diff --git a/app/modules/documents/templates/documents/task_documents.html b/app/modules/documents/templates/documents/task_documents.html
index 04911a1..61c0be6 100644
--- a/app/modules/documents/templates/documents/task_documents.html
+++ b/app/modules/documents/templates/documents/task_documents.html
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
       </p>
     </div>
     <div class="flex flex-wrap gap-2">
-      <a href="/services/engagements/{{ engagement.id }}" class="rounded-xl border border-slate-300 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-slate-700 hover:bg-slate-50">Engagement</a>
+      <a href="{{ back_url }}" class="rounded-xl border border-brand-200 bg-brand-50 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-semibold text-brand-700 hover:bg-brand-100">Back to Engagement Task</a>
       <a href="/documents/engagements/{{ engagement.id }}" class="rounded-xl border border-slate-300 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-slate-700 hover:bg-slate-50">Engagement Documents</a>
     </div>
   </div>
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
     <h3 class="text-sm font-semibold text-slate-900">Upload Task Document</h3>
     <form method="post" action="/documents/tasks/{{ task.id }}/upload" enctype="multipart/form-data" class="mt-4 grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
       <input type="hidden" name="csrf_token" value="{{ csrf_token }}">
+      <input type="hidden" name="return_to" value="{{ return_to }}">
       <div>
         <label class="mb-1 block text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-slate-500">Requirement</label>
         <select name="requirement_id" class="w-full rounded-xl border border-slate-300 px-3 py-2 text-sm">
diff --git a/app/modules/documents/ui.py b/app/modules/documents/ui.py
index ad93814..6b7ba3b 100644
--- a/app/modules/documents/ui.py
+++ b/app/modules/documents/ui.py
@@ -272,6 +272,13 @@ def _require_user(request: Request, db, permission_code: str):
 
 
 
+def _safe_documents_return_url(value: str | None, fallback: str) -> str:
+    candidate = (value or "").strip()
+    if candidate.startswith("/") and not candidate.startswith("//"):
+        return candidate
+    return fallback
+
+
 def _active_financial_year(request: Request) -> str | None:
     value = request.session.get("active_financial_year") or getattr(request.state, "year_code", None)
     value = (value or "").strip()
@@ -440,6 +447,8 @@ def task_documents(request: Request, task_id: int):
             requirement_status=requirement_status,
             documents=documents,
             can_upload=user_can_upload_to_engagement(db, user, engagement, scope),
+            return_to=_safe_documents_return_url(request.query_params.get("return_to"), f"/documents/engagements/{engagement.id}"),
+            back_url=_safe_documents_return_url(request.query_params.get("return_to"), f"/documents/engagements/{engagement.id}"),
         )
     finally:
         db.close()
@@ -459,11 +468,13 @@ def upload_task_document(
     evidence_type: str | None = Form(None),
     evidence_description: str | None = Form(None),
     file: UploadFile = File(...),
+    return_to: str = Form(""),
     csrf_token: str = Form(...),
 ):
     validate_csrf(request, csrf_token)
     db = CommonSessionLocal()
     try:
+        return_target = _safe_documents_return_url(return_to, f"/documents/tasks/{task_id}")
         user, response = _require_user(request, db, "documents.upload")
         if response:
             return response
@@ -478,12 +489,12 @@ def upload_task_document(
         if is_row_financial_year_locked(db, engagement):
             return RedirectResponse(url=f"/documents/engagements/{engagement.id}?year_locked=1", status_code=303)
         if not file or not file.filename:
-            return RedirectResponse(url=f"/documents/tasks/{task_id}?error=missing_file", status_code=303)
+            return RedirectResponse(url=return_target if return_to else f"/documents/tasks/{task_id}?error=missing_file", status_code=303)
         requirement = None
         if requirement_id and str(requirement_id).strip():
             requirement = get_task_document_requirement(db, requirement_id=int(requirement_id), tenant_id=task.tenant_id)
             if not requirement or requirement.firm_task_template_id != task.firm_task_template_id:
-                return RedirectResponse(url=f"/documents/tasks/{task_id}?error=invalid_requirement", status_code=303)
+                return RedirectResponse(url=return_target if return_to else f"/documents/tasks/{task_id}?error=invalid_requirement", status_code=303)
         try:
             doc = save_uploaded_task_document(
                 db,
@@ -511,8 +522,8 @@ def upload_task_document(
                 db.commit()
             except Exception:
                 db.rollback()
-            return RedirectResponse(url=f"/documents/tasks/{task_id}?error=upload_failed", status_code=303)
-        return RedirectResponse(url=f"/documents/tasks/{task_id}?uploaded=1", status_code=303)
+            return RedirectResponse(url=return_target if return_to else f"/documents/tasks/{task_id}?error=upload_failed", status_code=303)
+        return RedirectResponse(url=return_target if return_to else f"/documents/tasks/{task_id}?uploaded=1", status_code=303)
     finally:
         db.close()
 
