How to Use the Productivity Plugin in Claude Code: Complete Setup and Workflow Guide

Install the plugin with claude plugins add knowledge-work-plugins/productivity, run /productivity:start to initialize your workspace, and use /productivity:update to keep tasks and memory synchronized across external trackers.

The productivity plugin from the anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins repository transforms Claude into a persistent workplace partner that remembers context between conversations. By combining markdown-based task management, two-tier memory storage, and a local visual dashboard, this plugin enables Claude to maintain institutional knowledge while syncing with your existing project management tools.

Installing the Productivity Plugin

Register the plugin with Claude Code or Cowork to enable the /productivity:* slash command namespace. According to the installation instructions in productivity/README.md【productivity/README.md†L5-L9】, execute:

claude plugins add knowledge-work-plugins/productivity

This command downloads the plugin and makes the productivity commands available in your Claude environment.

Initializing Your Workspace with /productivity:start

Run the start command once to scaffold your productivity system. As defined in productivity/skills/start/SKILL.md【productivity/skills/start/SKILL.md†L14-L32】, this command performs four critical setup steps:

1. Detects existing artifacts – Checks for pre-existing TASKS.md, CLAUDE.md, memory/ directories, or dashboard.html files.
2. Creates missing infrastructure – Generates a fresh TASKS.md template, copies dashboard.html, and establishes empty memory files.
3. Bootstraps workplace memory – Analyzes your existing task list to extract nicknames, acronyms, and project codes, then populates CLAUDE.md (quick-lookup) and memory/ (deep storage).
4. Opens the dashboard – Reports the local file path for dashboard.html (you must open it manually in your browser).

Execute the initialization:

/productivity:start

After completion, Claude displays a confirmation message indicating that your task list and memory are loaded, along with suggestions to run /productivity:update for syncing or /productivity:update --comprehensive for deep scanning【productivity/skills/start/SKILL.md†L34-L50】.

Adding and Managing Tasks Naturally

The productivity plugin accepts task input through natural conversation without requiring rigid syntax. When you describe work items casually, Claude parses the sentences into structured markdown entries.

For example, stating:

I need to review the budget proposal for Sarah by Friday,
draft the Q2 roadmap after syncing with Greg, and follow up
on the API spec from the Platform team.

Triggers the following automated process:

• Sentence parsing – Claude separates the input into three distinct task items.
• Markdown appending – Writes the structured tasks to TASKS.md.
• Dashboard refresh – Updates dashboard.html to reflect the new items immediately.

See the Example Workflows section of productivity/README.md【productivity/README.md†L46-L55】 for additional interaction patterns.

Syncing Work with /productivity:update

Maintain synchronization between your local task list and external project trackers using the update command. The algorithm in productivity/skills/update/SKILL.md【productivity/skills/update/SKILL.md†L11-L31】 executes a four-stage pipeline:

1. Load current state – Reads TASKS.md and the memory/ directory.
2. External sync – Pulls new assignments from connected sources (Asana, Linear, GitHub Issues).
3. Task triage – Identifies stale or overdue items requiring attention.
4. Memory gap analysis – Scans tasks for missing people, projects, or acronyms and prompts you for clarification.

Run the standard update:

/productivity:update

Claude reports a concise summary of changes, such as tasks added from external sources, completed items removed, and memory gaps filled【productivity/skills/update/SKILL.md†L23-L48】.

Deep Scanning with Comprehensive Mode

When you suspect hidden action items in email threads, chat logs, or document comments, use the comprehensive flag to scan all MCP-connected sources. As specified in productivity/skills/update/SKILL.md【productivity/skills/update/SKILL.md†L8-L15】, this mode surfaces missed todos from:

• Chat histories
• Email inboxes
• Document repositories
• Calendar invites

Execute a deep scan:

/productivity:update --comprehensive

In this mode, Claude proposes new entities (people, projects, codes) to add to your CLAUDE.md glossary and enriches existing memory/ files with contextual details discovered during the scan【productivity/skills/update/SKILL.md†L10-L15】.

Using the Visual Dashboard

The productivity plugin generates dashboard.html, a local HTML file that renders your task list and memory side-by-side. The dashboard displays:

• Task groups – Visual separation of Active, Someday, and Done items from TASKS.md.
• Memory cards – Quick-reference cards for People, Projects, Terms, and Preferences drawn from CLAUDE.md and memory/.

Changes made directly in the dashboard interface (such as marking tasks complete) write back to TASKS.md and persist into Claude's immediate context for subsequent conversations【productivity/README.md†L15-L18】.

Summary

• Install the productivity plugin using claude plugins add knowledge-work-plugins/productivity to enable slash commands.
• Initialize your workspace once with /productivity:start to create TASKS.md, CLAUDE.md, memory/, and dashboard.html.
• Capture tasks naturally in conversation; Claude parses and appends them to TASKS.md automatically.
• Sync regularly with /productivity:update to align with external trackers and fill memory gaps.
• Deep scan with /productivity:update --comprehensive to discover hidden todos in emails, chats, and documents.
• Visualize progress by opening dashboard.html locally for an at-a-glance view of tasks and institutional memory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What files does the productivity plugin create?

The plugin generates four core artifacts: TASKS.md (markdown task list), CLAUDE.md (quick-lookup memory), a memory/ directory (deep storage for complex relationships), and dashboard.html (visual interface)【productivity/README.md†L19-L26】. All files reside in your local workspace and remain under your version control.

Which external task trackers does the productivity plugin support?

The update command syncs with Asana, Linear, and GitHub Issues, among other project management tools accessible via MCP connections【productivity/skills/update/SKILL.md†L11-L31】. The plugin pulls new assignments, updates completion status, and flags stale items across these platforms.

When should I use --comprehensive mode instead of the standard update?

Use standard /productivity:update for daily maintenance and external tracker synchronization. Reserve /productivity:update --comprehensive for weekly reviews or pre-planning sessions when you need to scan email inboxes, chat histories, calendar invites, and documents for action items that never reached your formal task list【productivity/skills/update/SKILL.md†L8-L15】.

Can I migrate existing task lists into the productivity plugin?

Yes. During the /productivity:start initialization, Claude detects existing TASKS.md files and imports them rather than overwriting. If you have tasks in external systems, run /productivity:update after initialization to pull them into the local markdown structure. The bootstrapping phase specifically parses existing tasks to build initial memory files【productivity/skills/start/SKILL.md†L14-L32】.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}