Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Review Overdue Tasks agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The Review Overdue Tasks skill lets an AI agent check your Google Tasks lists for unfinished items whose due dates have passed, then rank them so you know what to deal with first. It is for people who keep their to-dos in Google Tasks and want a quick overdue check or a way to work through a backlog. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it, and what it needs to run.
Review Overdue Tasksgoogleworkspace/cli · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install the gws tool. Install the gws command-line tool (Google Workspace CLI) and confirm it runs on your machine.
- 2Authenticate your Google account. Authorise the Google account whose tasks you want to review for Google Tasks access through gws.
- 3Install the gws-tasks companion skill. Make sure the gws-tasks skill is available, because this skill depends on it.
- 4Download and unzip the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
- 5Ask for an overdue check. Request overdue or past-due tasks in plain language, for example asking which unfinished tasks are most urgent.
- 6Review the prioritised list. Read the agent's ranked list of overdue tasks and decide which to handle first.
What the Review Overdue Tasks skill makes the agent do
An agent skill is a set of instructions and files that tells an AI agent how to handle a particular kind of task. This one covers a single job: finding Google Tasks that are past due and need attention.
When the skill is active, the agent uses the gws command-line tool to look through your task lists and pull up the tasks you have not finished. It then goes through their due dates and reasons over the results to show which tasks are overdue and should be handled first.
- It runs a few list commands against your Google Tasks, which are read-only operations according to the skill's design.
- It reads only unfinished tasks, because the listing command is set to exclude completed ones.
- It depends on the companion skill gws-tasks for the underlying Google Tasks access.
Install the Review Overdue Tasks skill
Download the skill ZIP file from the page where you found this guide. Unzip it into one of the following locations, depending on how you want to use it.
For a personal setup available across your projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. To limit it to one project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
If you use the Claude apps instead, you can upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills rather than unzipping it yourself.
The package contains a single file, SKILL.md. You will also need the gws-tasks companion skill installed, because this skill loads it as a prerequisite.
- Personal use: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the skill
~/.claude/skills/Set up the gws tool and your Google account
The skill cannot read your tasks without the gws command-line tool (Google Workspace CLI). Install it first and make sure it is authenticated with a Google account that has been authorised for Google Tasks access through gws.
If gws is missing or not authorised, the skill has nothing to read from. Check this before you start troubleshooting the skill itself.
- Install the gws command-line tool and confirm it runs on your machine.
- Authenticate gws with the Google account whose tasks you want to review.
- Confirm the account has Google Tasks access through gws.
- Make sure the gws-tasks companion skill is also available to the agent.
Ask the agent for an overdue check
You do not need to type a command name. Ask in plain language and the agent should recognise a request about overdue or past-due tasks and load this skill. Be specific about what you want, such as a full review or only a particular list.
The skill's own workflow is short. The agent first lists your task lists, then lists the unfinished tasks in the list you choose, and then reviews the due dates to prioritise overdue items.
- "Show me my overdue Google Tasks."
- "Which unfinished tasks are past due? Put the most urgent first."
- "Triage the backlog in my work task list by due date."
- "Go through my task lists and tell me what I should deal with today."
gws tasks tasklists list --format tableUnderstand what the agent runs
The skill's steps show the exact commands the agent is expected to use. Reading them helps you judge what will happen on your account.
The first command lists your task lists. The second lists tasks from one list, with completed tasks excluded. The agent then replaces the placeholder TASKLIST_ID with the ID of the list it is working on.
- Step 1 lists task lists in table format.
- Step 2 lists tasks from a given list with showCompleted set to false, so only unfinished tasks appear.
- Step 3 is reasoning: the agent reviews the due dates and prioritises overdue items.
gws tasks tasks list --params '{"tasklist": "TASKLIST_ID", "showCompleted": false}' --format tableSafety notes: scripts and network access
This skill runs scripts and uses the network. The gws commands send requests to Google on your behalf, so they access the Google account you have authenticated. Only install skills you trust and check what they run.
The skill as described is built around read-only list commands. Its own steps do not create, edit or complete tasks. Still, review the SKILL.md file before you install it if your tasks contain sensitive information.
- Runs scripts: yes. Uses network: yes.
- Access is limited to the Google account authorised through gws.
- Keep your gws credentials private and only authorise accounts you intend to use with agents.
What people use it for
- Starting the day with a list of unfinished Google Tasks that are already past due.
- Working through a large backlog of tasks by urgency rather than by the order they were added.
- Checking one specific task list, such as a work or household list, for overdue items.
- Getting a quick summary of what needs attention before a weekly planning session.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the Review Overdue Tasks agent skill?
Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for a single project. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What do I need before this skill works?
You need the gws command-line tool (Google Workspace CLI), the gws-tasks companion skill, and a Google account authorised for Google Tasks access through gws. Without gws installed and authenticated, the skill cannot read your tasks.
Is the Review Overdue Tasks skill free?
The skill is published under the Apache-2.0 licence. This page does not state a price for the gws tool or for any agent product you use alongside it, so check those separately.
Does this skill change or delete my tasks?
The skill's steps are list commands that read your task lists and unfinished tasks, and the agent then reasons over the results. The skill does not describe any step that edits, completes or deletes tasks.
Can I use this skill with Asana or Trello?
No. This skill only works with Google Tasks through the gws tool. It does not touch other task managers such as Asana or Trello.
Why does the agent say it cannot find my tasks?
The most likely cause is that the gws tool is not installed or not authenticated for the right Google account, or the gws-tasks companion skill is missing. Check those first, then ask again.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you keep your to-dos in Google Tasks, already have the gws tool set up, and want an agent to pull out overdue items and rank them. Pick something else if you use another task manager like Asana or Trello, or if you do not want an agent running scripts and network calls against your Google account.
Download the skill