diff --git a/app/modules/employees/service.py b/app/modules/employees/service.py
index c941dd8..159e6e5 100644
--- a/app/modules/employees/service.py
+++ b/app/modules/employees/service.py
@@ -3544,6 +3544,12 @@ def _i1_prepare_task_display(
     task.i1_review_label = _i1_review_label(task)
     task.i1_approval_blocker = _i1_approval_blocker(tasks, task)
     task.i1_has_evidence = task_document_counts.get(int(task.id), 0) > 0
+    task.i1_documents = []
+    task.i1_communications = [
+        comment
+        for comment in getattr(task, "comments", [])
+        if not getattr(comment, "is_deleted", False)
+    ]
     task.i1_needs_response = bool(
         getattr(task, "response_required", False)
         or (getattr(task, "response_type", "NONE") or "NONE").strip().upper() != "NONE"
@@ -3846,12 +3852,19 @@ def get_employee_engagement_work_board(
         if task_instance_id:
             task_document_counts[int(task_instance_id)] = task_document_counts.get(int(task_instance_id), 0) + 1
 
+    task_documents: dict[int, list[EngagementDocument]] = {}
+    for document in engagement_documents:
+        task_instance_id = getattr(document, "task_instance_id", None)
+        if task_instance_id:
+            task_documents.setdefault(int(task_instance_id), []).append(document)
+
     for task in tasks:
         _i1_prepare_task_display(
             task,
             tasks=tasks,
             task_document_counts=task_document_counts,
         )
+        task.i1_documents = task_documents.get(int(task.id), [])
 
     scope_display = _employee_work_scope_display_map(
         db,
@@ -3881,6 +3894,8 @@ def get_employee_engagement_work_board(
         "documents": engagement_documents,
         "scope_display": scope_display,
         "i1_enabled": True,
+        "communication_types": TASK_COMMUNICATION_TYPES,
+        "communication_visibilities": TASK_COMMUNICATION_VISIBILITIES,
         "today": today,
     }
 
diff --git a/app/modules/employees/templates/employees/work_engagement_board.html b/app/modules/employees/templates/employees/work_engagement_board.html
index ac789ea..961becc 100644
--- a/app/modules/employees/templates/employees/work_engagement_board.html
+++ b/app/modules/employees/templates/employees/work_engagement_board.html
@@ -202,6 +202,90 @@
             <span class="rounded-xl bg-slate-100 px-3 py-2 text-sm font-semibold text-slate-500">🔒 Locked</span>
             {% endif %}
 
