
Update
- 4k installs
- 23.1k repo stars
- Updated July 28, 2026
- anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins
update is an agent skill for sync project tracker tasks into tasks.md, triage stale items, and refresh agent memory from current activity.
About
The update skill Sync tasks and refresh memory from your current activity. Use when pulling new assignments from your project tracker into TASKS.md, triaging stale or overdue tasks, filling memory gaps for unknown people or projects, or running a comprehensive scan to catch todos buried in chat and email. If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md. Keep your task list and memory current. Two modes: - Default: Sync tasks from external tools, triage stale items, check memory for gaps - --comprehensive: Deep scan chat, email, calendar, docs flag missed todos and suggest new memories ``bash /productivity:update /productivity:update --comprehensive `` bash /productivity:update /productivity:update --comprehensive Read TASKS.md and memory/ directory. If they don't exist, suggest /productivity:start first. Check for available task sources: - Project tracker (e.g. Asana, Linear, Jira) (if MCP available) - GitHub Issues (if in a repo): gh issue list --assignee=@me If no sources are available, skip to Step 3. Fetch tasks assigned to the user
- Default: Sync tasks from external tools, triage stale items, check memory for gaps
- --comprehensive: Deep scan chat, email, calendar, docs — flag missed todos and suggest new memories
- Project tracker (e.g. Asana, Linear, Jira) (if MCP available)
- GitHub Issues (if in a repo): gh issue list --assignee=@me
- Tasks with due dates in the past
Update by the numbers
- 4,050 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- +193 installs in the week ending Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion tracking)
- Ranked #126 of 3,301 Productivity & Planning skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Security screen: LOW risk (skills.sh audit)
- Data as of Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
update capabilities & compatibility
- Capabilities
- default: sync tasks from external tools, triage · comprehensive: deep scan chat, email, calendar · project tracker (e.g. asana, linear, jira) (if m · github issues (if in a repo): gh issue list as · tasks with due dates in the past
- Use cases
- project management · planning
What update says it does
Keep your task list and memory current. Two modes:
Read `TASKS.md` and `memory/` directory. If they don't exist, suggest `/productivity:start` first.
Check for available task sources:
npx skills add https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins --skill updateAdd your badge
Show developers this skill is listed on Skillselion. Paste this into your README.
| Installs | 4k |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 23.1k |
| Security audit | 3 / 3 scanners passed |
| Last updated | July 28, 2026 |
| Repository | anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins ↗ |
How do I sync project tracker tasks into tasks.md, triage stale items, and refresh agent memory from current activity with documented agent guidance?
Sync project tracker tasks into TASKS.md, triage stale items, and refresh agent memory from current activity.
Who is it for?
Developers who need productivity & planning help during operate work.
Skip if: Skip when the task falls outside Productivity & Planning scope described in SKILL.md.
When should I use this skill?
Sync project tracker tasks into TASKS.md, triage stale items, and refresh agent memory from current activity.
What you get
Completed productivity & planning workflow aligned with SKILL.md steps and validation.
- Updated TASKS.md
- Refreshed memory files
By the numbers
- Default: Sync tasks from external tools, triage stale items, check memory for gaps
- --comprehensive: Deep scan chat, email, calendar, docs — flag missed todos and suggest new memories
- Project tracker (e.g. Asana, Linear, Jira) (if MCP available)
Files
Update Command
If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.
Keep your task list and memory current. Two modes:
- Default: Sync tasks from external tools, triage stale items, check memory for gaps
- `--comprehensive`: Deep scan chat, email, calendar, docs — flag missed todos and suggest new memories
Usage
/productivity:update
/productivity:update --comprehensiveDefault Mode
1. Load Current State
Read TASKS.md and memory/ directory. If they don't exist, suggest /productivity:start first.
2. Sync Tasks from External Sources
Check for available task sources:
- Project tracker (e.g. Asana, Linear, Jira) (if MCP available)
- GitHub Issues (if in a repo):
gh issue list --assignee=@me
If no sources are available, skip to Step 3.
