/research-brief

name: research-brief
description: >
  Create an automation that writes a recurring research brief. Uses Tavily
  MCP for web research and Notion MCP to publish the final brief with
  executive summary, implications, and source citations.
triggers:
  - /research-brief:setup

Research Brief Writer Automation

Set up a recurring automation that researches a topic and publishes a brief to Notion.

---

Prerequisites

Required integrations

Both MCP integrations must be installed in Settings → MCP:

• **Tavily MCP** — for web research and source gathering
• **Notion MCP** — to publish the research brief

Information to collect

Ask the user for:

1. **Topic** — what should be researched (e.g. "AI code review tools", "competitor pricing changes") 2. **Keywords and competitors** — specific terms, companies, or products to track 3. **Source quality rules** — any preferences on source types (e.g. prefer academic papers, exclude social media) 4. **Cadence** — how often should the brief run? (daily, weekly, bi-weekly) 5. **Notion destination** — which Notion database or page should receive the brief 6. **Citation style** — inline links, footnotes, or a references section 7. **Brief structure** — default: Executive Summary, Key Findings, Implications, Recommended Actions, Sources

---

Setup Workflow

Step 1 — Verify MCP access

Test each integration:

Use the Tavily MCP to search for a sample topic.
Use the Notion MCP to search for the destination database.

If any fail, tell the user which integration needs to be installed first.

Step 2 — Configure the schedule

Based on the user's cadence preference, build a cron schedule:

• Daily: `0 8 * * 1-5` (weekday mornings)
• Weekly: `0 9 * * 1` (Monday morning)
• Bi-weekly: `0 9 1,15 * *` (1st and 15th)

Ask for timezone preference.

Step 3 — Build the research prompt

Construct a prompt that includes:

• Research topic and keywords
• Competitor/entity tracking list
• Source quality preferences
• Brief structure template
• Notion destination details
• Citation format

Step 4 — Create the automation

Set `OPENHANDS_HOST` and `AUTH_HEADER` for the request below:

• **OpenHands Cloud or Enterprise** - a `<HOST>` value is in your system prompt: use it as `OPENHANDS_HOST`, with `AUTH_HEADER="Authorization: Bearer $OPENHANDS_API_KEY"`
• **Local Agent Canvas** - an **Automation backend** is listed in `<RUNTIME_SERVICES>`: use its `url_from_agent` as `OPENHANDS_HOST`, with `AUTH_HEADER="X-Session-API-Key: $OPENHANDS_AUTOMATION_API_KEY"`

Use the **prompt preset** endpoint:

curl -s -X POST "${OPENHANDS_HOST}/api/automation/v1/preset/prompt" \
  -H "$AUTH_HEADER" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Research Brief Writer",
    "prompt": "<constructed research prompt>",
    "trigger": {"type": "cron", "schedule": "<schedule>", "timezone": "<tz>"}
  }'

PowerShell note: use `curl.exe` for this exact flag syntax, and replace `${OPENHANDS_HOST}` / `$AUTH_HEADER` with `$env:OPENHANDS_HOST` / `$env:AUTH_HEADER` if running it natively.

Step 5 — Confirm

Tell the user: > ✅ **Research Brief Writer** is running! > > - Automation ID: `{id}` > - Topic: `{topic}` > - Schedule: `{cron description}` > - Notion destination: `{destination}` > - Citation style: `{style}`