+            <details class="group w-full lg:w-auto">
+              <summary class="list-none cursor-pointer rounded-xl border border-violet-200 bg-violet-50 px-3 py-2 text-center text-sm font-semibold text-violet-700 hover:bg-violet-100">Documents{% if task.i1_documents %} · {{ task.i1_documents|length }}{% endif %}</summary>
+              <div class="mt-3 rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 bg-white p-4 lg:min-w-[620px]">
+                <div class="flex flex-wrap items-start justify-between gap-3">
+                  <div>
+                    <h5 class="font-semibold text-slate-900">Task Documents</h5>
+                    <p class="mt-1 text-xs text-slate-500">Files stay linked to this task and engagement.</p>
+                  </div>
+                  <a href="/documents/tasks/{{ task.id }}?return_to=/employee/work/engagements/{{ board.engagement_id }}%3Ftask_id%3D{{ task.id }}%23task-{{ task.id }}" class="text-xs font-semibold text-violet-700 hover:underline">Open full document view</a>
+                </div>
+
+                {% if task.i1_documents %}
+                <div class="mt-3 divide-y divide-slate-100 rounded-xl border border-slate-200">
+                  {% for doc in task.i1_documents[:5] %}
+                  {% set latest = doc.versions[0] if doc.versions else none %}
+                  <div class="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2 px-3 py-2 text-sm">
+                    <div class="min-w-0">
+                      <div class="truncate font-medium text-slate-800">{{ doc.title }}</div>
+                      <div class="truncate text-xs text-slate-500">{{ latest.original_filename if latest else doc.document_type }}{% if latest %} · v{{ latest.version_no }}{% endif %}</div>
+                    </div>
+                    {% if latest %}<a href="/documents/{{ doc.id }}/download" class="text-xs font-semibold text-brand-700 hover:underline">Download</a>{% endif %}
+                  </div>
+                  {% endfor %}
+                </div>
+                {% else %}
+                <div class="mt-3 rounded-xl border border-dashed border-slate-300 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-slate-500">No document attached yet.</div>
+                {% endif %}
+
+                <form method="post" action="/documents/tasks/{{ task.id }}/upload" enctype="multipart/form-data" class="mt-3 flex flex-col gap-2 sm:flex-row sm:items-end">
+                  <input type="hidden" name="csrf_token" value="{{ csrf_token }}">
+                  <input type="hidden" name="title" value="">
+                  <input type="hidden" name="document_type" value="GENERAL">
+                  <input type="hidden" name="return_to" value="/employee/work/engagements/{{ board.engagement_id }}?task_id={{ task.id }}#task-{{ task.id }}">
+                  <label class="min-w-0 flex-1 text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-slate-500">Add file
+                    <input type="file" name="file" required class="mt-1 w-full rounded-lg border border-slate-300 bg-white px-3 py-2 text-sm">
+                  </label>
+                  <button type="submit" class="rounded-lg bg-violet-600 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-semibold text-white hover:bg-violet-700">Upload</button>
+                </form>
+              </div>
+            </details>
+
+            <details class="group w-full lg:w-auto">
+              <summary class="list-none cursor-pointer rounded-xl border border-sky-200 bg-sky-50 px-3 py-2 text-center text-sm font-semibold text-sky-700 hover:bg-sky-100">Message / Clarification{% if task.i1_communications %} · {{ task.i1_communications|length }}{% endif %}</summary>
+              <div class="mt-3 rounded-2xl border border-sky-200 bg-white p-4 lg:min-w-[620px]">
+                <div class="flex flex-wrap items-start justify-between gap-3">
+                  <div>
+                    <h5 class="font-semibold text-slate-900">Messages / Clarifications</h5>
+                    <p class="mt-1 text-xs text-slate-500">Add a note, clarification or client/consultant communication.</p>
+                  </div>
+                  <a href="/employee/work/tasks/{{ task.id }}/communication?return_to=/employee/work/engagements/{{ board.engagement_id }}%3Ftask_id%3D{{ task.id }}%23task-{{ task.id }}" class="text-xs font-semibold text-sky-700 hover:underline">Open full timeline</a>
+                </div>
+
+                {% if task.i1_communications %}
+                <div class="mt-3 max-h-52 divide-y divide-slate-100 overflow-y-auto rounded-xl border border-slate-200">
+                  {% for item in task.i1_communications[:5] %}
+                  <div class="px-3 py-2">
+                    <div class="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2 text-[11px] text-slate-500">
+                      <span>{{ item.comment_type.replace('_',' ').title() }} · {{ item.visibility.replace('_',' ').title() }}</span>
+                      <span>{{ item.created_at_utc }}</span>
+                    </div>
+                    <div class="mt-1 whitespace-pre-wrap text-sm text-slate-800">{{ item.message }}</div>
+                    <div class="mt-1 text-[11px] text-slate-400">By {{ item.created_by.full_name if item.created_by else 'System/User' }}</div>
+                  </div>
+                  {% endfor %}
+                </div>
+                {% else %}
+                <div class="mt-3 rounded-xl border border-dashed border-slate-300 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-slate-500">No message or clarification yet.</div>
+                {% endif %}
+
+                <form method="post" action="/employee/work/tasks/{{ task.id }}/communication" class="mt-3 grid gap-2 sm:grid-cols-2">
+                  <input type="hidden" name="csrf_token" value="{{ csrf_token }}">
+                  <input type="hidden" name="return_to" value="/employee/work/engagements/{{ board.engagement_id }}?task_id={{ task.id }}#task-{{ task.id }}">
+                  <select name="comment_type" class="rounded-lg border border-slate-300 px-3 py-2 text-sm">
+                    {% for code, label in board.communication_types %}<option value="{{ code }}">{{ label }}</option>{% endfor %}
+                  </select>
+                  <select name="visibility" class="rounded-lg border border-slate-300 px-3 py-2 text-sm">
+                    {% for code, label in board.communication_visibilities %}<option value="{{ code }}">{{ label }}</option>{% endfor %}
+                  </select>
+                  <textarea name="message" rows="2" required class="sm:col-span-2 w-full rounded-lg border border-slate-300 px-3 py-2 text-sm" placeholder="Type message or clarification"></textarea>
+                  <div class="sm:col-span-2 flex justify-end"><button type="submit" class="rounded-lg bg-sky-600 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-semibold text-white hover:bg-sky-700">Send</button></div>
+                </form>
+              </div>
+            </details>
+
             <details class="group w-full lg:w-auto">
               <summary class="list-none cursor-pointer rounded-xl border border-slate-300 bg-white px-3 py-2 text-center text-sm font-semibold text-slate-700 hover:bg-slate-50">Details</summary>
               <div class="mt-3 rounded-2xl border border-slate-200 bg-slate-50 p-4 lg:min-w-[720px]">
@@ -243,10 +327,7 @@
                   </div>
 
