feat(desktop): explain why automatic work did not start in inbox activity

products/desktop/packages/api-client/src/posthog-client.test.ts

@@ -2669,6 +2669,16 @@ describe("PostHogAPIClient", () => {
         task_id: "t1",
         created_by: null,
       },
+      {
+        id: "a15",
+        type: "autostart_skip",
+        content: {
+          skip_reason: "blocked_by_dependency",
+          linked_report_id: "8f7c9d2e-1b3a-4c5d-9e6f-0a1b2c3d4e5f",
+          detail: "Work starts when the dependency report closes.",
+        },
+        created_at: "2026-06-01T00:00:14Z",
+      },
     ];
 
     it("normalizes every backend artefact type without dropping rows", async () => {

products/desktop/packages/api-client/src/posthog-client.ts

@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ import {
 } from "@posthog/shared";
 import type {
   ActionabilityJudgmentArtefact,
+  AutostartSkipArtefact,
+  AutostartSkipReason,
   AvailableSuggestedReviewer,
   AvailableSuggestedReviewersResponse,
   ChannelFeedMessage,
@@ -78,6 +80,7 @@ import type {
   TaskThreadMessage,
   UserBasic,
 } from "@posthog/shared/domain-types";
+import { AUTOSTART_SKIP_REASON_LABELS } from "@posthog/shared/domain-types";
 import { buildPosthogProjectHeaderRecord } from "@posthog/shared/posthog-property-headers";
 import {
   spaceSetupInputSchema,
@@ -1359,7 +1362,8 @@ type AnyArtefact =
   | LineReferenceArtefact
   | CommitArtefact
   | TaskRunArtefact
-  | NoteArtefact;
+  | NoteArtefact
+  | AutostartSkipArtefact;
 
 // Reasons valid on a dismissal artefact. Resolve reasons are included because the
 // backend stores resolve feedback on the same artefact type (a resolve writes a
@@ -1701,6 +1705,32 @@ function normalizeNoteArtefact(
   };
 }
 
+const AUTOSTART_SKIP_REASONS = new Set<string>(
+  Object.keys(AUTOSTART_SKIP_REASON_LABELS),
+);
+
+function normalizeAutostartSkipArtefact(
+  value: Record<string, unknown>,
+): AutostartSkipArtefact | null {
+  const id = optionalString(value.id);
+  if (!id) return null;
+  const c = isObjectRecord(value.content) ? value.content : null;
+  if (!c) return null;
+  const skipReason = optionalString(c.skip_reason);
+  if (!skipReason || !AUTOSTART_SKIP_REASONS.has(skipReason)) return null;
+
+  return {
+    id,
+    type: "autostart_skip",
+    ...artefactBase(value),
+    content: {
+      skip_reason: skipReason as AutostartSkipReason,
+      linked_report_id: optionalString(c.linked_report_id),
+      detail: optionalString(c.detail) ?? "",
+    },
+  };
+}
+
 /** Best human-readable one-liner from arbitrary artefact content. */
 function contentPreview(content: unknown): string {
   if (typeof content === "string") return content;
@@ -1801,6 +1831,11 @@ function normalizeSignalReportArtefact(value: unknown): AnyArtefact | null {
   if (dispatchType === "note") {
     return normalizeNoteArtefact(value) ?? normalizeFallbackArtefact(value);
   }
+  if (dispatchType === "autostart_skip") {
+    return (
+      normalizeAutostartSkipArtefact(value) ?? normalizeFallbackArtefact(value)
+    );
+  }
 
   const id = optionalString(value.id);
   if (!id) {

products/desktop/packages/shared/src/domain-types.ts

@@ -1020,6 +1020,35 @@ export interface NoteContent {
   author?: string | null;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Artefact with `type: "autostart_skip"` — automatic implementation was held back by
+ * a typed link to another report.
+ */
+export interface AutostartSkipArtefact extends SignalReportArtefactBase {
+  type: "autostart_skip";
+  content: AutostartSkipContent;
+}
+
+export type AutostartSkipReason =
+  | "duplicate_of"
+  | "blocked_by_dependency"
+  | "plan_parent";
+
+export interface AutostartSkipContent {
+  skip_reason: AutostartSkipReason;
+  /** The report that held this one back, when one report decided it. */
+  linked_report_id: string | null;
+  /** One line that names what has to happen before work starts. */
+  detail: string;
+}
+
+export const AUTOSTART_SKIP_REASON_LABELS: Record<AutostartSkipReason, string> =
+  {
+    duplicate_of: "Duplicate",
+    blocked_by_dependency: "Waiting on a dependency",
+    plan_parent: "Tracked by other reports",
+  };
+
 /** Response from the `commit` artefact diff endpoint — the commit rendered against its parent. */
 export interface CommitDiffResponse {
   /** Unified diff (patch) text introduced by the commit. */
@@ -1123,7 +1152,8 @@ export type AnySignalReportArtefact =
   | LineReferenceArtefact
   | CommitArtefact
   | TaskRunArtefact
-  | NoteArtefact;
+  | NoteArtefact
+  | AutostartSkipArtefact;
 
 export interface SignalReportArtefactsResponse {
   results: AnySignalReportArtefact[];

