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feat(agents): add symmetric cross-system handoff to GitHub Backlog Manager#952

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AhmedMustafa249:feat/symmetric-cross-system-handoffs-to-memory-agent-and-document-integration
Mar 13, 2026
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feat(agents): add symmetric cross-system handoff to GitHub Backlog Manager#952
WilliamBerryiii merged 3 commits intomicrosoft:mainfrom
AhmedMustafa249:feat/symmetric-cross-system-handoffs-to-memory-agent-and-document-integration

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Description

Added a symmetric 🚀 Continue with Backlog handoff to the memory agent targeting GitHub Backlog Manager, completing the round-trip between session persistence and backlog management workflows. Previously, the memory agent only surfaced an RPI continuation path; users restoring a backlog session had no direct return route. This PR closes that gap by adding the handoff entry, creating the matching github-suggest return prompt, updating both documentation guides with a Session Persistence section, and regenerating the affected plugin outputs.

Agent and Prompt

  • Added 🚀 Continue with Backlog handoff to .github/agents/hve-core/memory.agent.md frontmatter with agent: GitHub Backlog Manager, prompt: "/github-suggest", and send: true, making the handoff symmetric with the existing RPI continuation path.
  • Created .github/prompts/github/github-suggest.prompt.md — a new return prompt that inspects restored session context, identifies the last completed backlog pipeline stage, summarizes completed work, and proposes the next workflow step with a ready-to-use prompt.

Collections and Plugins

  • Added the github-suggest prompt entry to collections/github.collection.yml (13 items) and collections/hve-core-all.collection.yml.

  • Regenerated plugins/github/ and plugins/hve-core-all/ outputs; both now include github-suggest.

    plugins/hve-core/agents/memory.md was regenerated in a prior commit on this branch.

Documentation

  • Inserted a ## Session Persistence section into docs/rpi/using-together.md (before ## RPI Agent: When Simplicity Fits) documenting the 💾 Save/checkpoint continue🚀 Continue with RPI round-trip.
  • Inserted a ## Session Persistence section into docs/agents/github-backlog/using-together.md (before ## End-to-End Walkthrough) documenting the Save/checkpoint continue🚀 Continue with Backlog round-trip.
  • Updated docs/agents/README.md: replaced Planned in the Utility row with [Memory Agent](github-backlog/using-together.md#session-persistence) and updated the ## Utility section body to accurately describe the Memory agent's purpose.

Related Issue(s)

Closes #506

Type of Change

Select all that apply:

Code & Documentation:

  • Bug fix (non-breaking change fixing an issue)
  • New feature (non-breaking change adding functionality)
  • Breaking change (fix or feature causing existing functionality to change)
  • Documentation update

Infrastructure & Configuration:

  • GitHub Actions workflow
  • Linting configuration (markdown, PowerShell, etc.)
  • Security configuration
  • DevContainer configuration
  • Dependency update

AI Artifacts:

  • Reviewed contribution with prompt-builder agent and addressed all feedback
  • Copilot instructions (.github/instructions/*.instructions.md)
  • Copilot prompt (.github/prompts/*.prompt.md)
  • Copilot agent (.github/agents/*.agent.md)
  • Copilot skill (.github/skills/*/SKILL.md)

Other:

  • Script/automation (.ps1, .sh, .py)
  • Other (please describe):

Sample Prompts (for AI Artifact Contributions)

User Request:

"Save my current session and then continue working on the backlog."

Execution Flow:

  1. User clicks 💾 Save in the Github Backlog Manager Agent chat which hands it off to the Memory agent — a memory file is written to .copilot-tracking/memory/YYYY-MM-DD/<description>-memory.md.
  2. User clicks 🚀 Continue with Backlog — the github-suggest prompt activates GitHub Backlog Manager.
  3. GitHub Backlog Manager inspects conversation history and any referenced memory files.
  4. Agent identifies the last completed pipeline stage (Discovery, Triage, Sprint Planning, or Execution).
  5. Agent summarizes what was completed and what planning artifacts exist, then proposes the next workflow step with a ready-to-use prompt.

Output Artifacts:

  • Memory file at .copilot-tracking/memory/YYYY-MM-DD/<description>-memory.md (from Memory Agent save).
  • GitHub Backlog Manager session with a proposed next-step prompt based on restored context.

Success Indicators:

  • GitHub Backlog Manager correctly identifies the last completed stage and proposes a contextually relevant continuation prompt.
  • If no prior backlog context is found, the agent recommends starting with Discovery and provides a sample prompt.