                   <div class="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2">
-                    <div class="flex flex-wrap gap-2">
-                      <a href="/documents/tasks/{{ task.id }}" class="rounded-lg border border-violet-200 bg-white px-3 py-2 text-sm font-semibold text-violet-700">Evidence{% if task.i1_has_evidence %} ✓{% endif %}</a>
-                      <a href="/employee/work/tasks/{{ task.id }}/communication" class="rounded-lg border border-slate-300 bg-white px-3 py-2 text-sm font-semibold text-slate-700">Communication{% if task.comment_count %} · {{ task.comment_count }}{% endif %}</a>
-                    </div>
+                    <div class="text-xs text-slate-500">Documents and messages can be added directly from this checklist row.</div>
                     <button type="submit" class="rounded-lg bg-brand-600 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-semibold text-white">Save Details</button>
                   </div>
                 </form>
diff --git a/app/modules/employees/templates/employees/work_task_communication.html b/app/modules/employees/templates/employees/work_task_communication.html
index 84d96ba..57ad46a 100644
--- a/app/modules/employees/templates/employees/work_task_communication.html
+++ b/app/modules/employees/templates/employees/work_task_communication.html
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     <h3 class="font-semibold text-slate-900">Add communication</h3>
     <form method="post" action="{{ post_url }}" class="mt-4 space-y-4">
       <input type="hidden" name="csrf_token" value="{{ csrf_token }}">
+      <input type="hidden" name="return_to" value="{{ return_to or back_url }}">
       <div class="grid gap-3 md:grid-cols-2">
         <label class="block text-sm font-medium text-slate-700">Type
           <select name="comment_type" class="mt-1 w-full rounded-xl border border-slate-300 px-3 py-2 text-sm focus:border-brand-500 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-brand-100">
diff --git a/app/modules/employees/ui.py b/app/modules/employees/ui.py
index 27a7404..73f5de8 100644
--- a/app/modules/employees/ui.py
+++ b/app/modules/employees/ui.py
@@ -505,6 +505,13 @@ def employee_hr_dashboard(request: Request):
         db.close()
 
