# Work Order Format

> Work Order Format

- Skill: `wimpysworld/work-order-format` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add wimpysworld/work-order-format`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/wimpysworld/work-order-format/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: wimpysworld (https://skillmd.com/u/wimpysworld)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/wimpysworld/work-order-format

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# Work Order Format

The contract for the one cycle work order document. `work-order-create` writes the document, `work-order-update` patches it, and both follow this contract exactly.

## Title and parent

Title the document `<user first name>'s Cycle <n> work order`. Parent the document on the cycle: `save_document` takes `cycle` set to the number and `team` set to disambiguate it.

## Section order

1. The wave sections, in wave number order.
2. `## Sequencing`.
3. `## Timing` - omit when empty.
4. `## Deferred` - omit when empty.

## Waves

Heading form: `## Wave <n> ⇉ <dependency line>`. The dependency line is one of:

- `starts immediately`
- `needs Wave <a>` - list every prerequisite wave.

When the wave is independent of another unfinished wave, append `, runs parallel with Wave <m>`. For example: `## Wave 3 ⇉ needs Wave 1, runs parallel with Wave 2`.

The waves are strictly parallel. Every issue in a wave runs in parallel with every other issue in that wave:

- No sequencing prose inside a bullet. A sequential dependency forces the issue into a later wave.
- Issue-level constraints live under `## Sequencing`.
- Two issues that edit the same package or files never share a wave.

## Issue bullets

```markdown
* [<issue key>](https://linear.app/<workspace>/issue/<issue key>) <issue title> - <size on the `sizing` scale>. <One-line reason it is in this wave.>
```

Write every issue key as a markdown link, in a bullet and in `## Sequencing` and `## Timing` prose. The commands write the document through the Linear API, which stores a plain key as plain text, so a plain key is not clickable. Linear adds an automatic status indicator only to a key typed in the editor, so the document tracks no completion state of its own.

## Deferred entries

```markdown
* [<issue key>](https://linear.app/<workspace>/issue/<issue key>) - <date> - <one-line reason it was deferred>
```

## Stable numbering

Never renumber an existing wave. When a wave empties, remove its section and never reuse its number. A new wave takes the next unused number and appends at the end.