Action Item Extractor

Action Item Extractor

Extracts action items and writes them to todos.md in a structured format. Works as a downstream step from meeting-transcript-notes, or standalone when a user provides tasks manually.

Configuration

Default path (edit to match your environment):

TODOS_FILE: ~/todos.md

If todos.md does not exist, create it on first write using the format below.

todos.md Format

todos.md uses a flat checklist with structured inline metadata:

# Todo List

## Open

- [ ] **{Owner}** — {Task description} _(due: {YYYY-MM-DD or TBD})_ [source: {Meeting Title, YYYY-MM-DD}]

## Done

- [x] **{Owner}** — {Task description} _(completed: {YYYY-MM-DD})_ [source: {Meeting Title, YYYY-MM-DD}]

Rules:

• All open items live under ## Open
• All completed items live under ## Done
• Owner is the full name as it appears in the source
• source tag identifies origin (meeting title + date, or manual)
• If no deadline is known, use TBD

Operations

When called from meeting-transcript-notes

Input: the Action Items table from the meeting summary.

Steps:

1. Read current todos.md (or create if missing with the header structure above)
2. For each row in the Action Items table, append under ## Open:

   - [ ] **{Owner}** — {Task} _(due: {Deadline or TBD})_ [source: {Meeting Title, YYYY-MM-DD}]
   

3. Write the updated file
4. Confirm: "Added {N} action item(s) to todos.md from {Meeting Title}"

When called manually

Steps:

1. Ask the user: owner, task description, deadline (optional), source label (optional)
2. Append to todos.md under ## Open:

   - [ ] **{Owner}** — {Task} _(due: {Deadline or TBD})_ [source: manual]
   

3. Write the updated file
4. Confirm: "Added 1 item to todos.md"

Error Handling

• File not found: Create todos.md with the standard header, then write
• Empty action items table: Notify the user, do not write anything
• Missing owner or task: Ask the user to provide the missing field before proceeding