> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://portavi.gitbook.io/portavi-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://portavi.gitbook.io/portavi-docs/tracking-delivery/flagged-items.md).

# Flagged items and signals

## Flagged items

<figure><picture><source srcset="https://4189291014-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fx6fERvLd0cQQBYlynE5O%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-38b695819bb773bdf098a0ba0d8defd9a2974b2d%2Fproject-flagged-items-dark.png?alt=media" media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)"><img src="https://4189291014-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fx6fERvLd0cQQBYlynE5O%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d45ddc7aa4e8d5aaefe7749149e1429451825a40%2Fproject-flagged-items.png?alt=media" alt="A project&#x27;s flagged items, each with a badge per reason"></picture><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

After every sync, Portavi examines the tasks it just pulled and flags the ones that need attention. Three rules are built in:

| Flag                    | Raised when                                                                                                                   | Applies to  |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- |
| **High-priority to-do** | The task is in a *To Do* status **and** its priority is high, highest or critical (on Microsoft Planner, urgent or important) | All types   |
| **Past due**            | Its due date has passed and it is not done                                                                                    | All types   |
| **Cycle time exceeded** | It has been in progress longer than the target cycle time                                                                     | Kanban only |

On top of these, your workspace and each project can add **custom flags**: a task moving from QA back to To do, a `blocked` label, `hotfix` in the title, each with its own name, colour and icon. See [Custom flags](/portavi-docs/tracking-delivery/custom-flags.md).

### One task, one flag

A task counts once however many rules it breaks. A task that is past due **and** blocked is one flagged item with two reasons: it is listed once with both badges, it counts once towards your flag-count threshold, and it counts once in every total. The per-reason breakdowns count each reason, so a task with two reasons appears under both, and those figures can add up to more than the total.

### Built-in flags stay current

Built-in flags are recalculated on every sync, not accumulated. A task that is no longer overdue loses its flag. One that is still overdue has its value refreshed ("3 days overdue" becomes "4 days overdue") while keeping the date it was first raised, so you can see how long something has been a problem.

Custom flags work differently: they stay until the task is done. See [When a flag clears](/portavi-docs/tracking-delivery/custom-flags.md#when-a-flag-clears).

### Where flagged items appear

* On a project's Overview tab, listed individually
* Feeding into the project's [health status](/portavi-docs/tracking-delivery/health-statuses.md), if your flag-count threshold is reached
* Counted on the Overview dashboard

## Chat signals

Signals are the other half of early warning, and work quite differently.

They come from your connected chat tool: a keyword in a Slack, Teams or Google Chat message mapped to a project. Each records its type (blocker, delay, urgency, issue or progress), who sent it, when, and a link back to the message.

Signals appear in the project's **Activity** tab.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**A chat signal never changes a project's health, and never becomes a flagged item.** The two systems are deliberately separate: flagged items come from task data and are factual; signals come from conversation and are indicative. A signal tells a person to go and look.
{% endhint %}

See [Communication tools](/portavi-docs/connecting-your-tools/communication-tools.md) for setup.