> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nika.sh/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Meeting actions

> T1 starter · every office job — transcript in, tracker-ready typed action items out.

> **T1 starter · every office job** — the first example with
> `infer.schema:` — the model doesn't get to answer in prose. It returns
> the JSON shape you declared, or the engine rejects it.

## The job

The meeting ended an hour ago and nobody remembers who owns what. The
transcript is sitting in a file. This workflow extracts every action
item as `{owner, task, due}` — typed, validated, importable by whatever
tracker you use.

## The shape

```mermaid theme={"system"}
flowchart LR
  transcript["transcript · nika:read"]:::invoke
  extract["extract · typed"]:::infer
  save["save · nika:write"]:::invoke
  trace["trace · nika:log"]:::invoke
  transcript --> extract
  extract --> save
  extract --> trace
  classDef infer fill:#5b8cff22,stroke:#5b8cff,color:#5b8cff
  classDef invoke fill:#22d3ee22,stroke:#22d3ee,color:#22d3ee
```

## The file

```yaml t1-meeting-actions.nika.yaml theme={"system"}
nika: v1
workflow: meeting-actions
description: "Transcript → typed action items {owner, task, due}"

model: mock/echo            # swap for openai/gpt-5.2 or any provider in the catalog

vars:
  transcript_path:
    type: string
    required: true
    description: "Path to the raw meeting transcript"

tasks:
  - id: transcript
    invoke:
      tool: "nika:read"
      args: { path: "${{ vars.transcript_path }}" }

  - id: extract
    depends_on: [transcript]
    infer:
      prompt: |
        Extract every action item from this meeting transcript ·
        ${{ tasks.transcript.output }}
      schema:                          # the contract the model must satisfy
        type: object
        required: [actions]
        properties:
          actions:
            type: array
            items:
              type: object
              required: [owner, task]
              properties:
                owner: { type: string }
                task: { type: string }
                due: { type: string }

  - id: save
    depends_on: [extract]
    invoke:
      tool: "nika:write"
      args:
        path: "./action-items.json"
        content: "${{ tasks.extract.output.actions }}"

  - id: trace
    depends_on: [extract]
    invoke:
      tool: "nika:log"
      args:
        level: info
        message: "Action items extracted to ./action-items.json"

outputs:
  actions:
    value: ${{ tasks.extract.output.actions }}
    type: array
    description: "Typed action items, tracker-ready"
```

## How it works

<Steps>
  <Step title="A required, typed input">
    `transcript_path` is declared with `type: string · required: true` —
    the engine validates inputs before any task runs, and the workflow
    becomes callable with a real contract.
  </Step>

  <Step title="The schema IS the contract">
    `infer.schema:` is standard JSON Schema. The model must return a
    matching object — on violation the engine rejects (and may retry).
    Downstream tasks index into it directly: `${{ tasks.extract.output.actions }}`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Two consumers, no extra ceremony">
    `save` writes the JSON, `trace` logs a human-readable line — both
    depend on `extract`, both run in parallel.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Constructs you just used

| Construct            | Where               | Reference                             |
| -------------------- | ------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| typed `vars:`        | `transcript_path`   | [YAML syntax](/reference/yaml-syntax) |
| `infer.schema:`      | `extract`           | [The 4 verbs](/concepts/verbs)        |
| schema-path indexing | `save.args.content` | [Bindings](/concepts/bindings)        |
| `nika:log`           | `trace`             | [Builtins](/reference/builtins)       |

## Make it yours

* Add `due` to the `required:` list if your team always sets deadlines.
* Chain a `nika:notify` task that posts each owner their items.
* Swap the transcript file for a `nika:fetch` of your meeting tool's export API — the schema doesn't change.

<Card title="Next · Price watch" icon="tag" href="/examples/price-watch">
  The next starter has zero model calls — pure tools, bindings and one
  CEL comparison.
</Card>