NV oOS Pro Toolkit Project Management

The Pro Toolkit Project Management system is a complete project and task management solution built on WordPress Custom Post Types. It manages the full project delivery lifecycle: planning → execution → tracking → completion. All entities are stored as CPT records accessible via the toolkit_cpt MCP tool.

The system provides seven interlocking entity types: Projects define the scope and timeline, Tasks break work into trackable units, Events schedule milestones and meetings, Sprints group tasks into time-boxed iterations, Task Plans capture template-driven goal-to-task breakdowns, Task Templates define reusable task blueprints, and PM Workflow Rules automate status transitions and assignments.

WP-CLI Commands

Key mcp-ai WP-CLI commands for project management operations. Run via terminal:

Command	Use for
wp mcp-ai cron	Check PM automation cron events (deadline reminders, status transitions)
wp mcp-ai queue	Inspect PM background jobs, retry failed task assignments
wp mcp-ai bulk	Bulk import/export project tasks or task plans
wp mcp-ai health	Verify PM system health before running automations
wp mcp-ai log	View PM workflow rule execution logs

When to use this skill

Trigger when ANY of the following is true:

• Creating, updating, or searching projects, tasks, events, sprints, task plans, task templates, or workflow rules.
• Viewing a project dashboard — listing all tasks for a project, checking overdue items, reviewing project status.
• Assigning work: tasks to team members, events with attendees, projects to WP users.
• Planning a sprint — grouping tasks into a time-boxed iteration with a sprint entity.
• Scheduling milestones, deadlines, or meetings as events linked to a project.
• Generating task plans from templates — using mcp_task_template placeholders to produce mcp_task_plan records.
• Tracking effort — comparing _task_estimated_effort vs _task_actual_effort to improve estimation accuracy.
• Triaging stale work — identifying projects stuck in planning, overdue tasks, missed milestone dates.
• Setting up PM workflow rules for automatic status transitions or task assignments.
• Filtering tasks by priority, category, status, or assigned user.

Mental model — projects, tasks, events, sprints

The PM system is organized around a hierarchical structure with cross-connections:

PROJECT ──(contains)──→ TASKS ──(grouped into)──→ SPRINTS
   │                       │
   ├── events (milestones) │
   ├── task plans           ├── assigned_to (WP user)
   └── category taxonomy    ├── priority + status + category
                            ├── estimated vs actual effort
                            └── tags (comma-separated)

TASK PLAN ──(generated from)──→ TASK TEMPLATE
   │                                │
   └── _template_id reference       └── _placeholders ({{tokens}})

PM WORKFLOW RULES ── automates status transitions, assignments, and notifications

Relationships:

• A Project (mcp_ai_project) is the top-level container. Tasks, events, task plans, and sprints all reference their parent project via _task_project_id, _event_project_id, _project_id, etc.
• A Task (mcp_ai_task) is the unit of work. It belongs to a project, has a priority, status, category, assigned user, due date, and effort estimates. Tasks can be tagged and categorized via the mcp_ai_task_category taxonomy.
• An Event (mcp_ai_event) represents a scheduled occurrence — meeting, deadline, milestone, or reminder. Events can be all-day or time-specific, have a location, attendees (array of WP user IDs), and link to a project.
• A Sprint (mcp_ai_sprint) is a time-boxed work container. Group tasks into sprints via _task_project_id + filtering.
• A Task Plan (mcp_task_plan) is a goal-driven task list generated from a Task Template. It stores a _goal, _task_count, and references the source template.
• A Task Template (mcp_task_template) defines a reusable blueprint with _placeholders (e.g., {{project_name}}, {{due_date}}) that get resolved when instantiated into a Task Plan.
• PM Workflow Rules (mcp_ai_pm_wf_rule) define automation logic — status transitions, automatic assignments, deadline escalations.

Entity Types

All PM entities are managed through the toolkit_cpt MCP tool. Use the appropriate post_type slug for each entity:

CPT Slug	Label	Supports	Key Meta Fields
mcp_ai_project	Projects	title, editor, thumbnail, author	_project_status, _project_start_date, _project_end_date, _project_assigned_to
mcp_ai_task	Tasks	title, editor, author	_task_status, _task_priority, _task_category, _task_project_id, _task_due_date, _task_assigned_to, _task_tags, _task_estimated_effort, _task_actual_effort
mcp_ai_event	Events	title, editor, author	_event_start_date, _event_end_date, _event_start_time, _event_end_time, _event_all_day, _event_type, _event_location, _event_attendees, _event_project_id
mcp_ai_sprint	Sprints	title, editor, author	(no declared meta — use content for sprint goal, taxonomy for grouping)
mcp_task_plan	Task Plans	title, editor, author, custom-fields	_goal, _task_count, _project_id, _template_id
mcp_task_template	Task Templates	title, editor, excerpt, author	_category, _task_count, _placeholders
mcp_ai_pm_wf_rule	PM Workflow Rules	title, editor, author	(no declared meta — rule logic stored in content or dynamic meta)

Taxonomies: mcp_ai_project uses hierarchical mcp_ai_project_category. mcp_ai_task uses hierarchical mcp_ai_task_category.

