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Manage accountability items on the configured Monday.com board. Use when creating new accountability items, checking on existing ones, running work sessions,...
---
name: accountability
description: Manage accountability items on the configured Monday.com board. Use when creating new accountability items, checking on existing ones, running work sessions, or when a cron job fires. Also use when the owner assigns accountability or asks about status.
---
# Accountability Skill
## Board Info
- **Board ID**: Configured via `boardId` in plugin config
- **Columns**: Configured via `columns` in plugin config (with sensible defaults)
## Columns
| Column | Config Key | Type | Purpose |
|--------|-----------|------|---------|
| Status | `columns.status` | status | Active / Done / Blocked |
| Check Frequency | `columns.checkFrequency` | text | How often to check: 1h, 2h, 4h, 8h, daily |
| Last Checked | `columns.lastChecked` | date | When the agent last reviewed this item |
| Details | `columns.details` | long_text | Full definition of what "done" means, context, blockers |
| Assigned By | `columns.assignedBy` | status | Who created/assigned this task: {owner} or {agent} |
## Completion Rules
- **Owner-assigned tasks**: Only the owner can mark them Done. The agent may suggest completion but must NOT change status to Done.
- **Agent-assigned tasks**: The agent can mark them Done independently.
- Always check "Assigned By" before changing any status to Done.
## API Setup
- Token: configured via `mondayApiToken` in plugin config
- Endpoint: `https://api.monday.com/v2` (GraphQL)
- Auth header: `Authorization: <token>`
---
## Hourly Work Session (Cron-Triggered)
This is the core loop. Every hour, a cron job fires and the agent runs a **real work session** — not just a status check.
### Phase 1: Review & Plan
1. **Read all active items** from the Monday board (including sub-items)
2. **Assess each item**: What's the current state? What changed since last check? What's blocking progress?
3. **Pick what to work on** — prioritize items that are unblocked and can make real progress
4. **Break work into subtasks** — create sub-items under the main accountability item on Monday
5. **Write the plan in the Doc column** of the sub-item: what you're about to do, approach, expected outcome
### Phase 2: Do the Work
6. **Execute the plan**:
- For **code work**: Follow the product-dev process — Claude Code writes code, test, iterate. Never code directly.
- For **non-code work**: Do it directly (config changes, research, outreach, etc.)
7. **Write an update** on the main accountability item in Monday (Updates section) with what was done and results
### Phase 3: Handle Being Stuck
If stuck, blocked, or unsure what to do next:
8. **Reassess the whole project fresh** — don't keep banging on the same approach
9. **If it's code**: Read ALL of it. Understand the goal. Reflect on everything as if seeing it for the first time.
10. **Create new tasks** as needed (sub-items on Monday)
11. **Orchestrate others**:
- **Sub-agents**: Spawn Claude Code or other coding agents for implementation
- **People**: Message anyone who can help unblock you
12. **If you genuinely need the owner**: Message them with specific context — what you tried, what failed, what you need from them
### Phase 4: Wrap Up
13. **Update "Last Checked"** date on all reviewed items
14. **Update statuses**: Move items to Blocked/Stuck if appropriate
15. **For owner-assigned items that look complete**: Write an update suggesting it's done, but do NOT change status to Done — only the owner can do that
---
## Workflow: Creating New Accountability Items
1. Create item on the configured board with `accountability_create_item`
2. Set Details column with: goal, definition of done, current state
3. Set Check Frequency (e.g. "1h")
4. Set Assigned By: {owner} or {agent} depending on who initiated it
5. Write first update with current status
6. The hourly work session cron handles all items — no need for per-item crons
## Workflow: Daily Summary
Every day at the configured time, review all active items and write a consolidated update to the owner.
---
## Monday.com Sub-Items
Sub-items are used as subtasks under each accountability item. They represent specific work units.
### Create sub-item
```graphql
mutation { create_subitem(parent_item_id: PARENT_ID, item_name: "SUBTASK_NAME", column_values: "{\"DETAILS_COL_ID\":{\"text\":\"PLAN\"}}") { id } }
```
### Read sub-items
```graphql
{ items(ids: [PARENT_ID]) { subitems { id name column_values { id text value } } } }
```
---
## GraphQL Snippets
### Read all active items (with sub-items)
```graphql
{ boards(ids: BOARD_ID) { items_page(limit: 50) { items { id name column_values { id text value } updates(limit: 3) { body created_at } subitems { id name column_values { id text value } } } } } }
```
### Create item
```graphql
mutation { create_item(board_id: BOARD_ID, item_name: "TITLE", column_values: "{\"DETAILS_COL\":{\"text\":\"DETAILS\"},\"FREQ_COL\":\"FREQ\",\"ASSIGNED_COL\":{\"label\":\"ASSIGNEE\"}}") { id } }
```
### Write update
```graphql
mutation { create_update(item_id: ITEM_ID, body: "<p>UPDATE_HTML</p>") { id } }
```
### Update Last Checked
```graphql
mutation { change_column_value(board_id: BOARD_ID, item_id: ITEM_ID, column_id: "LAST_CHECKED_COL", value: "{\"date\":\"YYYY-MM-DD\"}") { id } }
```
### Change Status
Status labels: Working on it (1/orange), Done (2/green), Stuck (0/red)
```graphql
mutation { change_column_value(board_id: BOARD_ID, item_id: ITEM_ID, column_id: "STATUS_COL", value: "{\"label\":\"Working on it\"}") { id } }
```
## Helper Script
Run `scripts/monday-api.sh` for common operations:
```bash
# List items
bash scripts/monday-api.sh list
# Add update to item
bash scripts/monday-api.sh update <item_id> "<html body>"
# Set last checked
bash scripts/monday-api.sh checked <item_id>
```
---
## Messaging Etiquette
- **Never message people outside configured messaging hours** unless it's genuinely urgent
- If you need someone's input and it's outside hours, note it as a blocker and follow up when hours resume
## Critical: Read Before Working
**Before doing ANY work on an accountability item, you MUST read the full Document/Details column on that item first.** This contains important context, constraints, and explicit instructions about what to do and what NOT to do. Skipping this step has caused the agent to undo previous decisions. No exceptions.
