Inbox and changes
While working on a task, you or the agent may find another problem. Record it
in .helmit/INBOX.md so it is not lost, then continue the current work. For
example: “Add this to the Inbox: the help link on the export screen does not
open.” Recording it does not yet authorize fixing the link or change the task
in progress.
Record first, decide later
Section titled “Record first, decide later”A useful entry says where the problem appeared, what happened, and what was expected. It can be short; it does not need a proposed solution. If the finding creates a safety risk or invalidates the current delivery, the agent addresses that impact before continuing.
You can ask for triage at any time. At delivery boundaries, /helmit:next
reports how many items are pending and may offer triage; it is not a mandatory
stage. For each item, you and the agent choose an explicit destination:
The active Inbox holds unresolved items, including those already routed to a
phase. The backlog, in the same file, holds items deliberately deferred
after being judged valid. An item leaves only after its destination or closure
reason is recorded. Resolved items move to versioned history under
.helmit/history/, so normal sessions do not have to load the entire history.
When a correction becomes a CHG
Section titled “When a correction becomes a CHG”A CHG is for maintenance, copy, configuration, or a limited restoration of
behavior already expected. It has an ID such as CHG-030, a defined outcome,
and focused proof. HelmIt records it in .helmit/CHANGES.md and implements it
with the normal commit gate. It stays outside phases and does not create a
delivery spec, plan, or requirement merely to formalize a small adjustment.
If the finding calls for new behavior, changes an important commitment, or combines a larger body of work, it becomes a phase: delivery definition, implementation, and ship. Triage can recommend that route, but does not start the phase without the necessary authorization. A backlog item stays for a later decision; discard records why it will not be done.
If you directly request a correction with a clear outcome, the agent can assess the CHG route without first adding an Inbox entry. The Inbox captures what arose outside authorized work; it is not an extra stage for every correction request.
See the phase lifecycle to compare a CHG with a full delivery, and Project artifacts to find the records.