Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Summarize Status agent skill (summarize-status)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The summarize-status skill teaches an AI agent to read the state of a Paperclip project or workspace and write a short Markdown status card back to that scope's summary slot. This guide explains what an agent skill is, how to install this one, how to ask for a summary, and what to check before you run it. By the end you will be able to generate a summary and know what it can and cannot touch.
Summarize Statuspaperclipai/paperclip · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Get the summarize-status ZIP from the directory page.
- 2Unzip into a skills folder. Place it in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 3Or upload in the Claude apps. Go to Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills, and upload the ZIP.
- 4Confirm Paperclip access. Make sure your Paperclip run has its API URL and bearer token, and network access to the API.
- 5Request a scoped summary. Click Generate or Refresh on the scope's summary card, or ask for a summary of a named scope.
- 6Read the summary card. Check the one to three actions at the top, then the short status below.
What an agent skill is and what this one makes the agent do
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file that gives an AI agent specific instructions for one kind of task. When the task comes up, the agent loads those instructions and follows them.
This skill is for Paperclip, a project-management tool for coordinating AI agents. When asked, the agent reads a project, the workspaces overview, a project workspace or an execution workspace, including issues, comments and blockers. It then writes one Markdown summary as a new revision of that scope's summary slot.
The summary opens with one to three specific actions a human should take now, then a brief plain-language status of what is moving. The skill is read-and-report only: it does not change issues, reassign work or edit code.
Install the summarize-status skill
Download the ZIP for the skill from the directory page and unzip it. You can install it in one of two places.
For your user account, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps. Go to Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills, and upload the ZIP there.
- Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: the project's .claude/skills/ folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
What you need before you trigger it
The skill needs a Paperclip instance with a run-scoped API URL and bearer token, and network access to the Paperclip API. Paperclip provides these to the agent's run environment, so you do not paste them into the prompt.
The skill is written for Paperclip's summary-slot API and issue structure. It will not produce useful output for other tools.
- A Paperclip instance with a run-scoped API URL and bearer token
- Network access to the Paperclip API
Trigger the skill with a natural request
The skill is meant to run when a summary is requested for a scope. In Paperclip this happens when a board user clicks Generate or Refresh on a summary card, which creates a summary-generation issue for the agent. A paused refresh routine that an operator runs or schedules also triggers it.
You can phrase the request plainly, naming the scope you want summarized. The skill expects a scope, so a request without one should be answered by asking for a scoped generation issue.
- Click Generate or Refresh on a project's summary card
- Ask for a summary of a named project, workspaces overview, project workspace or execution workspace
- Run or enable a paused refresh routine owned by the agent
Read the output and what the agent streams
While it works, the agent posts short STATUS lines so you can see progress. The finished summary opens with the actions you need to take, then a short status paragraph with a few inline links.
If nothing needs you, the summary says so in one line and names the next thing worth watching. An empty scope gets an honest empty summary rather than invented status.
Safety notes: scripts and network access
This skill runs scripts and uses the network. Its example writes the summary by calling the Paperclip summary-slot API with a bearer token from the environment.
The instructions tell the agent not to surface secrets such as API keys or tokens that appear in issue bodies or configs, and to keep every read inside the company that owns the scope. Review the SKILL.md file before installing if you want to confirm this for yourself.
- Runs scripts: yes
- Uses network: yes
- Writes only one summary revision to the slot it was asked to summarize
What people use it for
- A manager checks a project card each morning for the one or two decisions blocking the team.
- An operator refreshes the workspaces overview before a stand-up to see what is stuck.
- A team lead reads a project workspace summary to find which issue is waiting on a human answer.
- An operator enables a paused refresh routine so the project card updates on a schedule.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the summarize-status skill?
Download the ZIP from the directory page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
What does the summarize-status skill need to run?
It needs a Paperclip instance with a run-scoped API URL and bearer token, plus network access to the Paperclip API. It is written for Paperclip's summary-slot API and issue structure, so it will not work with other tools.
Is the summarize-status skill free?
The source material for this page does not state pricing or licence terms beyond the item's MIT licence. Check the licence and your Paperclip setup for any costs that apply to you.
Can the skill change my issues or code?
No. The skill is explicitly read-and-report only. It reads the scope and writes one Markdown revision to the summary slot, and it does not change issues, reassign work or edit code.
Does the skill run scripts and use the network?
Yes. It runs scripts and uses network access to call the Paperclip summary-slot API with a bearer token from the environment. Review SKILL.md before installing if you want to check this.
What is an alternative if I do not use Paperclip?
This skill depends on Paperclip's summary-slot API and issue structure, so it is not suitable for users outside Paperclip. If you need an agent to change issues or edit code, this skill is the wrong fit because it only reads and reports.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you run Paperclip and want a quick, readable status card for a project or workspace, especially if you refresh summaries regularly. Pick something else if you need an agent to change issues, reassign work or edit code, or if you do not use Paperclip at all.
Download the skill