> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.meet-ariel.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Assignments

> Track outcomes with context — what assignments are and how to use them

<Badge color="blue">Core concept</Badge>

Assignments are tasks that you or Ariel set up to track a specific outcome. Think of them as lightweight, context‑rich instructions with a clear goal — like booking a meeting with a friend, confirming a detail, or following up on a proposal.

## Why assignments

* Keep important outcomes from getting lost in messages or calls
* Centralize context (contacts, goal, deadline, preferences) in one place
* Let Ariel act on your behalf with approvals and guardrails
* Perfect for recurring workflows you delegate often

## How assignments work

<Steps>
  <Step title="Define the outcome">
    Describe the goal (e.g., “Book lunch with Alex next week”) and add key details like timeframe, location preferences, and must‑haves.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add context">
    Attach contacts, relevant threads, or notes. Ariel uses this to personalize reach‑outs and proposals.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Act & track">
    Ariel drafts messages, proposes times, and updates the assignment as steps are completed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete">
    When the goal is reached (meeting scheduled, confirmation received), the assignment is closed with a summary.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Examples

<CardGroup cols="3">
  <Card title="Book a meeting" icon="calendar">
    Goal: Lunch with Alex next week. Context: weekdays, near the office, 60 minutes. Ariel proposes times, confirms, and sends the invite.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Gather information" icon="inbox">
    Goal: Get pricing details from Vendor X. Context: plan size, timeline, budget guardrails. Ariel messages the vendor and logs the response.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Follow‑up on proposal" icon="message">
    Goal: Nudge after 3 days if no reply. Context: polite tone, share one‑pager link. Ariel schedules the follow‑up and sends it automatically.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Tips

* Be specific about goals, constraints, and tone — better input → better outcomes
* Add contacts and threads so Ariel can personalize and maintain context
* Start with approvals on; increase autonomy for trusted scenarios over time

<Info>
  Assignments work across channels (calls, messages, email, calendar). They provide a shared source of truth so you and Ariel stay in sync on next steps and outcomes.
</Info>