Testing

  • Verified the 🚀 Continue with Backlog button is present in the Memory Agent toolbar.
  • Started a Discovery session with GitHub Backlog Manager, then clicked Save on the GitHub Backlog Manager toolbar — the session handed off to the Memory Agent, which saved the session file correctly.
  • Identified a gap: the Memory Agent sometimes attempts to locate the related session file directly in .copilot-tracking/memory/, which can steer it toward the .copilot-tracking/github-issues/ folder created by the GitHub Backlog Manager instead of the correct memory file.
  • Ended the Memory Agent session and clicked 🚀 Continue with Backlog — the Memory Agent handed the task back to the GitHub Backlog Manager to continue.
  • Invoked /github-suggest without a prior discovery session file present — the agent correctly recommended starting with Discovery and provided a sample prompt.

Note

The session-file resolution gap noted above is a known limitation for a follow-up; it does not block the core handoff flow.

Checklist

Required Checks

  • Documentation is updated (if applicable)
  • Files follow existing naming conventions
  • Changes are backwards compatible (if applicable)
  • Tests added for new functionality (if applicable) (N/A — no test coverage surface for agent frontmatter)

AI Artifact Contributions

  • Used /prompt-analyze to review contribution
  • Addressed all feedback from prompt-builder review
  • Verified contribution follows common standards and type-specific requirements

Required Automated Checks

  • Markdown linting: npm run lint:md
  • Spell checking: npm run spell-check
  • Frontmatter validation: npm run lint:frontmatter
  • Skill structure validation: npm run validate:skills
  • Link validation: npm run lint:md-links
  • PowerShell analysis: npm run lint:ps

Security Considerations

  • This PR does not contain any sensitive or NDA information
  • Any new dependencies have been reviewed for security issues (N/A — no new dependencies)
  • Security-related scripts follow the principle of least privilege (N/A — no security scripts modified)

@AhmedMustafa249 AhmedMustafa249 requested a review from a team as a code owner March 9, 2026 19:28
@WilliamBerryiii WilliamBerryiii self-requested a review March 10, 2026 03:14
…nager

- add 🚀 Continue with Backlog handoff to memory.agent.md
- create github-suggest.prompt.md as return prompt for backlog resume
- add session persistence sections to rpi and github-backlog docs
- update agents README utility row; update github and hve-core-all collections
@WilliamBerryiii WilliamBerryiii force-pushed the feat/symmetric-cross-system-handoffs-to-memory-agent-and-document-integration branch from d346d06 to 9b5079a Compare March 13, 2026 18:38
WilliamBerryiii added a commit that referenced this pull request Mar 20, 2026
🤖 I have created a release *beep* *boop*
---


