# Sidebar & Metadata
The task sidebar keeps your most-used actions within reach. Change status, reassign work, and launch agents without switching tabs or opening menus. **The control panel for your task, always visible.**

All sidebar actions apply immediately in your local workspace—no sync delays, no confirmation dialogs.

{{< thumbcard src="/images/ui/tasks/task-detail-overview.png" alt="Task sidebar showing Launch Agent, Status, and Details" caption="Launch an agent, change status, or reassign—all without leaving the page" >}}

## What this page covers

- Launch Agent section
- Status controls
- Task details (assignee, reporter, dates)
- Tags and links

## Launch Agent: one click to automation

The top of the sidebar is dedicated to what matters most: **getting work done**.

### Launcher preset

Pre-configured agent setups ready to go:

- Select from your launcher presets
- Each preset defines provider, model, and settings
- Provider icon shows which AI backend (Anthropic, Codex, Ollama)

Create presets like "Coder – Anthropic" or "Reviewer – Codex" so launching is a one-click decision.

### Options button

Need to customize? Click **Options** to adjust:

- Temperature (creativity vs. consistency)
- Additional instructions for this specific run
- Worktree configuration

### Launch button

Click the green **Launch** button and an agent starts working immediately. It inherits:

- Full task description
- All acceptance criteria
- Linked requirements from the plan
- Current checklist state
- Project context

**You don't copy prompts. You don't re-explain context.** The agent inherits task context automatically—description, requirements, acceptance criteria, checklist state, and recent activity.

See [Launching Agents](../agent-launch/) for complete configuration options.

## Status: move work forward

The status dropdown is your workflow control:

| Status | When to use |
|--------|-------------|
| **Backlog** | Captured, not yet prioritized |
| **To Do** | Ready for this sprint |
| **In Progress** | Actively being worked |
| **In Review** | Submitted for review |
| **Verified** | Review approved |
| **Done** | Complete |

Click the badge, select the new status, done. Changes log to Activity automatically.

> [!TIP]
> **Moving to Done?** Check that all checklist items are green first. That's your definition of done.

## Details: the essentials

### Assignee

Who owns this task right now. Click to change:

- Select registered agents (`@documentation-author`)
- Enter any handle for tracking purposes
- Set to "Unassigned" to release

**Reassigning is instant.** No forms, no confirmation dialogs.

### Reporter

Who created or reported the task. Useful for questions about requirements.

### Points

Story point estimate for capacity planning:

- Shows `—` if not set
- Common scales: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13
- Rolls up to sprint velocity tracking

### Priority

Signal urgency:

- **Unspecified** — Default
- **Low** — Nice to have
- **Medium** — Normal priority
- **High** — Important
- **Urgent** — Drop everything

### Updated / Created

Timestamps that answer "when did this last change?" and "how old is this task?"

## Tags: organize your way

Add labels for categorization:

- Feature areas: `auth`, `billing`, `ui`
- Task types: `bug`, `feature`, `refactor`
- Work areas: `frontend`, `backend`, `infra`

Tags filter in the task list. Use them to slice work however you organize it.

## Links: connect external resources

Associate relevant URLs:

- **Pull requests** — Link to the PR implementing this task
- **Design docs** — Figma, Notion, Google Docs
- **API specs** — OpenAPI, GraphQL schemas
- **Related issues** — GitHub, Linear, Jira

Each link has a kind (PR, doc, design) and optional label. **Everything related to the task, accessible from one place.**

## When the sidebar appears

The sidebar is visible on the **Overview** tab by default. On other tabs:

| Tab | Sidebar content |
|-----|-----------------|
| **Overview** | Full sidebar (Launch, Status, Details, Tags, Links) |
| **Comments** | Hidden (full-width for discussion) |
| **Reviews** | Hidden (full-width for review content) |
| **Agent Sessions** | Session analytics + launcher panel |
| **Activity** | Hidden (full-width timeline) |
| **Metadata** | Properties shown inline instead |

The sidebar adapts to what you're doing.

## Quick workflows

### Reassign a stuck task (10 seconds)

1. Click **Assignee**
2. Select new owner
3. Add a comment explaining why (optional but helpful)

Done. No status change needed.

### Bump to urgent (5 seconds)

1. Click **Priority**
2. Select **Urgent**
3. Status stays where it is

The task surfaces to the top of filtered views.

### Launch and forget (15 seconds)

1. Verify the launcher preset is correct
2. Click **Launch**
3. Navigate away

The agent works in the background. Check Agent Sessions tab later to see results.

## The result: control without friction

The sidebar exists because **managing tasks shouldn't feel like work**. Change status? One click. Reassign? One click. Launch an agent? One click.

This is what professional-grade task operations feels like.

## Next steps

- **[Launching Agents](../agent-launch/)** — Full guide to agent configuration
- **[Task Detail](../task-detail/)** — Understanding all six tabs

**Try it now:** Open any task, change the assignee, and watch it happen instantly. No forms. No "are you sure?" dialogs. Just done.