Project Meta Fields (detailed)

Field	Type	Description	Example / Enum
_project_status	string	Current project status	"planning", "active", "on-hold", "completed", "cancelled"
_project_start_date	string	Project start date	"2026-08-01" (YYYY-MM-DD)
_project_end_date	string	Target completion date	"2026-11-15" (YYYY-MM-DD)
_project_assigned_to	array	WP user IDs assigned to the project	[1, 4, 7]

Task Meta Fields (detailed)

Field	Type	Description	Example / Enum
_task_status	string	Current task status	"todo", "in-progress", "review", "completed", "cancelled"
_task_priority	string	Priority level	"low", "medium", "high", "urgent"
_task_category	string	Functional category	"general", "bug", "feature", "maintenance", "research", "documentation", "design", "testing"
_task_project_id	integer	Parent project post ID	42
_task_due_date	string	Due date	"2026-08-15" (YYYY-MM-DD)
_task_assigned_to	integer	WordPress user ID of assignee	1
_task_tags	string	Comma-separated tag list	"frontend,urgent,client-review"
_task_estimated_effort	number	Estimated hours to complete	4.5
_task_actual_effort	number	Actual hours spent	6.0

Event Meta Fields (detailed)

Field	Type	Description	Example / Enum
_event_start_date	string	Event start date	"2026-08-14" (YYYY-MM-DD)
_event_end_date	string	Event end date	"2026-08-15" (YYYY-MM-DD)
_event_start_time	string	Event start time	"09:00" (HH:MM)
_event_end_time	string	Event end time	"10:30" (HH:MM)
_event_all_day	boolean	All-day event flag	"1" (true) or "0" (false) — stored as string
_event_type	string	Event type	"meeting", "deadline", "milestone", "reminder", "other"
_event_location	string	Physical or virtual location	"Conference Room A", "https://meet.google.com/abc-defg-hij"
_event_attendees	array	WP user IDs of attendees	[1, 4, 7]
_event_project_id	integer	Parent project post ID	42

Available Tools

All PM operations use the toolkit_cpt MCP tool. This is the single interface for all CRUD operations across all seven entity types.

Discovery

# List all available PM post types
toolkit_cpt(action: "list_types")

# Get field schema for any PM type
toolkit_cpt(action: "get_schema", post_type: "mcp_ai_project")
toolkit_cpt(action: "get_schema", post_type: "mcp_ai_task")
toolkit_cpt(action: "get_schema", post_type: "mcp_ai_event")

Reading records

// List active projects (most recent first)
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "list_items",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_project",
    "orderby": "date",
    "order": "DESC",
    "per_page": 20,
    "page": 1
  }
}

// List all tasks for a specific project
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "list_items",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_task",
    "filters": [
      { "key": "_task_project_id", "value": "42" }
    ]
  }
}

// Find high-priority overdue tasks for a project
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "list_items",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_task",
    "filters": [
      { "key": "_task_priority", "value": "urgent" },
      { "key": "_task_status", "value": "todo" },
      { "key": "_task_project_id", "value": "42" }
    ]
  }
}

// Get a single task or project with full details
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "get_item",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_task",
    "item_id": 567
  }
}

Creating records

// Create a new project
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "create_item",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_project",
    "fields": {
      "title": "Website Redesign Q3 2026",
      "content": "<h2>Overview</h2><p>Complete redesign of the marketing site...</p>",
      "_project_status": "planning",
      "_project_start_date": "2026-08-01",
      "_project_end_date": "2026-11-15",
      "_project_assigned_to": [1, 4, 7]
    }
  }
}

// Create a task linked to a project
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "create_item",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_task",
    "fields": {
      "title": "Build homepage hero component",
      "_task_status": "todo",
      "_task_priority": "high",
      "_task_category": "feature",
      "_task_project_id": 42,
      "_task_due_date": "2026-08-15",
      "_task_assigned_to": 4,
      "_task_tags": "frontend,phase-1",
      "_task_estimated_effort": 8
    }
  }
}

// Schedule a milestone event
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "create_item",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_event",
    "fields": {
      "title": "Sprint 3 Review",
      "_event_start_date": "2026-08-28",
      "_event_end_date": "2026-08-28",
      "_event_start_time": "14:00",
      "_event_end_time": "15:00",
      "_event_all_day": "0",
      "_event_type": "milestone",
      "_event_location": "https://meet.google.com/xyz-abc-def",
      "_event_attendees": [1, 4, 7],
      "_event_project_id": 42
    }
  }
}

