Northwind People Lifecycle Closeout

Northwind People-Lifecycle Closeout Verification

When to use

Use for any task that points at the PeopleOps Console / "Northwind People Lifecycle Portal" and asks to verify, audit, or reconcile an HR lifecycle closeout. Five archetypes map to five answer shapes:

1. Leave + payroll onboarding closeout (employee-level, records-clean check).
2. Policy-case folder readiness + formal-notice quality (case-level, defect/blocker check).
3. Leave source-precedence validation (approved assignment vs stale profile summary).
4. Payroll assignment + accrual readiness (submitted vs draft assignment).
5. Recruitment outcome reconciliation (candidate outcomes, cost sum, notice follow-up, payroll handoff).

Environment

• Web UI: / (login ops.lead@peopleops.local / PeopleOps#2026 is illustrative; not needed for API).
• JSON API base: <remote-env-url> — read-only, no auth. Health: GET /health.
• The prompt's http://127.0.0.1:<port>/ refers to THIS remote host. Always use <remote-env-url>.
• Do NOT save remote data to files; curl and inspect in the shell only.

Endpoints (all GET)

Critical shape fact: leave assignments and salary assignments are NOT separate endpoints — they both live in /api/payroll-ledgers distinguished by record_type (Leave assignment / Salary assignment). Fetch with ?q=<EMP-id> then filter by record_type.

Endpoint calling order (gather evidence)

1. Identify the subject: an EMP-xxx, a CASE-xxx / REQ-xxx, or a DOC-xxx.
2. /api/employees?q=<EMP> → profile summary (name, status, leave_balance_days, salary_band) — the possibly stale summary.
3. /api/payroll-ledgers?q=<EMP> → leave + salary assignments. Filter by record_type.
4. If a case exists: /api/cases/<case_id> → approvals, attachments, audit_events, comments, policy_refs. (Case IDs are reused as CASE-<emp-suffix> and recruitment opening IDs REQ-xxx are also cases.)
5. /api/documents?q=<DOC-or-EMP-or-case-token> → folder readiness. Document IDs follow DOC-<case-or-emp-tag>.
6. /api/messages?case_id=<case> (or /api/messages?q=) → formal notice quality + defects.
7. /api/audit?case_id=<case> (and /api/audit?q=<EMP>) → audit events; call /api/audit/<id> for full detail text.
8. /api/policies/<policy_id> (from case policy_refs) → confirms what a valid notice/folder must contain (e.g. exception notices need appeal instructions + acknowledgement deadline; onboarding folders need specific files).
9. For recruitment: /api/recruitment?q=<REQ-id> → candidates, offer_register, cost_ledger, notice_packets, payroll_precheck_records.

Field shapes you will read

• Leave assignment record: ledger_id (LA-…), policy_name, period (e.g. "2026"), status (Approved/Superseded/Draft), approved_leave_days, worksheet_leave_days, updated_at.
• Salary assignment record: ledger_id (PAY-…), base_salary, period (e.g. "2026-04"), status (Submitted/Draft/Superseded), accrual_batch_id (sometimes), updated_at.
• Document folder: document_id, ready (bool), files[], required_files[], required_tags[], tags[].
• Message/notice: message_id, case_id, recipient, status, quality (valid/defective), defects[], body, subject.
• Audit event: audit_id, case_id, employee_id, event (e.g. leave.profile_mismatch, payroll.ready, notice.defect, folder.tag_missing, case.close_blocked, cross_module.escalation_package), detail (often contains QA result: <label>), actor.
• Case detail: case_id, case_type, status, summary, owner, approvals[] (approval_id, approver, decision, step, decided_at), attachments[] (attachment_id, name, kind, status), audit_events[], comments[], policy_refs[].
• Recruitment opening: opening_id, candidates[] (candidate_id, committee_decision Selected/Waitlisted/Rejected, notice_status, rounds[]), offer_register[] (offer_id, candidate_id, base_salary, status accepted/draft/withdrawn), cost_ledger[] (line_id, label, amount), notice_packets[] (candidate_id, notice_type, required_action, status, optional defects/quality), payroll_precheck_records[].