##
[3.2.0](hve-core-v3.1.46...hve-core-v3.2.0)
(2026-03-20)


### ✨ Features

* add -OutputPath parameter to Validate-MarkdownFrontmatter.ps1
([#1134](#1134))
([fdf1bcf](fdf1bcf)),
closes [#1006](#1006)
* add action version consistency scan workflow
([#1127](#1127))
([4229df1](4229df1))
* **agent:** MVE Experiment Designer
([#976](#976))
([70f86ca](70f86ca))
* **agents:** add ADO Backlog Manager orchestrator agent
([#800](#800))
([fae3987](fae3987))
* **agents:** add meeting analyst agent for transcript analysis using
work-iq ([#502](#502))
([5345b5b](5345b5b))
* **agents:** add quick-reference line to RPI Phase 5 suggestions
([#897](#897))
([9a90f39](9a90f39))
* **agents:** add RAI Planner, enhance SSSC Planner, and redesign
Security Planner
([#979](#979))
([06f826c](06f826c))
* **agents:** add symmetric cross-system handoff to GitHub Backlog
Manager ([#952](#952))
([ba34a35](ba34a35))
* **agents:** Functional Code Review Agent — pre-PR functional
correctness reviewer
([#733](#733))
([9cf63b7](9cf63b7))
* **build:** add Python extensions and uv 0.10.8 to devcontainer
([#920](#920))
([9ca0579](9ca0579))
* **build:** add uv ecosystem to Dependabot configuration
([#913](#913))
([2a4bd39](2a4bd39))
* **build:** enable npm pinning enforcement in dependency scan
([#838](#838))
([4e9e31f](4e9e31f))
* **build:** migrate attestation actions to v4.1.0 and add SBOM
verification docs
([#841](#841))
([ca1e65b](ca1e65b))
* **collections:** add four new validator checks (orphan, duplicate,
companion, coverage)
([#869](#869))
([1a96b73](1a96b73))
* **devcontainer,security:** add enterprise artifact hub configuration
([#1032](#1032))
([1d56d25](1d56d25))
* **docs:** add Rust coding standards and guidelines
([#809](#809))
([d4c4899](d4c4899))
* **extension:** add Microsoft logo icon to VS Code Marketplace listings
([#906](#906))
([82aca41](82aca41))
* **github:** add declarative label management
([#953](#953))
([a1a6845](a1a6845))
* **instructions:** add ADO backlog shared infrastructure
([#786](#786))
([1914078](1914078))
* **instructions:** add ADO backlog sprint planning and capacity
tracking ([#788](#788))
([d6fb77d](d6fb77d))
* **instructions:** add ADO triage workflow and prompt
([#787](#787))
([cde0190](cde0190))
* **instructions:** add shared story quality conventions and sprint
planning ([#803](#803))
([a2f18e3](a2f18e3))
* **prompts:** add ADO discovery and work item prompts with agent
routing ([#790](#790))
([7e74523](7e74523))
* **prompts:** add security review prompts
([#1118](#1118))
([ad30967](ad30967))
* **scripts:** add dynamic Python skill discovery for lint/test
([#957](#957))
([0a90f57](0a90f57))
* **scripts:** add Get-StandardTimestamp utility to CIHelpers module
([#1126](#1126))
([b273a4b](b273a4b))
* **scripts:** add Python copyright header validation
([#905](#905))
([67df902](67df902))
* **scripts:** add Python skill support to Validate-SkillStructure
([#903](#903))
([68479d9](68479d9))
* **scripts:** add workflow npm command scanning to dependency pinning
([#837](#837))
([6b5ae06](6b5ae06))
* **security:** add basic security reviewer agent with owasp skills
([#1008](#1008))
([cb1fd05](cb1fd05))
* **security:** add sigstore attestation bundles and fix
component-detection action
([#1148](#1148))
([f79c272](f79c272))
* **skills:** add Atheris fuzz harness with CI workflow integration
([#1102](#1102))
([d337e1d](d337e1d))
* **skills:** add PowerPoint automation skill with YAML-driven deck
generation ([#868](#868))
([00465cd](00465cd))
* **skills:** convert hve-core-installer agent to self-contained skill
([#846](#846))
([1d821fb](1d821fb))
* **skills:** enhance pr-reference skill with flexible filtering and
base branch detection
([#1095](#1095))
([26a32ea](26a32ea))
* **workflows:** add devcontainer infrastructure change log workflow
([#899](#899))
([8aca446](8aca446))
* **workflows:** add milestone auto-close on stable and pre-release
publishes ([#834](#834))
([79362b1](79362b1))
* **workflows:** add ms.date documentation freshness checking
([#969](#969))
([3ed441c](3ed441c))
* **workflows:** add Python linting CI workflow with Ruff
([#951](#951))
([f89f0eb](f89f0eb))
* **workflows:** add Python testing CI workflow with pytest and Codecov
([#934](#934))
([5e8306f](5e8306f))
* **workflows:** add uv and Python package sync to copilot-setup-steps
([#921](#921))
([45d517d](45d517d))


