Validate Structure

Check that required paths exist:

• Verify <vault_dir>/Needs_Action/ directory exists
• Check for <vault_dir>/Company_Handbook.md (optional but recommended)
• Ensure <vault_dir>/Plans/ directory exists (create if missing)
• Verify <vault_dir>/Dashboard.md exists (create if missing)

2. Read Processing Rules

• If <vault_dir>/Company_Handbook.md exists, read it to understand processing rules
• Note priority keywords (e.g., URGENT, CLIENT, INVOICE, DEADLINE)
• Note file handling guidelines
• If handbook doesn't exist, use default processing rules

3. Scan Needs_Action Folder

• List all markdown files in <vault_dir>/Needs_Action/
• Filter for files with status: pending in frontmatter
• Apply priority filter if specified by user
• Sort by priority (high → medium → low)

4. Process Each Action Item

For each pending file:

a. Read and Parse

• Read the full file content
• Extract frontmatter metadata (type, priority, source_file, detected)
• Identify the source file type and context

b. Analyze Content

• Based on file type (PDF, TXT, image, etc.), determine appropriate action
• Check for priority keywords (URGENT, CLIENT, INVOICE, DEADLINE)
• Cross-reference with Company Handbook rules
• Consider Business_Goals.md priorities

c. Create Detailed Plan

• Create a new file in <vault_dir>/Plans/
• Filename: PLAN_[YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS]_[source_filename].md
• Use plan template from references/plan-template.md
• Include:
  • Clear objective
  • Step-by-step actions with checkboxes
  • Required information or approvals
  • Expected outcome
  • Links to related files
• If preview mode enabled, show plan to user for approval before saving

d. Update Action File

• Change status from pending to in_progress (or ask user if auto-update disabled)
• Add processing timestamp
• Add link to created plan

5. Update Dashboard

• Update <vault_dir>/Dashboard.md
• List all pending actions with priorities
• Show count of items processed
• Update "Last Check" timestamp
• If Dashboard.md doesn't exist, create it with basic structure

6. Log Activity (Optional)

• If <vault_dir>/Logs/ directory exists, append to today's log file
• Filename: <vault_dir>/Logs/YYYY-MM-DD.json
• Record: files processed, plans created, any errors

Error Handling

Handle these scenarios gracefully:

What NOT to Do

Avoid these anti-patterns:

• Don't modify source files directly - Only update frontmatter status, never change content
• Don't skip updating the dashboard - Always update dashboard to reflect current state
• Don't create plans without context - Read source file completely before creating plan
• Don't process without checking status - Only process files with status: pending
• Don't hardcode paths - Use user-provided vault directory path
• Don't fail silently - Log all errors and inform user of issues

Plan Template

See references/plan-template.md for the complete plan template structure.

Success Criteria

• All pending action files matching filter criteria are reviewed
• Detailed plan created for each action item
• Action files updated to in_progress (if auto-update enabled)
• Dashboard updated with current status and counts
• All errors logged and reported to user
• User informed of completion with summary

Example Usage

User request: "Process all high-priority action items"

Workflow:

1. Ask required clarifications (vault path, priority filter)
2. Validate directory structure at <vault_dir>/
3. Read <vault_dir>/Company_Handbook.md if available
4. Scan <vault_dir>/Needs_Action/ for files with status: pending and priority: high
5. For each high-priority file:
   • Read and analyze content
   • Create detailed plan in <vault_dir>/Plans/
   • Update action file status
6. Update <vault_dir>/Dashboard.md with processing results
7. Report summary: "Processed 3 high-priority items, created 3 plans"