Updating records

// Move a task to in-progress and assign
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "update_item",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_task",
    "item_id": 567,
    "fields": {
      "_task_status": "in-progress",
      "_task_assigned_to": 4
    }
  }
}

// Log actual effort and complete a task
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "update_item",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_task",
    "item_id": 567,
    "fields": {
      "_task_status": "completed",
      "_task_actual_effort": 10.5
    }
  }
}

// Change project status
{
  "name": "toolkit_cpt",
  "arguments": {
    "action": "update_item",
    "post_type": "mcp_ai_project",
    "item_id": 42,
    "fields": {
      "_project_status": "active",
      "_project_start_date": "2026-08-05"
    }
  }
}

⚠️ Warning: Deleting is permanent. For tasks, prefer _task_status: "cancelled" to preserve history. For projects, use _project_status: "cancelled" rather than deleting.

Common Workflows

Project lifecycle management

1. Create project:     create_item(mcp_ai_project, _project_status: "planning")
2. Add tasks:          create_item(mcp_ai_task, _task_project_id: <project_id>) for each work item
3. Schedule events:    create_item(mcp_ai_event, _event_project_id: <project_id>) for milestones
4. Activate:           update_item(mcp_ai_project, _project_status: "active")
5. Track progress:     list_items(mcp_ai_task, filters by _task_status) to monitor completion
6. Complete:           update_item(mcp_ai_project, _project_status: "completed")

Task management workflow

1. Discover tasks:     list_items(mcp_ai_task, filters by assignee or status)
2. Start work:         update_item(mcp_ai_task, _task_status: "in-progress")
3. Submit for review:  update_item(mcp_ai_task, _task_status: "review")
4. Complete:           update_item(mcp_ai_task, _task_status: "completed", _task_actual_effort: <hours>)
5. Cancel if needed:   update_item(mcp_ai_task, _task_status: "cancelled")

Sprint planning

1. Define sprint:   create_item(mcp_ai_sprint, title: "Sprint 4 (Aug 25 - Sep 7)")
2. Select tasks:    list_items(mcp_ai_task, filters: [{key: "_task_status", value: "todo"}])
3. Track velocity:  At sprint end, count completed tasks and sum _task_actual_effort.

Scheduling events for a project

1. Create milestones:  create_item(mcp_ai_event, _event_type: "milestone", _event_project_id: <id>)
2. Schedule meetings:  create_item(mcp_ai_event, _event_type: "meeting", _event_attendees: [1,4])
3. Set reminders:      create_item(mcp_ai_event, _event_type: "reminder", _event_project_id: <id>)
4. View timeline:      list_items(mcp_ai_event, filters: [{key: "_event_project_id", value: "<id>"}])

Task plan generation from template

1. Discover templates: list_items(mcp_task_template)
2. Read a template:    get_item(mcp_task_template, item_id: <id>)
                       → Note the _placeholders array: ["{{project_name}}", "{{launch_date}}", ...]
3. Create task plan:   create_item(mcp_task_plan, fields: {
                         "title": "Launch Plan - Client X",
                         "_goal": "Complete website launch for Client X by Sep 30",
                         "_task_count": 12,
                         "_project_id": 42,
                         "_template_id": <template_id>
                       })
4. Resolve placeholders: Use the template's _placeholders to generate actual tasks
                         via create_item(mcp_ai_task) for each template step.

PM health check / triage

1. Stale projects:     list_items(mcp_ai_project, filters: [{key: "_project_status", value: "planning"}])
                       → Projects in planning for 2+ weeks need activation or cancellation.

2. Overdue tasks:      list_items(mcp_ai_task, filters: [
                         {key: "_task_due_date", value: "<today>", compare: "<"},
                         {key: "_task_status", value: "completed", compare: "!="}
                       ])

3. Unassigned tasks:   list_items(mcp_ai_task, filters: [{key: "_task_assigned_to", compare: "NOT EXISTS"}])

4. Effort variance:    Compare _task_estimated_effort vs _task_actual_effort on completed tasks.
                       Tasks where actual > 2x estimated indicate estimation issues.

