Guide
How to remember every promise you made on a call or in a chat
Last updated October 8, 2026
Capture each promise as a task before the call or chat ends, with the exact deliverable, owner, due date, and a link to the source. Put every promise in one open-commitment list regardless of where the conversation happened.
Review that list at the start and end of each workday. Close a promise only when the other person received the result or agreed that the commitment changed.
Or hand it to Pally
Pally is free, with almost unlimited usage limits. No app to install.
A practical approach
What to do
- 01
Define a promise
Treat a direct commitment, agreed next step, or accepted request as a promise. Listen for “I will send,” “we will check,” and “let me get back to you.” Leave general ideas out unless someone expects action, and when unsure, ask whether they expect a deliverable and by when.
- 02
Capture it in the moment
Before a call ends, read the commitment back and record it. In chat, create the task while the message is open. Write a verb, deliverable, recipient, due date, and source link, and if there is no deadline, agree on one now.
- 03
Consolidate the list
Send tasks from meeting notes, Slack, email, and messages into one open-commitment list, with the source attached. Sort by due date and person, and flag anything with no owner or date. Merge duplicates during the daily review so each promise has one version.
- 04
Close with evidence
Mark a promise done when the other person has the document, introduction, or decision, or has agreed to a change. Link the sent message when the stakes are high. Review overdue items before you make new promises to the same person.
The Pally option
How Pally helps
Pally finds the commitments in connected Granola notes, your calendar, Slack, and iMessage through the Pally Mac app. It pulls decisions, owners, and open questions from meeting notes, watches selected chats for tasks you accept, and reminds you about what remains open. You can correct or close each item in the same conversation.
Meeting memory
Every decision, owner, and open question from your meetings, remembered and answerable.
See the recipeTodo catcher
Every "can you…" buried in a busy thread becomes a task Pally tracks. Nothing slips.
See the recipeMorning brief
A short morning brief with what matters: your day, your inbox, and the things you said you'd do.
See the recipeOptions
Other tools people use
Fair alternatives, including ones that overlap with Pally.
Orchid
Orchid fits founders who want a morning rundown, reply drafts, and meeting booking through iMessage or SMS.
It drafts replies for you to approve rather than sending them on its own.
Hey Noah
Hey Noah fits founders who want action items extracted and follow-up scheduling handled through email or text.
Access is invite-only, and pricing is unpublished.
Lindy
Lindy fits founders who want meeting action items and follow-ups handled alongside scheduling and notes.
Its assistant does not watch the user's personal chats for commitments.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What if a promise has no due date?+
Ask for a date before the conversation ends. If that is impossible, set a near-term reminder to clarify rather than leaving the task open forever.
Should I capture commitments other people make?+
Yes, when their delivery affects your work. Record the owner and agreed date, then keep those items separate from promises you personally owe.
How do I handle a promise that changes?+
Confirm the new scope or date with the other person and update the existing record. Keep the source of that agreement attached so the old version does not return later.
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