Business rules

Leave source precedence

• Candidate = the Leave assignment with status == "Approved" whose period matches the current/effective period (e.g. "2026"). Among multiple Approved same-period, take the latest updated_at.
• annual_days / balance_days = that assignment's approved_leave_days (NOT the employee profile leave_balance_days).
• Exclude every other leave assignment (status Superseded, Draft, or older period) — list them in excluded_leave_ids.
• leave_source = "leave_assignment_history"; leave_precedence_source = "approved_assignment_current_period".
• If the profile summary (leave_balance_days / profile policy) conflicts with the approved assignment, the profile is STALE: precedence_source = "approved_assignment_over_profile", profile_policy_ignored = true, audit_result = "profile_summary_stale", next_action = "update_employee_summary".

Payroll source precedence

• Candidate = the Salary assignment with status == "Submitted" for the current/effective period.
• base_salary from that record. effective_date = the assignment's period (YYYY-MM) rendered as YYYY-MM-01 (or an explicit effective_date field if present).
• Exclude Draft and Superseded assignments → excluded_assignment_id / excluded_payroll_ids.
• payroll_source_status = "submitted"; draft_exclusion_rule = "exclude_draft_assignment".
• accrual_ready = true only if a Submitted assignment carries a matching accrual_batch_id (and the payroll audit confirms payroll.ready); the accrual batch id = that accrual_batch_id.
• control_result = "ready_with_monitoring" when submitted assignment matches an accrual batch (ready, but monitored). block_close/hold_for_folder_and_notice_defects when defective.

Folder readiness (from /api/documents)

• missing_files = required_files − files.
• required_tag_present = (required_tags ⊆ tags).
• folder_ready = (missing_files empty) AND required_tag_present AND documents.ready == true.
• folder_required_tag_action = "add_required_tag" if any required tag missing, else "no_tag_action".
• Contributes to closeout_blockers: "missing_required_files" (if missing_files non-empty), "missing_required_tags" (if tag missing).

Formal-notice defect detection (from /api/messages or recruitment notice_packets)

• notice_quality = message.quality (valid / defective). notice_defects = message.defects[].
• Defect enum space: missing_ack_deadline, missing_appeal_instructions, missing_waitlist_status, missing_correct_policy.
• Policy context (e.g. HR-POL-014 §7.1) defines what a valid exception notice MUST contain (executive approval, time limits, tax equalization, VPN-only, quarterly review, appeal instructions, acknowledgement deadline) — use it to sanity-check defects; the authoritative defects are the pre-computed defects[] array.
• notice_evidence_source = "notice_packet_inspection" when a structured notice record with explicit quality/defects fields is inspected. Use "message_notice_inspection" only when evidence is a raw message channel without a structured packet, "case_summary_only" as last resort.
• If notice_quality == "defective" → add "defective_formal_notice" to closeout_blockers.

Audit selection (scope-based)

Choose audit_scope by archetype:

• folder/notice case → document_notice_findings_only
• leave-precedence case → leave_source_precedence_only
• payroll-readiness case → payroll_assignment_readiness

Map audit event prefix to scope:

• leave.* → leave scope
• notice.defect, folder.*, case.close_blocked → document/notice scope
• payroll.* → payroll scope

Rules:

• supporting_audit_event_ids = audit events whose event-type belongs to the chosen scope for this case/employee.
• excluded_audit_event_ids = adjacent audit events whose event-type belongs to a DIFFERENT scope (e.g. when scope is leave, exclude folder.tag_missing / notice.defect / payroll.* events). Use [] when none.
• audit_event_id (single primary) = the in-scope audit event for this case (usually the one whose detail carries QA result: <label>).
• Derive audit_result / control_result from the detail text QA result: <X> if present; else infer: leave.profile_mismatch→profile_summary_stale; payroll.ready→ready_with_monitoring; case.close_blocked→block_close; notice.defect→ defective/hold.

Approval closeout gate (THE key decision)

• Clean (folder ready AND notice valid AND records approved/submitted, no draft selected): approval_closeout_gate = "approval_sufficient_when_records_clean", final_control_result = "approve_closeout", closeout_action / next_action = "approve_onboarding_close".
• Defective (folder missing files/tags OR notice defective): approval_closeout_gate = "approval_not_sufficient_when_folder_or_notice_defective", final_control_result = "hold_for_folder_and_notice_defects", next_action = "block_close_and_reissue_notice".
• A case approval existing is NOT sufficient when the folder or notice is defective — the gate blocks closeout regardless of approval. This is the most common misjudgment.
• ready_with_monitoring is an intermediate result (records OK but a follow-up needed, e.g. update stale profile); it is neither full approve nor hold.