5. Upcoming deadlines: list_items(mcp_ai_event, filters: [
                         {key: "_event_start_date", value: "<today + 7 days>", compare: "<"},
                         {key: "_event_type", value: "deadline"}
                       ])

Critical Rules

• Always call get_schema first before creating or updating a record to verify available field keys and types.
• Tasks belong to a project — always set _task_project_id when creating a task. Orphan tasks (no project) can't be found in project-level views.
• Events store boolean as string — _event_all_day uses "1" / "0", not true / false.
• Dates use YYYY-MM-DD format — _project_start_date, _project_end_date, _task_due_date, _event_start_date, _event_end_date all expect this format.
• Times use HH:MM format — _event_start_time and _event_end_time expect 24-hour format (e.g., "14:00").
• _task_tags is a comma-separated string — not a JSON array. Use "frontend,urgent" not ["frontend", "urgent"].
• Effort values are numbers — _task_estimated_effort and _task_actual_effort are stored as numeric values (hours), not strings.
• _project_assigned_to and _event_attendees are arrays of integers — WordPress user IDs, not display names.
• Never delete projects or tasks — use _project_status: "cancelled" or _task_status: "cancelled" to preserve history and audit trail.
• Task Plans reference templates by ID — _template_id must point to an existing mcp_task_template record.
• Placeholders use {{double_braces}} — consistent with Pro Workflow Builder template variable syntax.

Common Mistakes

WRONG — creating a task without a project link
{ "action": "create_item", "post_type": "mcp_ai_task",
  "fields": { "title": "Fix login bug", "_task_status": "todo" } }
// Orphan task — no _task_project_id. Can't be surfaced in project views.

RIGHT — always link tasks to their project
{ "action": "create_item", "post_type": "mcp_ai_task",
  "fields": { "title": "Fix login bug", "_task_status": "todo",
  "_task_priority": "urgent", "_task_category": "bug",
  "_task_project_id": 42, "_task_assigned_to": 4 } }

WRONG — using boolean true/false for _event_all_day
{ "fields": { "_event_all_day": true } }
// Stored as "1", not 1. Booleans may serialize inconsistently.

RIGHT — use string "1" or "0"
{ "fields": { "_event_all_day": "1" } }

WRONG — passing _task_tags as a JSON array
{ "fields": { "_task_tags": ["frontend", "phase-1"] } }
// This will serialize to a PHP array in meta, not the expected comma-separated string.

RIGHT — use comma-separated string
{ "fields": { "_task_tags": "frontend,phase-1" } }

WRONG — skipping the get_schema call before creating a record
// Some meta fields may be added dynamically. Always call get_schema first.

WRONG — deleting a completed task instead of archiving
{ "action": "delete_item", "post_type": "mcp_ai_task", "item_id": 567 }
// Destroys effort data and audit trail.

RIGHT — cancel to preserve history
{ "action": "update_item", "post_type": "mcp_ai_task", "item_id": 567,
  "fields": { "_task_status": "cancelled" } }

WRONG — using date format "08/15/2026" or "2026/08/15"
// All date fields expect YYYY-MM-DD format.

WRONG — setting _task_actual_effort as a string
{ "fields": { "_task_actual_effort": "10.5" } }
// Effort fields are numeric. Use 10.5, not "10.5".

Cross-References

• Run design-crm to link projects to CRM deals or companies — track billable projects against client accounts.
• Run design-pro-workflow-builder to automate PM workflows (auto-assign tasks, escalate overdue items, generate status reports).
• Run design-pro-schedule-manager to schedule recurring PM tasks (daily standup reminders, weekly status reports, sprint retrospectives).
• Run design-document-generation to create project status reports, sprint summaries, and milestone documents from PM data.
• Run design-deep-research to research technical requirements or vendors before creating project plans.
• Run design-content-calendar to align content-related tasks with the editorial calendar.
• Run wp-security-audit on any PM automation callbacks — task assignment and project access must be capability-controlled.

What This Skill Does NOT Cover

• CRM integration (linking projects to deals/companies) — use design-crm for CRM-side operations.
• Workflow automation design — use design-pro-workflow-builder for DAG-based PM automation.
• Recurring schedule management — use design-pro-schedule-manager for cron-based PM scheduling.
• Document generation (reports, summaries) — use design-document-generation for PDF/DOCX output.
• Remote WordPress PM access — use nv_oos_console_agent_remote_wp_connection for multi-site PM.
• Time tracking beyond effort estimates — actual time logging requires a third-party time tracker.
• Gantt charts or Kanban board rendering — the toolkit_cpt tool returns structured data; visualization is handled by the Pro Toolkit admin UI.
• WP user management — user IDs referenced by _task_assigned_to, _project_assigned_to, and _event_attendees must exist in WordPress.

References

• NV oOS Pro Toolkit Project Management admin page: /wp-admin/admin.php?page=nvoos-pro-toolkit-pm
• toolkit_cpt MCP tool — the primary interface for all PM operations.
• Pro Workflow Builder: /wp-admin/admin.php?page=nvoos-pro-workflow-builder (PM automation presets)
• Pro Schedule Manager: /wp-admin/admin.php?page=nvoos-pro-schedule-manager (recurring PM tasks)