products/desktop/packages/ui/src/features/inbox/components/detail/ArtefactLogList.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import type {
+  AutostartSkipArtefact,
+  AutostartSkipContent,
+} from "@posthog/shared/types";
+import { fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+const openReport = vi.fn();
+vi.mock("@posthog/ui/features/inbox/hooks/useOpenInboxReport", () => ({
+  useOpenInboxReport: () => openReport,
+}));
+
+import { ArtefactLogList } from "./ArtefactLogList";
+
+function autostartSkip(content: AutostartSkipContent): AutostartSkipArtefact {
+  return {
+    id: "skip-1",
+    type: "autostart_skip",
+    created_at: "2026-06-01T00:00:00Z",
+    content,
+  };
+}
+
+describe("ArtefactLogList", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    openReport.mockReset();
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["duplicate_of", "Duplicate"],
+    ["blocked_by_dependency", "Waiting on a dependency"],
+    ["plan_parent", "Tracked by other reports"],
+  ] as const)(
+    "explains an autostart skip for %s",
+    (skipReason, reasonLabel) => {
+      render(
+        <ArtefactLogList
+          reportId="report-1"
+          artefacts={[
+            autostartSkip({
+              skip_reason: skipReason,
+              linked_report_id: null,
+              detail: "Work starts when the other report closes.",
+            }),
+          ]}
+        />,
+      );
+
+      expect(screen.getByText("Work not started")).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(screen.getByText(reasonLabel)).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(
+        screen.getByText("Work starts when the other report closes."),
+      ).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(screen.queryByText("No preview available.")).toBeNull();
+      expect(screen.queryByText("Open related report")).toBeNull();
+    },
+  );
+
+  it("opens the linked report in the app", () => {
+    render(
+      <ArtefactLogList
+        reportId="report-1"
+        artefacts={[
+          autostartSkip({
+            skip_reason: "duplicate_of",
+            linked_report_id: "report-2",
+            detail: "This report duplicates another open report.",
+          }),
+        ]}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("Open related report"));
+
+    expect(openReport).toHaveBeenCalledWith("report-2");
+  });
+});

products/desktop/packages/ui/src/features/inbox/components/detail/ArtefactLogList.tsx

@@ -1,29 +1,33 @@
 import {
+  ArrowRightIcon,
   ArrowSquareOutIcon,
   CaretDownIcon,
   CaretRightIcon,
 } from "@phosphor-icons/react";
 import { attributionLabel } from "@posthog/core/inbox/activityLog";
-import type {
-  ActionabilityJudgmentContent,
-  AnySignalReportArtefact,
-  CodeReferenceContent,
-  CommitContent,
-  DismissalContent,
-  LineReferenceContent,
-  NoteContent,
-  PriorityJudgmentContent,
-  SafetyJudgmentContent,
-  SignalFindingContent,
-  SignalReportArtefactContent,
-  SuggestedReviewer,
-  TaskRunArtefactContent,
+import {
+  type ActionabilityJudgmentContent,
+  type AnySignalReportArtefact,
+  AUTOSTART_SKIP_REASON_LABELS,
+  type AutostartSkipContent,
+  type CodeReferenceContent,
+  type CommitContent,
+  type DismissalContent,
+  type LineReferenceContent,
+  type NoteContent,
+  type PriorityJudgmentContent,
+  type SafetyJudgmentContent,
+  type SignalFindingContent,
+  type SignalReportArtefactContent,
+  type SuggestedReviewer,
+  type TaskRunArtefactContent,
 } from "@posthog/shared/types";
 import { MarkdownRenderer } from "@posthog/ui/features/editor/components/MarkdownRenderer";
 import { ArtefactCommit } from "@posthog/ui/features/inbox/components/detail/ArtefactCommit";
 import { ArtefactTaskRun } from "@posthog/ui/features/inbox/components/detail/ArtefactTaskRun";
 import { SignalReportActionabilityBadge } from "@posthog/ui/features/inbox/components/utils/SignalReportActionabilityBadge";
 import { SignalReportPriorityBadge } from "@posthog/ui/features/inbox/components/utils/SignalReportPriorityBadge";
+import { useOpenInboxReport } from "@posthog/ui/features/inbox/hooks/useOpenInboxReport";
 import { CodeBlock } from "@posthog/ui/primitives/CodeBlock";
 import { HighlightedCode } from "@posthog/ui/primitives/HighlightedCode";
 import { RelativeTimestamp } from "@posthog/ui/primitives/RelativeTimestamp";
@@ -51,6 +55,7 @@ const TYPE_LABELS: Record<string, string> = {
   suggested_reviewers: "Reviewers suggested",
   repo_selection: "Repo selected",
   dismissal: "Report dismissed",
+  autostart_skip: "Work not started",
   video_segment: "Video segment",
 };
 
@@ -236,6 +241,31 @@ function ReviewersBody({ reviewers }: { reviewers: SuggestedReviewer[] }) {
   );
 }
 
+function AutostartSkipBody({ content }: { content: AutostartSkipContent }) {
+  const openReport = useOpenInboxReport();
+  const linkedReportId = content.linked_report_id;
+  return (
+    <Flex direction="column" gap="1">
+      <Flex align="center" gap="2" wrap="wrap">
+        <Badge color="gray" variant="soft">
+          {AUTOSTART_SKIP_REASON_LABELS[content.skip_reason]}
+        </Badge>
+        {linkedReportId ? (
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={() => void openReport(linkedReportId)}
+            className="inline-flex items-center gap-0.5 text-[12px] text-gray-9 hover:text-gray-11"
+          >
+            Open related report
+            <ArrowRightIcon size={10} />
+          </button>
+        ) : null}
+      </Flex>
+      <RelevanceNote note={content.detail} />
+    </Flex>
+  );
+}
+
 function ArtefactBody({
   reportId,
   artefact,
@@ -378,6 +408,10 @@ function ArtefactBody({
         </Flex>
       );
     }
+    case "autostart_skip":
+      return (
+        <AutostartSkipBody content={artefact.content as AutostartSkipContent} />
+      );
     default: {
       const c = artefact.content as SignalReportArtefactContent | null;
       const text = typeof c?.content === "string" ? c.content : "";