Escalation & remediation owners

• escalation_action: "open_records_remediation" when a folder/file/task defect exists; "block_close_and_reissue_notice" when only a notice defect; "no_action" when clean.
• records_remediation_owner: "Records" for folder/file defects; "People Ops Compliance" for notice/policy-compliance defects; "Payroll QA" for payroll-assignment defects.
• notice_remediation_action: "reissue_defective_notices" when notice defective; "send_new_offer_notice" when a new offer notice is required; "no_notice_action" when clean.
• evidence_source_order: "approval_history_folder_notice_audit" when the full chain (approval history → folder → notice → audit) is inspected (typical for folder/notice cases); "folder_notice_audit" when no approval history; "audit_only" last resort.

Recruitment cost-summing

• recruitment_cost_total = sum of every cost_ledger[].amount across ALL line items (do not skip any line, do not use the case summary's number). cost_source = "recruitment_cost_ledger".

Candidate outcome reconstruction

• selected_candidate = candidate with committee_decision == "Selected" AND an offer_register entry with status == "accepted".
• waitlisted_candidates = committee_decision == "Waitlisted" (IDs only).
• rejected_candidates = committee_decision == "Rejected" (IDs only).
• candidate_status_source = "interview_feedback_and_offer"; candidate_outcome_control = "committee_decision_with_offer_confirmation".
• selected_offer_status = the selected candidate's offer status (accepted/draft/withdrawn/none).
• offer_id, offer_base_salary from the selected candidate's offer_register entry.
• notice_followup_required = candidates whose notice is not properly delivered (notice_status like "Notice not sent"/"not_sent", or notice_packets status == "not_sent") — typically the waitlisted + rejected candidates needing notices. The selected (offer-accepted) candidate is NOT in this list.
• waitlisted_followup_action = "send_waitlist_notice" (or "reissue_waitlist_notice_not_rejection" if a defective waitlist notice was mistakenly sent as a rejection).
• rejected_followup_action = "send_rejection_notice" (or "reissue_rejection_notice" if a defective rejection notice exists).
• notice_quality_source = "notice_packet_inspection" (inspect recruitment notice_packets[]).

Payroll handoff gate (recruitment → onboarding)

• payroll_handoff_gate = "accepted_offer_only" (only the accepted-offer candidate proceeds to payroll).
• payroll_assignment_status_required = "submitted_after_acceptance"; draft_payroll_allowed = false.
• onboarding_handoff:
  • "create_payroll_precheck" when an offer is accepted but no submitted payroll assignment exists yet (payroll_precheck_records empty / no submitted assignment).
  • "create_submitted_assignment_after_acceptance" when a submitted assignment already exists.
  • "no_payroll_handoff" when no accepted offer.
• handoff_control_result = "submitted_handoff_required_after_acceptance" (accepted offer, assignment not yet submitted) / "submitted_handoff_required" (assignment submitted) / "no_handoff_required".
• offer_exclusion_reason_for_waitlisted = "no_accepted_status_or_offer" (waitlisted candidates are excluded from offer/payroll because they have no accepted status or offer).

Answer field definitions (produce these, exact enum labels from each task's answer_template.json)

Always emit JSON matching the provided answer_template.json — every field the template lists, using ONLY allowed_values for enum fields. Key fields by archetype:

• Leave+payroll closeout: employee_id, effective_leave_policy, leave_source, annual_days, assignment_id, excluded_leave_ids[], payroll_assignment_id, base_salary, payroll_status, excluded_payroll_ids[], closeout_action, leave_precedence_source, payroll_source_status, approval_closeout_gate, final_control_result.
• Folder+notice case: case_id, final_decision, approval_authority, approval_event_id, folder_ready, missing_files[], required_tag_present, notice_quality, notice_defects[], audit_event_id, supporting_audit_event_ids[], excluded_audit_event_ids[], audit_scope, next_action, approval_closeout_gate, closeout_blockers[], evidence_source_order, folder_required_tag_action, notice_evidence_source, escalation_action, records_remediation_owner, notice_remediation_action, final_control_result.
  • approval_event_id = the approval_id of the FINAL approval step; approval_authority = its approver; final_decision from case status/summary/approval decision.
• Leave precedence: employee_id, effective_leave_policy, assignment_id, balance_days, precedence_source, profile_policy_ignored, audit_event_id, audit_result, next_action, leave_precedence_source, supporting_audit_event_ids[], excluded_audit_event_ids[], audit_scope.
• Payroll readiness: employee_id, salary_assignment_id, base_salary, effective_date, excluded_assignment_id, accrual_ready, accrual_batch_id, audit_event_id, control_result, payroll_source_status, draft_exclusion_rule, audit_scope.
• Recruitment: opening_id, selected_candidate, waitlisted_candidates[], rejected_candidates[], offer_id, offer_base_salary, recruitment_cost_total, notice_followup_required[], onboarding_handoff, candidate_status_source, candidate_outcome_control, selected_offer_status, cost_source, notice_quality_source, waitlisted_followup_action, rejected_followup_action, payroll_handoff_gate, payroll_assignment_status_required, draft_payroll_allowed, offer_exclusion_reason_for_waitlisted, handoff_control_result.

Common misjudgments / exclusion rules (DO NOT)

• Do NOT pick a Draft (or Superseded) leave/salary assignment even if it shows more days / higher salary. Always pick Approved/Submitted current-period; list drafts+superseded in the excluded_* fields.
• Do NOT trust the employee profile leave_balance_days or profile policy over an approved leave assignment — the profile can be stale.
• Do NOT treat an existing case approval as sufficient for closeout when the folder is missing files or the notice is defective (the approval-closeout gate blocks closeout).
• Do NOT put adjacent-scope audit events in supporting_audit_event_ids; move them to excluded_audit_event_ids (e.g. folder.tag_missing excluded from a leave-scope decision).
• Do NOT sum only some cost lines — recruitment_cost_total is the sum of ALL cost_ledger amounts; never use a summary-stated total.
• Do NOT include the selected (offer-accepted) candidate in notice_followup_required; follow-up = waitlisted + rejected needing notices.
• Do NOT reissue a waitlist notice as a rejection (or vice versa): waitlist → waitlist notice, rejection → rejection notice.
• Do NOT allow draft payroll for onboarding handoff (draft_payroll_allowed is false).
• Do NOT return candidate objects in arrays — arrays must contain candidate IDs (strings) only.
• Do NOT add markdown or explanatory text — return ONLY the JSON object matching the template.
• Do NOT invent enum labels — use exactly the strings in the template's allowed_values.

Pre-submission checklist

• Every field in the task's answer_template.json is present; no extra fields.
• Every enum value matches an allowed_values entry exactly (case-sensitive).
• All IDs are exact strings copied from the API (case-sensitive: EMP-, CASE-, LA-, PAY-, AUD-, DOC-, REQ-, CAND-, OFFER-).
• Arrays contain only strings (IDs) where the template says list[string]; empty arrays [] when none (e.g. excluded_audit_event_ids).
• Numbers are JSON numbers: base_salary/offer_base_salary/recruitment_cost_total as number; annual_days/balance_days as integer.
• Leave: Approved current-period assignment selected; Draft+Superseded listed in excluded_leave_ids; annual_days from the selected assignment.
• Payroll: Submitted assignment selected; Draft excluded and named in excluded_payroll_ids/excluded_assignment_id; payroll_source_status="submitted".
• Folder: missing_files = required_files − files; required_tag_present correct; folder_ready consistent.
• Notice: notice_defects exactly matches message.defects[]; notice_quality matches.
• Audit: supporting/excluded split correctly by scope; audit_event_id is the in-scope event; audit_scope matches archetype.
• Gate logic: folder-or-notice defective ⇒ approval_not_sufficient_when_folder_or_notice_defective + hold_for_folder_and_notice_defects; clean ⇒ approval_sufficient_when_records_clean + approve_closeout.
• Recruitment: recruitment_cost_total = sum of all cost lines; candidate arrays are IDs only; draft_payroll_allowed=false; handoff fields consistent with accepted-offer-only gate.
• effective_date formatted YYYY-MM-DD.
• Output is a single bare JSON object — no markdown fences, no commentary.