Fetch tasks assigned to the user (open/in-progress). Compare against TASKS.md:
| External task | TASKS.md match? | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Found, not in TASKS.md | No match | Offer to add |
| Found, already in TASKS.md | Match by title (fuzzy) | Skip |
| In TASKS.md, not in external | No match | Flag as potentially stale |
| Completed externally | In Active section | Offer to mark done |
Present diff and let user decide what to add/complete.
3. Triage Stale Items
Review Active tasks in TASKS.md and flag:
- Tasks with due dates in the past
- Tasks in Active for 30+ days
- Tasks with no context (no person, no project)
Present each for triage: Mark done? Reschedule? Move to Someday?
4. Decode Tasks for Memory Gaps
For each task, attempt to decode all entities (people, projects, acronyms, tools, links):
Task: "Send PSR to Todd re: Phoenix blockers"
Decode:
- PSR → ✓ Pipeline Status Report (in glossary)
- Todd → ✓ Todd Martinez (in people/)
- Phoenix → ? Not in memoryTrack what's fully decoded vs. what has gaps.
5. Fill Gaps
Present unknown terms grouped:
I found terms in your tasks I don't have context for:
1. "Phoenix" (from: "Send PSR to Todd re: Phoenix blockers")
→ What's Phoenix?
2. "Maya" (from: "sync with Maya on API design")
→ Who is Maya?Add answers to the appropriate memory files (people/, projects/, glossary.md).
6. Capture Enrichment
Tasks often contain richer context than memory. Extract and update:
- Links from tasks → add to project/people files
- Status changes ("launch done") → update project status, demote from CLAUDE.md
- Relationships ("Todd's sign-off on Maya's proposal") → cross-reference people
- Deadlines → add to project files
7. Report
Update complete:
- Tasks: +3 from project tracker (e.g. Asana), 1 completed, 2 triaged
- Memory: 2 gaps filled, 1 project enriched
- All tasks decoded ✓Comprehensive Mode (--comprehensive)
Everything in Default Mode, plus a deep scan of recent activity.
Extra Step: Scan Activity Sources
Gather data from available MCP sources:
- Chat: Search recent messages, read active channels
- Email: Search sent messages
- Documents: List recently touched docs
- Calendar: List recent + upcoming events
Extra Step: Flag Missed Todos
Compare activity against TASKS.md. Surface action items that aren't tracked:
## Possible Missing Tasks
From your activity, these look like todos you haven't captured:
1. From chat (Jan 18):
"I'll send the updated mockups by Friday"
→ Add to TASKS.md?
2. From meeting "Phoenix Standup" (Jan 17):
You have a recurring meeting but no Phoenix tasks active
→ Anything needed here?
3. From email (Jan 16):
"I'll review the API spec this week"
→ Add to TASKS.md?Let user pick which to add.
Extra Step: Suggest New Memories
Surface new entities not in memory:
## New People (not in memory)
| Name | Frequency | Context |
|------|-----------|---------|
| Maya Rodriguez | 12 mentions | design, UI reviews |
| Alex K | 8 mentions | DMs about API |
## New Projects/Topics
| Name | Frequency | Context |
|------|-----------|---------|
| Starlight | 15 mentions | planning docs, product |
## Suggested Cleanup
- **Horizon project** — No mentions in 30 days. Mark completed?Present grouped by confidence. High-confidence items offered to add directly; low-confidence items asked about.
Notes
- Never auto-add tasks or memories without user confirmation
- External source links are preserved when available
- Fuzzy matching on task titles handles minor wording differences
- Safe to run frequently — only updates when there's new info
--comprehensivealways runs interactively
Related skills
How it compares
update is an agent skill for sync project tracker tasks into tasks.md, triage stale items, and refresh agent memory from current activity, not a generic alternative.
FAQ
Who is update for?
Developers using Productivity & Planning workflows with agent-guided SKILL.md steps.
When should I use update?
Sync project tracker tasks into TASKS.md, triage stale items, and refresh agent memory from current activity.
Is update safe to install?
Review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing in production.