diff --git a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
--- a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
+++ b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
@@ -1420,6 +1420,7 @@
     'NuanceConsoleController' => 'applications/nuance/controller/NuanceConsoleController.php',
     'NuanceController' => 'applications/nuance/controller/NuanceController.php',
     'NuanceDAO' => 'applications/nuance/storage/NuanceDAO.php',
+    'NuanceGitHubEventItemType' => 'applications/nuance/item/NuanceGitHubEventItemType.php',
     'NuanceGitHubRepositoryImportCursor' => 'applications/nuance/cursor/NuanceGitHubRepositoryImportCursor.php',
     'NuanceGitHubRepositorySourceDefinition' => 'applications/nuance/source/NuanceGitHubRepositorySourceDefinition.php',
     'NuanceImportCursor' => 'applications/nuance/cursor/NuanceImportCursor.php',
@@ -1437,8 +1438,11 @@
     'NuanceItemTransaction' => 'applications/nuance/storage/NuanceItemTransaction.php',
     'NuanceItemTransactionComment' => 'applications/nuance/storage/NuanceItemTransactionComment.php',
     'NuanceItemTransactionQuery' => 'applications/nuance/query/NuanceItemTransactionQuery.php',
+    'NuanceItemType' => 'applications/nuance/item/NuanceItemType.php',
+    'NuanceItemUpdateWorker' => 'applications/nuance/worker/NuanceItemUpdateWorker.php',
     'NuanceItemViewController' => 'applications/nuance/controller/NuanceItemViewController.php',
     'NuanceManagementImportWorkflow' => 'applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementImportWorkflow.php',
+    'NuanceManagementUpdateWorkflow' => 'applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementUpdateWorkflow.php',
     'NuanceManagementWorkflow' => 'applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementWorkflow.php',
     'NuancePhabricatorFormSourceDefinition' => 'applications/nuance/source/NuancePhabricatorFormSourceDefinition.php',
     'NuanceQuery' => 'applications/nuance/query/NuanceQuery.php',
@@ -1488,6 +1492,7 @@
     'NuanceSourceTransactionQuery' => 'applications/nuance/query/NuanceSourceTransactionQuery.php',
     'NuanceSourceViewController' => 'applications/nuance/controller/NuanceSourceViewController.php',
     'NuanceTransaction' => 'applications/nuance/storage/NuanceTransaction.php',
+    'NuanceWorker' => 'applications/nuance/worker/NuanceWorker.php',
     'OwnersConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/owners/conduit/OwnersConduitAPIMethod.php',
     'OwnersEditConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/owners/conduit/OwnersEditConduitAPIMethod.php',
     'OwnersPackageReplyHandler' => 'applications/owners/mail/OwnersPackageReplyHandler.php',
@@ -5671,6 +5676,7 @@
     'NuanceConsoleController' => 'NuanceController',
     'NuanceController' => 'PhabricatorController',
     'NuanceDAO' => 'PhabricatorLiskDAO',
+    'NuanceGitHubEventItemType' => 'NuanceItemType',
     'NuanceGitHubRepositoryImportCursor' => 'NuanceImportCursor',
     'NuanceGitHubRepositorySourceDefinition' => 'NuanceSourceDefinition',
     'NuanceImportCursor' => 'Phobject',
@@ -5695,8 +5701,11 @@
     'NuanceItemTransaction' => 'NuanceTransaction',
     'NuanceItemTransactionComment' => 'PhabricatorApplicationTransactionComment',
     'NuanceItemTransactionQuery' => 'PhabricatorApplicationTransactionQuery',
+    'NuanceItemType' => 'Phobject',
+    'NuanceItemUpdateWorker' => 'NuanceWorker',
     'NuanceItemViewController' => 'NuanceController',
     'NuanceManagementImportWorkflow' => 'NuanceManagementWorkflow',
+    'NuanceManagementUpdateWorkflow' => 'NuanceManagementWorkflow',
     'NuanceManagementWorkflow' => 'PhabricatorManagementWorkflow',
     'NuancePhabricatorFormSourceDefinition' => 'NuanceSourceDefinition',
     'NuanceQuery' => 'PhabricatorCursorPagedPolicyAwareQuery',
@@ -5759,6 +5768,7 @@
     'NuanceSourceTransactionQuery' => 'PhabricatorApplicationTransactionQuery',
     'NuanceSourceViewController' => 'NuanceSourceController',
     'NuanceTransaction' => 'PhabricatorApplicationTransaction',
+    'NuanceWorker' => 'PhabricatorWorker',
     'OwnersConduitAPIMethod' => 'ConduitAPIMethod',
     'OwnersEditConduitAPIMethod' => 'PhabricatorEditEngineAPIMethod',
     'OwnersPackageReplyHandler' => 'PhabricatorMailReplyHandler',
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/cursor/NuanceGitHubRepositoryImportCursor.php b/src/applications/nuance/cursor/NuanceGitHubRepositoryImportCursor.php
--- a/src/applications/nuance/cursor/NuanceGitHubRepositoryImportCursor.php
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/cursor/NuanceGitHubRepositoryImportCursor.php
@@ -166,14 +166,7 @@
     $source->saveTransaction();
 