### 🐛 Bug Fixes

* **build:** override Linguist vendored flag for Python skill files
([#1155](#1155))
([0eee5b6](0eee5b6))
* **build:** override serialize-javascript to &gt;=7.0.3 for RCE fix
([#876](#876))
([e49039a](e49039a))
* **build:** resolve Pinned-Dependencies alerts for vsce npm commands in
extension workflows
([#782](#782))
([89dad9d](89dad9d))
* **build:** update undici and yauzl overrides for security audit
([#1030](#1030))
([2c2f92f](2c2f92f))
* **docs:** add CLI Plugins to install.md navigation surfaces
([#902](#902))
([79d6595](79d6595))
* **docs:** add sidebar ordering for Design Thinking documentation
([#832](#832))
([551fddc](551fddc)),
closes [#830](#830)
* **docs:** graduate design-thinking to preview and correct stale
collection references
([#831](#831))
([5110e35](5110e35))
* **docs:** include project-planning in UX Designer install guidance
([#908](#908))
([e7aa9bc](e7aa9bc))
* **docs:** remediate writing-style convention violations
([#865](#865))
([68b04bc](68b04bc))
* **docs:** remove draft content announcement banner
([#825](#825))
([b45de80](b45de80))
* **docs:** remove unbounded path-to-regexp override breaking SSG
([#1153](#1153))
([d810018](d810018))
* **docs:** use actual clone paths instead of folder display names in
multi-root workspace settings
([#984](#984))
([5dbab82](5dbab82))
* **instructions:** replace black with ruff in uv-projects
([#898](#898))
([b0c06d9](b0c06d9))
* **scripts:** cover .github/ skill files in copyright header validation
([#1055](#1055))
([#1098](#1098))
([27fbd33](27fbd33))
* **scripts:** eliminate phantom git changes from plugin generation
([#1035](#1035))
([e49a1b5](e49a1b5))
* **scripts:** enable JSON log output for lint:version-consistency
([#1033](#1033))
([52b0885](52b0885))
* **security:** calculate compliance score from total scanned
dependencies ([#930](#930))
([c112c3d](c112c3d))
* **skills:** add AST validation and namespace restriction for
content-extra.py
([#1027](#1027))
([c50c7a3](c50c7a3))
* **skills:** add depth limits to recursive PowerPoint processing
functions ([#1028](#1028))
([bf08994](bf08994))
* **skills:** harden XML parsing and blob writes in powerpoint extract
([#1053](#1053))
([89d24b1](89d24b1))
* **skills:** resolve ruff lint and format violations in powerpoint
skill ([#1048](#1048))
([17bbe7a](17bbe7a))
* **workflows:** add uv.lock dependencies submission have fork-skip
condition ([#1109](#1109))
([dec56ac](dec56ac))
* **workflows:** automate weekly SHA staleness check with issue creation
([#975](#975))
([1ea4caa](1ea4caa))
* **workflows:** close Codecov integration gaps for Pester and pytest
flags ([#1106](#1106))
([cca29b7](cca29b7))
* **workflows:** propagate uv sync errors in copilot-setup-steps
([#961](#961))
([df88d7c](df88d7c))
* **workflows:** resolve release-please skip cascade and Python project
discovery ([#1043](#1043))
([79993e2](79993e2))
* **workflows:** scan only commit subjects for breaking change detection
([#1157](#1157))
([a38a657](a38a657))


### 📚 Documentation

* clarify HVE Core Extension vs Installer messaging across documentation
([#965](#965))
([0fceb8f](0fceb8f))
* **docs:** add ADO integration user documentation
([#935](#935))
([ec89302](ec89302))
* **docs:** add Project Planning agent documentation
([#936](#936))
([3a3a0fd](3a3a0fd))
* **onboarding:** overhaul marketplace onboarding and documentation site
([#982](#982))
([4309e10](4309e10))


### ♻️ Refactoring

* **build:** merge code-review collection into coding-standards
([#863](#863))
([8027e7b](8027e7b))
* **workflows:** rename release pipeline workflows and add marketplace
automation triggers
([#829](#829))
([b6397f4](b6397f4))


### 🔧 Maintenance

* **build:** add clean:logs npm script
([#1122](#1122))
([f85fe02](f85fe02)),
closes [#988](#988)
* **build:** add JSON reporter for cspell
([#1123](#1123))
([6d59f67](6d59f67))
* **ci:** add multi-arch support to copilot-setup-steps binary downloads
([#955](#955))
([8d0c706](8d0c706))
* **deps-dev:** bump cspell from 9.6.4 to 9.7.0 in the npm-dependencies
group ([#839](#839))
([3fa16ff](3fa16ff))
* **deps:** bump actions/dependency-review-action from 4.8.3 to 4.9.0 in
the github-actions group across 1 directory
([#942](#942))
([1a9b858](1a9b858))
* **deps:** bump cairosvg from 2.8.2 to 2.9.0 in
/.github/skills/experimental/powerpoint
([#1025](#1025))
([f4deda7](f4deda7))
* **deps:** bump dompurify from 3.3.1 to 3.3.2 in /docs/docusaurus
([#924](#924))
([d2060d6](d2060d6))
* **deps:** bump svgo from 3.3.2 to 3.3.3 in /docs/docusaurus
([#880](#880))
([6dc2406](6dc2406))
* **deps:** bump the github-actions group across 1 directory with 4
updates ([#1100](#1100))
([2290dc0](2290dc0))
* **deps:** bump the github-actions group with 6 updates
([#840](#840))
([f57bc01](f57bc01))
* **docs:** correct New-MsDateReport table rendering and refresh stale
docs ([#1114](#1114))
([c2b806f](c2b806f))
* **settings:** remove orphaned Checkov config and stale gitignore
entries ([#870](#870))
([98fcd74](98fcd74))

---
This PR was generated with [Release
Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See
[documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).

---------

Co-authored-by: hve-core-release-please[bot] <254602402+hve-core-release-please[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Bill Berry <wberry@microsoft.com>
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Add symmetric cross-system handoffs to memory agent and document integration

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