## Sub-Agent Context Rule
**When spawning any sub-agent for work on an accountability item, you MUST include the full text from the item's Details/Doc column in the sub-agent's task prompt.** This includes constraints, warnings, history, and explicit "DO NOT" instructions. The sub-agent has no memory of previous sessions — if it doesn't get the context in its prompt, it will make decisions that contradict prior decisions.
don't have the plugin yet? install it then click "run inline in claude" again.
added explicit inputs (monday api config, column definitions, external dependencies), reorganized procedure into four work phases with clear step inputs-outputs, extracted decision logic into dedicated section (assigned-by rules, blocker handling, rate limits, sub-agent context), documented output contract with file locations and data formats, and added outcome signals for work session, item creation, completion, and error handling
this skill manages accountability items on a configured monday.com board. use it when creating new accountability items, checking on existing ones, running hourly work sessions triggered by cron, or when an owner assigns accountability or asks about status. the skill enforces clear ownership rules (only owners can mark owner-assigned tasks done) and runs structured work phases: review and plan, execute work, handle blockers, and wrap up with status updates.
monday.com board configuration
boardId in plugin configmondayApiToken in plugin config (store as env var or secure config)https://api.monday.com/v2 (graphql)Authorization: <token>board columns (configured via columns in plugin config)
external dependencies
read all active items from monday board
{ boards(ids: BOARD_ID) { items_page(limit: 50) { items { id name column_values { id text value } updates(limit: 3) { body created_at } subitems { id name column_values { id text value } } } } } }assess each active item
prioritize and select work
break work into subtasks
mutation { create_subitem(parent_item_id: PARENT_ID, item_name: "SUBTASK_NAME", column_values: "{\"DETAILS_COL_ID\":{\"text\":\"PLAN\"}}") { id } }write plan in details column of sub-item
mutation { change_column_value(board_id: BOARD_ID, item_id: SUBITEM_ID, column_id: "DETAILS_COL", value: "{\"text\":\"PLAN_TEXT\"}") { id } }execute the plan
write update on main accountability item
mutation { create_update(item_id: ITEM_ID, body: "<p>UPDATE_HTML</p>") { id } }if blocked or unsure: reassess the whole project fresh
for code work: read all code and understand goal from scratch
create new subtasks as needed
orchestrate others to unblock
if you need the owner: message with specific context
update last_checked date on all reviewed items
mutation { change_column_value(board_id: BOARD_ID, item_id: ITEM_ID, column_id: "LAST_CHECKED_COL", value: "{\"date\":\"YYYY-MM-DD\"}") { id } }update statuses
mutation { change_column_value(board_id: BOARD_ID, item_id: ITEM_ID, column_id: "STATUS_COL", value: "{\"label\":\"STATUS_LABEL\"}") { id } }for owner-assigned items that look complete: suggest but do not change status
create item on configured board with accountability_create_item
set details column with goal, definition of done, current state
set check_frequency column (e.g. "1h", "4h", "daily")
set assigned_by column to "owner" or "agent" (who initiated)
write first update with current status
hourly cron handles all items automatically (no per-item crons needed)
every day at configured time, read all active items
write consolidated update to owner
if item assigned_by = "owner"
else if item assigned_by = "agent"
if item status = "stuck" or "blocked"
if check_frequency elapsed since last_checked
if sub-agent needed for code work
if owner or team member input needed but outside configured messaging hours
if api rate limit hit or auth token expired
if item has no sub-items and work is complex
if result set is empty (no active items)
hourly work session output
created accountability item output
daily summary output (if configured)
error states logged
hourly work session success
accountability item created successfully
work completed on item
blocker handled successfully
api failure handled gracefully
credits: original skill from clawhub. enriched for implexa standards with explicit decision logic, edge cases (rate limits, auth, empty results, network timeouts), sub-agent context rules, and messaging etiquette.