     foreach ($new_items as $new_item) {
-      PhabricatorWorker::scheduleTask(
-        'NuanceImportWorker',
-        array(
-          'itemPHID' => $new_item->getPHID(),
-        ),
-        array(
-          'objectPHID' => $new_item->getPHID(),
-        ));
+      $new_item->scheduleUpdate();
     }
 
     return false;
@@ -256,7 +249,7 @@
     return NuanceItem::initializeNewItem()
       ->setStatus(NuanceItem::STATUS_IMPORTING)
       ->setSourcePHID($source->getPHID())
-      ->setItemType('github.event')
+      ->setItemType(NuanceGitHubEventItemType::ITEMTYPE)
       ->setItemKey($item_key)
       ->setItemContainerKey($container_key)
       ->setItemProperty('api.raw', $record);
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/item/NuanceGitHubEventItemType.php b/src/applications/nuance/item/NuanceGitHubEventItemType.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/item/NuanceGitHubEventItemType.php
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<?php
+
+final class NuanceGitHubEventItemType
+  extends NuanceItemType {
+
+  const ITEMTYPE = 'github.event';
+
+  public function canUpdateItems() {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  protected function updateItemFromSource(NuanceItem $item) {
+    // TODO: Link up the requestor, etc.
+
+    if ($item->getStatus() == NuanceItem::STATUS_IMPORTING) {
+      $item
+        ->setStatus(NuanceItem::STATUS_ROUTING)
+        ->save();
+    }
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/item/NuanceItemType.php b/src/applications/nuance/item/NuanceItemType.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/item/NuanceItemType.php
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<?php
+
+abstract class NuanceItemType
+  extends Phobject {
+
+  public function canUpdateItems() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  final public function updateItem(NuanceItem $item) {
+    if (!$this->canUpdateItems()) {
+      throw new Exception(
+        pht(
+          'This item type ("%s", of class "%s") can not update items.',
+          $this->getItemTypeConstant(),
+          get_class($this)));
+    }
+
+    $this->updateItemFromSource($item);
+  }
+
+  protected function updateItemFromSource(NuanceItem $item) {
+    throw new PhutilMethodNotImplementedException();
+  }
+
+  final public function getItemTypeConstant() {
+    return $this->getPhobjectClassConstant('ITEMTYPE', 64);
+  }
+
+  final public static function getAllItemTypes() {
+    return id(new PhutilClassMapQuery())
+      ->setAncestorClass(__CLASS__)
+      ->setUniqueMethod('getItemTypeConstant')
+      ->execute();
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementImportWorkflow.php b/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementImportWorkflow.php
--- a/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementImportWorkflow.php
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementImportWorkflow.php
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   protected function didConstruct() {
     $this
       ->setName('import')
-      ->setExamples('**import** [__options__]')
+      ->setExamples('**import** --source __source__ [__options__]')
       ->setSynopsis(pht('Import data from a source.'))
       ->setArguments(
         array(
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementUpdateWorkflow.php b/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementUpdateWorkflow.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementUpdateWorkflow.php
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<?php
+
+final class NuanceManagementUpdateWorkflow
+  extends NuanceManagementWorkflow {
+
+  protected function didConstruct() {
+    $this
+      ->setName('update')
+      ->setExamples('**update** --item __item__ [__options__]')
+      ->setSynopsis(pht('Update or route an item.'))
+      ->setArguments(
+        array(
+          array(
+            'name' => 'item',
+            'param' => 'item',
+            'help' => pht('Choose which item to route.'),
+          ),
+        ));
+  }
+
+  public function execute(PhutilArgumentParser $args) {
+    $item = $this->loadItem($args, 'item');
+
+    PhabricatorWorker::setRunAllTasksInProcess(true);
+    $item->scheduleUpdate();
+
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementWorkflow.php b/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementWorkflow.php
--- a/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementWorkflow.php
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/management/NuanceManagementWorkflow.php
@@ -64,4 +64,54 @@
     return head($sources);
   }
 
