# Plan Status

> Report measured open, done, and blocked counts from the project's active plan and backlog, then list the open decisions as numbered A/B/C questions with a recommended option, answerable in one line. Read-only. Use when the user asks where the work stands or what is left, for example "what is the status", "what is left", "show the plan status", "where do we stand".

- Skill: `msolecki/plan-status` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx get-skill add msolecki/plan-status`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/msolecki/plan-status/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- License: MIT
- Author: msolecki (https://skillmd.com/u/msolecki)
- Updated: 2026-11-14
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/msolecki/plan-status

---


# Plan status

Read-only: never edit a plan, backlog, or any other file, and never run a test or build to get a number.

## 1. Find the sources

- Plans: the `*.md` files directly in the planning location the project's `AGENTS.md` or `CLAUDE.md` declares, otherwise `docs/plans/`, not its subdirectories (`approved/`, `lanes/`). The files the `Backlog:` line names are not plans. The active plan is the most recently updated one whose task is not done (not marked done in its status section); list the other not-done plans by name.
- Backlog: a `Backlog: <todo path>, <done path>` line in the project's `AGENTS.md` or `CLAUDE.md`, otherwise `TODO.md` and `TODO-done.md`. A missing backlog is `none found`, not an error.
- If no plan exists, say so and report the backlog alone.

## 2. Count

Count, do not estimate. State the rule you used in the output.

- **Done:** `- [x]` items, or steps the plan's status section names as done.
- **Blocked:** open plan items or steps that say `blocked` (any case) or use a `[!]` or `[-]` box. Name each with its blocker. A backlog item's `Blocked by:` line does not count here; it decides ready or waiting below.
- **Open:** every other `- [ ]` item or step. Blocked items are not counted again as open.
- A plan line that only links a backlog ID (`- FEAT-03: …`) is counted in the backlog, not again in the plan.
- A plan without checkboxes: count its steps (`### Step …` or numbered step headings) and classify each from the plan's own status text; a step with no status is open.
- Backlog: open items per `P0`–`P3` section in the todo file; items in the done file. Count each open item in exactly one bucket, first match wins: **orphaned** (an `Owner` dated more than 7 days ago), **waiting** (a `Blocked by` ID still open), **claimed** (any other `Owner`), **ready** (the rest). The four add up to the open count. Name each orphaned item with its owner.

## 3. Decisions

Collect the questions the plan leaves open (an open-questions section, `Q`/`D` items without an outcome, open items that wait on the user). Keep the plan's IDs; otherwise number them 1, 2, 3. Give each two or three lettered options with a one-line consequence and mark one as recommended with the reason. At most five questions; the most blocking first.

## 4. Output

```
Plan: docs/plans/2026-10-14-search-index.md (rule: checkboxes)
Done 3 · Open 2 · Blocked 1
Blocked: "Deploy to staging" — waits on database credentials
Backlog: TODO.md — P0 0 · P1 2 · P2 4 · P3 1; done 9 · ready 4 · waiting 2 · claimed 0 · orphaned 1
Orphaned: SEC-04 — Owner .worktrees/sec-04 (2026-10-02)
Next: "Add the reindex command"

1. Index storage? A) SQLite (recommended: no new service) B) Postgres C) in memory
2. Ship before the reindex command? A) yes B) no (recommended: the index goes stale)

Reply like "1A 2B".
```

Without open decisions, end with the next action instead of questions.