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Planning And Deliverables

The platform can break larger requests into a visible plan with deliverables. Planning is useful when the work has multiple steps, needs external tools, depends on files, or could consume meaningful usage.

When a plan appears​

A plan may appear when the platform needs to:

  • Research before producing an answer.
  • Create files, tables, reports, or other deliverables.
  • Use tools or connected apps in a sequence.
  • Ask for approvals or credentials.
  • Coordinate with another agent.
  • Turn an ongoing responsibility into repeatable work.

Small questions may not need a plan.

What to check​

Before letting a large plan run, check:

  • Goal: Is the plan solving the right problem?
  • Inputs: Does it reference the right files, apps, contacts, or sources?
  • Boundaries: Does it avoid external communication or sensitive actions unless approved?
  • Deliverables: Are the expected outputs concrete enough?
  • Cadence: Is ongoing work intentional, with a clear timing?
  • Cost: Is the likely usage appropriate for the value?

How to steer a plan​

You can steer planning with plain language:

  • "Make this a one-time research pass, not ongoing monitoring."
  • "Turn the final output into a two-page leadership brief."
  • "Use only the uploaded spreadsheet and our public pricing page."
  • "Ask before contacting customers."
  • "Do the first two steps, then wait for review."
  • "Skip the app connection for now."

If the plan is wrong, correct it early. A short clarification can prevent wasted work.

Deliverable quality​

Good deliverables are explicit. Instead of asking for "an analysis," ask for:

  • A table with named columns.
  • A brief with sections.
  • A list of risks with owners and next actions.
  • A generated file.
  • A JSON object for handoff to another system.
  • A summary with sources or file references.

For developer JSON output, see Structured Data.

Ongoing work​

If you want recurring work, say so clearly:

  • "Send a weekly update every Friday morning."
  • "Check this dashboard daily and summarize only material changes."
  • "Monitor this inbox for support escalations."

If you do not want recurring work, say that too:

  • "This is one-time setup only."
  • "Do not schedule recurring checks."
  • "Prepare the team, but do not start ongoing outreach."

Meta Agent and ordinary agents should make recurring behavior visible before it becomes part of the work.

If a plan stalls​

Check the timeline for:

  • Pending human input.
  • A credential request.
  • A contact approval request.
  • A file or app access problem.
  • Usage limits.
  • A stopped run or paused agent.

Then respond with the missing input or narrow the request.

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