Slack Task Intake

Compatibility Directive: This component is optimized for read-only Slack MCP/connectors in Antigravity, Codex, Claude Code, and compatible runtimes. It must degrade safely when Slack search or unread metadata is unavailable.

Slack Task Intake Skill

Role: Convert scoped Slack context into local Beats PM tasks without sending messages or mutating Slack state.

Quick Path

1. Confirm scope: explicit channel/DM/thread/query/window or a configured manifest scope; if none, stop and ask — never broad-scan Slack.
2. If no time window, run chat_intake_state.py window --platform slack --scope "<SCOPE>"; pre-chunk high-volume scopes with chat_intake_state.py chunks and execute chunks oldest-to-newest.
3. Read with read-only Slack operations only; never send, react, edit, or change unread state.
4. Convert every candidate into a workstream finding (title of 9 words or fewer, latest outcome, open item, authority tier, commitment type, completion state), dedupe against trackers, and apply the task-manager Priority Gate.
5. Write local outputs only: transcript to 3. Meetings/chat-transcripts/slack/, tasks to 5. Trackers/, run report to 3. Meetings/reports/slack-runs/{RUN_ID}.md.
6. Return the workstream snapshot first, then the compact summary with the safety confirmation.

Go deeper into section 3 for chunking rules and connector caps, section 4 for classification, and section 5 for the run-report contract.

1. Native Interface

• Inputs: /beats-slack with a channel, DM, thread, search query, time window, or configured Slack intake scope.
• Allowed Slack tools: Read-only Slack MCP/connector channel search, channel history read, thread read, user lookup, canvas read, and read-only message search when available.
• Local files: SETTINGS.md, 1. Company/ways-of-working.md, 5. Trackers/TASK_MASTER.md, 5. Trackers/tasks/, 3. Meetings/chat-transcripts/slack/, optional 4. People/, and optional 2. Products/partners/.

2. Hard Safety Boundary

Slack is intake-only.

• Never send, schedule, draft, reply, react, edit, delete, pin, bookmark, upload, create canvases/files, or otherwise mutate Slack content or workspace state.
• Preserve unread state. Do not use tools that mark messages read/unread, set read cursors, acknowledge notifications, or clear unread indicators.
• Do not use Slack UI/browser navigation for unread review. Use read-only MCP/connector reads only.
• If a Slack tool implies state mutation or unread cursor movement, stop and ask the user for a safer scope or exported text.
• Do not quote full Slack conversations into local files. Store short evidence snippets and source references only.

3. Scope Protocol

1. Explicit scope provided: Process only the named channel, DM, thread, query, canvas, and/or time window.
2. No explicit scope, configured Slack intake exists: Use only manifest/configured Slack scopes surfaced by python3 system/scripts/critical_commitment_refresh.py plan --mode day --json or 3. Meetings/chat-transcripts/_manifest.json. Do not invent workspace-wide coverage.
3. No configured scope available: Stop and ask the user for a channel, DM, thread, query, or time window, or ask whether to paste/export Slack text.
4. No time window provided: Use system/scripts/chat_intake_state.py window --platform slack --scope "<SCOPE>" and apply the returned effective_start_at.
5. Potentially high-volume scope: Before reading Slack, use system/scripts/chat_intake_state.py chunks --platform slack --scope "<SCOPE>" --start "<EFFECTIVE_START_AT>" --end "<EFFECTIVE_END_AT>" for to:me, mention/DM intake, multi-day channel history, or any window longer than 5 calendar days. Execute the returned chunks oldest-to-newest instead of attempting one full-window query first.

Do not broad-scan Slack workspaces, all channels, all DMs, or unknown unread surfaces.

Chunking rules:

• Default chunk size is 24 hours.
• Prefer exact start_epoch and end_epoch filters when the Slack runtime exposes them.
• If only Slack search syntax is available, add each chunk's slack_query_date_hint to the scoped query.
• Chunks marked requires_exact_time_filter require timestamp-capable tooling. If the runtime only supports date-granular search for that subrange, stop and ask the user for a tighter channel/thread/person scope.
• If a chunk hits page_limit_exceeded or an equivalent connector cap, split only that chunk with --chunk-hours 12, then retry. Continue narrowing the capped subrange down to 6 hours before asking the user for a tighter scope.
• Merge and deduplicate chunk results before extracting tasks.

