# Add an action item

`POST https://evohub.io/api/v1/retro/boards/{boardID}/action-items`

Part of the [Retro API](https://docs.evohub.io/retro.md) reference · operationId `createRetroActionItem`.

Adds an open action item to an active board.

- `description` is required.
- `assignee_user_id` makes a member of the organization the item's
  owner; anyone else answers **400** `ASSIGNEE_NOT_MEMBER`. `assignee`
  is a free-text name instead, for someone outside EvoHub.
- `due_at` is RFC 3339, or left out or `null` for no due date.

Requires the `retro:action:write` scope, and `retro:card:write` as
well.

## Authorization

Any one of:

- `bearerKey`
- `headerKey`

Where:

- `bearerKey`: HTTP Bearer — An EvoHub API key (`evohub_…`) as a bearer token.
- `headerKey`: API key in the header `X-API-Key` — An EvoHub API key (`evohub_…`).

## Path parameters

- `boardID` (string, required, example `brd_3f9a1c7e2b8d4a60`): The board's ID.

## Request body (required)

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `CreateActionItemRequest`

- `description` (string, required)
- `assignee` (string): A free-text owner name.
- `assignee_user_id` (string | null): An organization member who owns the item.
- `due_at` (string (date-time) | null)

## Responses

### 201 — The action item was added.

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `object`

- `success` (boolean)
- `data` (ActionItem)
  - `id` (string, example `act_5b2e8c1d9f4a7e30`)
  - `board_id` (string)
  - `description` (string)
  - `assignee` (string): A free-text owner name; `""` when none.
  - `assignee_user_id` (string | null): The organization member who owns the item.
  - `status` (string, one of `open`, `done`)
  - `created_at` (string (date-time))
  - `updated_at` (string (date-time)): When the item last changed.
  - `completed_at` (string (date-time) | null): When the item was marked done; `null` while open, and for some items done before this was recorded.
  - `due_at` (string (date-time) | null)

### 400 — The body is not JSON or `due_at` is not RFC 3339 (`INVALID_BODY`), `description` is missing or blank (`MISSING_DESCRIPTION`), or `assignee_user_id` is not a member of the organization (`ASSIGNEE_NOT_MEMBER`).

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `Error`

- `success` (boolean, value `false`): Sent by Retro itself; refusals before the request reaches Retro (401, 429) carry only `error`.
- `error` (object, required)
  - `code` (string, required, example `NOT_FOUND`)
  - `message` (string, required, example `board not found`)
  - `request_id` (string)

### 401 — No API key was sent, or it is unknown, revoked or expired (`UNAUTHORIZED`).

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `Error`

- `success` (boolean, value `false`): Sent by Retro itself; refusals before the request reaches Retro (401, 429) carry only `error`.
- `error` (object, required)
  - `code` (string, required, example `NOT_FOUND`)
  - `message` (string, required, example `board not found`)
  - `request_id` (string)

### 403 — The key lacks the scope this endpoint needs (`FORBIDDEN`).

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `Error`

- `success` (boolean, value `false`): Sent by Retro itself; refusals before the request reaches Retro (401, 429) carry only `error`.
- `error` (object, required)
  - `code` (string, required, example `NOT_FOUND`)
  - `message` (string, required, example `board not found`)
  - `request_id` (string)

### 404 — The board does not exist, or the caller cannot see it (`NOT_FOUND`).

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `Error`

- `success` (boolean, value `false`): Sent by Retro itself; refusals before the request reaches Retro (401, 429) carry only `error`.
- `error` (object, required)
  - `code` (string, required, example `NOT_FOUND`)
  - `message` (string, required, example `board not found`)
  - `request_id` (string)

### 409 — The board is closed and its content cannot change (`BOARD_CLOSED`). Reopen it first.

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `Error`

- `success` (boolean, value `false`): Sent by Retro itself; refusals before the request reaches Retro (401, 429) carry only `error`.
- `error` (object, required)
  - `code` (string, required, example `NOT_FOUND`)
  - `message` (string, required, example `board not found`)
  - `request_id` (string)

### 429 — Too many requests (`RATE_LIMITED`). Wait for `Retry-After` seconds.

Headers:

- `Retry-After` (integer): Seconds to wait before retrying.

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `Error`

- `success` (boolean, value `false`): Sent by Retro itself; refusals before the request reaches Retro (401, 429) carry only `error`.
- `error` (object, required)
  - `code` (string, required, example `NOT_FOUND`)
  - `message` (string, required, example `board not found`)
  - `request_id` (string)

### 500 — Something went wrong on EvoHub's side (`INTERNAL_ERROR`). Retry later.

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `Error`

- `success` (boolean, value `false`): Sent by Retro itself; refusals before the request reaches Retro (401, 429) carry only `error`.
- `error` (object, required)
  - `code` (string, required, example `NOT_FOUND`)
  - `message` (string, required, example `board not found`)
  - `request_id` (string)

### 503 — The owner's membership could not be checked right now (`MEMBER_CHECK_UNAVAILABLE`). Retry shortly.

Content type: `application/json`

Type: `Error`

- `success` (boolean, value `false`): Sent by Retro itself; refusals before the request reaches Retro (401, 429) carry only `error`.
- `error` (object, required)
  - `code` (string, required, example `NOT_FOUND`)
  - `message` (string, required, example `board not found`)
  - `request_id` (string)

## Example request

```bash
curl -X POST 'https://evohub.io/api/v1/retro/boards/brd_3f9a1c7e2b8d4a60/action-items' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer <TOKEN>' \
  -d '{
  "due_at": "2026-11-07T17:00:00Z",
  "description": "Add a staging smoke test before each release",
  "assignee_user_id": "usr_9c4d2f7a1e6b3058"
}'
```