Create an AI Worker for Overdue Work
Configure an AI worker that reviews overdue tasks and suggests follow-up.
Use this guide when you want an AI worker to review overdue work and produce a summary or task comment for the team.
Start with a read-only review worker. Add write tools only after the summaries are accurate and the team agrees what the worker is allowed to change.
Steps
- Open AI Workers.
- Create a worker from a template or start with a custom worker.
- Write instructions that describe what counts as overdue work.
- Add task, project, CRM, or workspace context sources as needed.
- Choose allowed tools carefully.
- Set output behavior and max iterations.
- Save the worker.
- Run the worker on a safe test set.
- Review the run output before using it in a real process.
Keep the first version narrow: one module, one definition of overdue, and one output type. Expand scope only after the worker consistently identifies the right records.
Example Instruction Direction
Ask the worker to identify overdue tasks, group them by owner or project, note blocked work, and suggest the next follow-up action. Keep the worker focused on review and recommendation unless you intentionally allow write tools.
Test Safely
Run the worker on a small set of overdue tasks first. Review whether it found the right tasks, grouped owners correctly, avoided private or irrelevant context, and suggested practical next steps. If the output is too broad, tighten the instructions and context sources before enabling more tools.
Compare the worker output with the task list yourself. Do not rely on the worker until you have checked false positives, missed records, and whether suggestions match how your team actually follows up.
Review Run History
After each test run, open the worker run history and compare:
- input context used by the worker
- records it selected as overdue
- records it ignored
- summary or comment it produced
- any tool calls it attempted
- errors, skipped records, or permission limits
Adjust instructions based on actual runs, not only on the worker description. Run history is the fastest way to find missing context sources or tools that are too broad.
Suggested Boundaries
Tell the worker not to close tasks, change due dates, message customers, or assign work unless those tools are explicitly enabled and tested. For most teams, the first version should create a summary or internal comment only.
If you later enable write tools, run one record at a time and review the created comment, task update, or notification before allowing broader runs.
Operational Routine
Use the worker as part of a review routine, such as a Monday overdue-work check or a daily delivery standup. Assign one owner to review the output and convert valid recommendations into tasks, comments, or customer follow-up.
Do not let the worker become the only source of truth for overdue work. The task list, project views, and reports should still be reviewed when the output drives staffing, billing, or customer commitments.
Turn Output Into Actions
After each run, decide which recommendations become tasks, comments, owner changes, or customer follow-up. Leave a note on the source project or task when the worker output influenced a decision so teammates can trace the action.
If the worker repeatedly flags the same stale work, fix the project plan or task ownership instead of only rerunning the worker.