4. Extraction Protocol

For every scoped Slack source:

1. Record source metadata: channel/DM/thread/canvas name, timestamp or link when available, and read-only operation used.
2. Record the effective read window, whether it came from an explicit user window, the 5-business-day default, or manifest state, and the chunk plan used for high-volume scopes.
3. Extract candidate action items, decisions, blockers, owner mentions, due dates, and follow-up requests.
4. Convert every candidate into a workstream finding before writing tasks:
   • Workstream title or best match, 9 words or fewer.
   • Display title, started date/source, latest progress source, and internal agent refs.
   • Latest outcome or status signal.
   • Explicit completed outcome/checklist signal, if any.
   • Open item with owner, action, due gate, and Slack source.
   • Recommended next action.
   • Authority tier: direct manager, skip-level, executive, authorized leader, standard.
   • Commitment type: leadership, external customer, partner, end-user deadline, internal deadline, internal.
   • Evidence strength and source reference.
   • Completion state: open, explicit complete, implied complete.
5. Deduplicate against 5. Trackers/WORKSTREAMS.md, 5. Trackers/workstreams/, 5. Trackers/TASK_MASTER.md, existing task detail files, and previously processed chat transcript source references when available.
6. Apply the task-manager Priority Gate using 1. Company/ways-of-working.md.
7. Rank direct-manager, skip-level, executive, external customer/partner, and dated end-user commitments above ordinary stale work.
8. Classify each item as:
   • Accepted task: in scope and ready to route locally.
   • Existing task update: belongs in an existing task progress log or stakeholder quote.
   • Workstream update: latest outcome, open item, recommended next action, or completed outcome for an existing workstream.
   • Needs confirmation: unclear owner, scope, priority, source authority, or due date.
   • Rejected/out of scope: fails the Priority Gate.
9. Treat explicit Slack completion evidence as eligible to check off local checklist items with completion date/source. Treat implied completion language such as "ready for review" or "should be done" as a confirmation question, not as a checked item.
10. User-facing labels, evidence prose, and owner questions must use readable task/workstream titles and source provenance. Keep Task Master IDs, Jira IDs, Trello IDs, and source IDs only in local links, metadata, or an Agent refs line.

5. Durable Output

Allowed writes are local repo files only:

• Accepted tasks -> 5. Trackers/TASK_MASTER.md and 5. Trackers/tasks/{ID}.md when needed.
• Existing task updates -> task detail Progress Log / Stakeholder Quotes.
• Workstream updates -> 5. Trackers/WORKSTREAMS.md and 5. Trackers/workstreams/{slug}.md when present.
• Stakeholder enrichment -> 4. People/{firstname-lastname}.md when materially useful.
• Slack chat transcript -> 3. Meetings/chat-transcripts/slack/{YYYY-MM-DD}_{scope-slug}_{RUN_ID}.md.
• Run report -> 3. Meetings/reports/slack-runs/{RUN_ID}.md.

The run report must include:

• Slack scope processed.
• Effective read window and chunk plan used, including capped chunk retries or subranges needing user narrowing.
• Read-only operations used.
• Chat transcript files written.
• Candidate tasks and gate outcomes.
• Workstream matches, latest outcomes, completed outcomes, open items, recommended next 3, authority tier, commitment type, and completion state.
• Issues encountered and recommended follow-up.
• Routed Updates listing exact local files changed or No durable update required.
• Items needing manual Slack response by the user.
• Safety note confirming no Slack messages were sent and unread state was not intentionally changed.

6. Final Output

Return the workstream snapshot first using the task-manager title, bullet, and sub-bullet format, then a compact task-focused summary:

• Workstream updates and priority order.
• Files updated.
• Chat transcript files saved.
• Accepted tasks and IDs.
• Existing task updates.
• Issues and recommendations.
• Items needing confirmation or manual Slack response.
• Safety confirmation: no Slack send/mutation actions were performed.