 
+def _safe_employee_return_url(value: str | None, fallback: str) -> str:
+    candidate = (value or "").strip()
+    if candidate.startswith("/") and not candidate.startswith("//"):
+        return candidate
+    return fallback
+
+
 @router.get("")
 def employees_list(request: Request, q: str = "", include_inactive: str | None = None, link_status: str = "all"):
     db = CommonSessionLocal()
@@ -2348,7 +2355,8 @@ def employee_work_task_communication(
             communication_types=TASK_COMMUNICATION_TYPES,
             communication_visibilities=TASK_COMMUNICATION_VISIBILITIES,
             post_url=f"/employees/work/tasks/{task_id}/communication",
-            back_url="/employees/work",
+            back_url=_safe_employee_return_url(request.query_params.get("return_to"), "/employees/work"),
+            return_to=_safe_employee_return_url(request.query_params.get("return_to"), "/employees/work"),
             is_employee_self=False,
             errors=[],
         )
@@ -2363,6 +2371,7 @@ def employee_work_task_add_communication(
     comment_type: str = Form("internal_note"),
     visibility: str = Form("internal"),
     message: str = Form(...),
+    return_to: str = Form(""),
     csrf_token: str = Form(...),
 ):
     db = CommonSessionLocal()
@@ -2391,7 +2400,7 @@ def employee_work_task_add_communication(
             actor_user_id=current_user.id,
             financial_year=_active_financial_year(request),
         )
-        return RedirectResponse(url=f"/employees/work/tasks/{task_id}/communication", status_code=303)
+        return RedirectResponse(url=_safe_employee_return_url(return_to, f"/employees/work/tasks/{task_id}/communication"), status_code=303)
     finally:
         db.close()
 
@@ -2425,7 +2434,8 @@ def employee_my_work_task_communication(
             communication_types=TASK_COMMUNICATION_TYPES,
             communication_visibilities=TASK_COMMUNICATION_VISIBILITIES,
             post_url=f"/employee/work/tasks/{task_id}/communication",
-            back_url="/employee/work",
+            back_url=_safe_employee_return_url(request.query_params.get("return_to"), "/employee/work"),
+            return_to=_safe_employee_return_url(request.query_params.get("return_to"), "/employee/work"),
             is_employee_self=True,
             errors=[],
             financial_year=financial_year,
@@ -2441,6 +2451,7 @@ def employee_my_work_task_add_communication(
     comment_type: str = Form("internal_note"),
     visibility: str = Form("internal"),
     message: str = Form(...),
+    return_to: str = Form(""),
     csrf_token: str = Form(...),
 ):
     db = CommonSessionLocal()
@@ -2470,7 +2481,7 @@ def employee_my_work_task_add_communication(
             assigned_only=True,
             financial_year=_active_financial_year(request),
         )
-        return RedirectResponse(url=f"/employee/work/tasks/{task_id}/communication", status_code=303)
+        return RedirectResponse(url=_safe_employee_return_url(return_to, f"/employee/work/tasks/{task_id}/communication"), status_code=303)
     finally:
         db.close()