complete-task
This skill should be used when marking a task as completed, adding completion metadata, archiving to Done folder, and updating Dashboard. Use when the user reports a task is finished, requests archiving a completed action item, or indicates work on a task is done.
SKILL.md
| Name | complete-task |
| Description | This skill should be used when marking a task as completed, adding completion metadata, archiving to Done folder, and updating Dashboard. Use when the user reports a task is finished, requests archiving a completed action item, or indicates work on a task is done. |
name: complete-task description: This skill should be used when marking a task as completed, adding completion metadata, archiving to Done folder, and updating Dashboard. Use when the user reports a task is finished, requests archiving a completed action item, or indicates work on a task is done.
Complete Task
Mark a task as completed and archive it to the Done folder.
Before Implementation
Gather context to ensure successful completion:
| Source | Gather |
|---|---|
| Codebase | Check AI_Employee_Vault structure (Needs_Action/, Plans/, Done/), existing task file formats |
| Conversation | User's task identifier (filename, partial name, or task number), completion confirmation |
| Dashboard | Current pending tasks list to verify task exists and get full context |
Required Clarifications
- Which task to complete? (if user provides ambiguous identifier)
- Check Needs_Action/ and Plans/ directories
- Present numbered list of matching tasks if multiple found
Optional Clarifications
- Complete anyway? (only if verification shows incomplete steps)
- Ask: "This task has X remaining steps. Complete anyway?"
- If no: abort and report remaining steps
- If yes: proceed with completion
Instructions
1. Identify Task to Complete
User will provide either:
- Full filename (e.g.,
FILE_20260110_142301_invoice.md) - Partial identifier (e.g., "invoice task")
- Task number from Dashboard listing
Search in these locations:
AI_Employee_Vault/Needs_Action/(in-progress tasks)AI_Employee_Vault/Plans/(active plans)
2. Verify Completion Eligibility
-
Read the task file
-
Check if all required steps are completed:
- For action files: verify all suggested actions are done
- For plans: verify all checkboxes are checked
-
If not all steps are complete:
- Ask user if they want to complete anyway
- If no, abort and report remaining steps
3. Update Task File
Add completion metadata to frontmatter:
status: completed
completed_at: [ISO timestamp]
completed_by: ai_employee
Add completion summary at end of file:
## Completion Summary
- Completed: [ISO timestamp]
- Duration: [time from detection to completion]
- Outcome: [brief description of result]
4. Move to Done Folder
-
Move the updated file to
AI_Employee_Vault/Done/ -
Maintain original filename for traceability
-
If related plan exists in
/Plans:- Move plan to
/Doneas well - Link them in completion notes
- Move plan to
5. Update Dashboard
- Increment completion counter
- Add to "Recent Activity" section
- Remove from "Pending Actions" list
- Update "Completed This Week" stat
Must Avoid
- Completing without verification: Never complete a task without checking completion eligibility
- Moving without updating: Never move files to Done/ without updating Dashboard
- Losing traceability: Always maintain original filenames for audit trail
- Missing metadata: Never archive without adding completion metadata to frontmatter
- Orphaning related files: If a plan exists, move it to Done/ along with the task file
- Incomplete logging: Always create log entries with all required fields
6. Log Completion
Append to today's log file and include:
- Task identifier
- Completion timestamp
- Brief outcome description
- Files moved
Validation Checklist
Before marking completion as done, verify:
- Task file contains all required completion metadata (status, completed_at, completed_by)
- Original filename maintained (no renaming during move)
- File successfully moved to Done/ folder
- Dashboard updated (completion counter, recent activity, pending actions removed)
- Log entry created with all required fields
- Related files (plans) also archived if applicable
- Completion summary added to end of task file
Completion Summary Template
Add this to the end of completed task files:
---
## Completion Summary
- Completed: [ISO timestamp]
- Duration: [X hours/days from detection]
- Outcome: [What was accomplished]
- Related Files:
- Original: [Inbox/filename if applicable]
- Plan: [Plans/plan_filename.md if applicable]
- Archive: Done/[this file]
## Performance Metrics
- Response Time: [time from detection to first action]
- Total Time: [time from detection to completion]
- Priority: [original priority level]
*Task completed by AI Employee v0.1*
Success Criteria
- Task file updated with completion metadata
- File moved to Done folder
- Dashboard updated with completion
- Log entry created
- Related files also archived
Error Handling
If task cannot be found:
Error: Could not find task matching "invoice_client_a"
Available tasks in Needs_Action:
1. FILE_20260110_140512_message_from_client.md
2. FILE_20260110_135021_project_proposal.md
Please specify the full filename or select a number.
Related Skills
- Use
process-needs-actionto create tasks from inbox items - Use
update-dashboardto refresh the dashboard after completion