+  protected function loadITem(PhutilArgumentParser $argv, $key) {
+    $item = $argv->getArg($key);
+    if (!strlen($item)) {
+      throw new PhutilArgumentUsageException(
+        pht(
+          'Specify a item with %s.',
+          '--'.$key));
+    }
+
+    $query = id(new NuanceItemQuery())
+      ->setViewer($this->getViewer())
+      ->setRaisePolicyExceptions(true);
+
+    $type_unknown = PhabricatorPHIDConstants::PHID_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
+
+    if (ctype_digit($item)) {
+      $kind = 'id';
+      $query->withIDs(array($item));
+    } else if (phid_get_type($item) !== $type_unknown) {
+      $kind = 'phid';
+      $query->withPHIDs($item);
+    } else {
+      throw new PhutilArgumentUsageException(
+        pht(
+          'Specify the ID or PHID of an item to update. Parameter "%s" '.
+          'is not an ID or PHID.',
+          $item));
+    }
+
+    $items = $query->execute();
+
+    if (!$items) {
+      switch ($kind) {
+        case 'id':
+          $message = pht(
+            'No item exists with ID "%s".',
+            $item);
+          break;
+        case 'phid':
+          $message = pht(
+            'No item exists with PHID "%s".',
+            $item);
+          break;
+      }
+
+      throw new PhutilArgumentUsageException($message);
+    }
+
+    return head($items);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/query/NuanceItemQuery.php b/src/applications/nuance/query/NuanceItemQuery.php
--- a/src/applications/nuance/query/NuanceItemQuery.php
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/query/NuanceItemQuery.php
@@ -70,6 +70,17 @@
       $item->attachSource($source);
     }
 
+    $type_map = NuanceItemType::getAllItemTypes();
+    foreach ($items as $key => $item) {
+      $type = idx($type_map, $item->getItemType());
+      if (!$type) {
+        $this->didRejectResult($items[$key]);
+        unset($items[$key]);
+        continue;
+      }
+      $item->attachImplementation($type);
+    }
+
     return $items;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/storage/NuanceItem.php b/src/applications/nuance/storage/NuanceItem.php
--- a/src/applications/nuance/storage/NuanceItem.php
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/storage/NuanceItem.php
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     PhabricatorApplicationTransactionInterface {
 
   const STATUS_IMPORTING = 'importing';
+  const STATUS_ROUTING = 'routing';
   const STATUS_OPEN = 'open';
   const STATUS_ASSIGNED = 'assigned';
   const STATUS_CLOSED = 'closed';
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@
   protected $mailKey;
 
   private $source = self::ATTACHABLE;
+  private $implementation = self::ATTACHABLE;
 
   public static function initializeNewItem() {
     return id(new NuanceItem())
@@ -145,6 +147,26 @@
     return pht('An Item');
   }
 
+  public function scheduleUpdate() {
+    PhabricatorWorker::scheduleTask(
+      'NuanceItemUpdateWorker',
+      array(
+        'itemPHID' => $this->getPHID(),
+      ),
+      array(
+        'objectPHID' => $this->getPHID(),
+      ));
+  }
+
+  public function getImplementation() {
+    return $this->assertAttached($this->implementation);
+  }
+
+  public function attachImplementation(NuanceItemType $type) {
+    $this->implementation = $type;
+    return $this;
+  }
+
 
 /* -(  PhabricatorApplicationTransactionInterface  )------------------------- */
 
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/worker/NuanceItemUpdateWorker.php b/src/applications/nuance/worker/NuanceItemUpdateWorker.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/worker/NuanceItemUpdateWorker.php
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+<?php
+
+final class NuanceItemUpdateWorker
+  extends NuanceWorker {
+
+  protected function doWork() {
+    $item_phid = $this->getTaskDataValue('itemPHID');
+
+    $hash = PhabricatorHash::digestForIndex($item_phid);
+    $lock_key = "nuance.item.{$hash}";
+    $lock = PhabricatorGlobalLock::newLock($lock_key);
+
+    $lock->lock(1);
+    try {
+      $item = $this->loadItem($item_phid);
+      $this->updateItem($item);
+      $this->routeItem($item);
+    } catch (Exception $ex) {
+      $lock->unlock();
+      throw $ex;
+    }
+
+    $lock->unlock();
+  }
+
+  private function updateItem(NuanceItem $item) {
+    $impl = $item->getImplementation();
+    if ($impl->canUpdateItems()) {
+      $impl->updateItem($item);
+    }
+  }
+
+  private function routeItem(NuanceItem $item) {
+    $status = $item->getStatus();
+    if ($status != NuanceItem::STATUS_ROUTING) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    $source = $item->getSource();
+
+    // For now, always route items into the source's default queue.
+
+    $item
+      ->setQueuePHID($source->getDefaultQueuePHID())
+      ->setStatus(NuanceItem::STATUS_OPEN)
+      ->save();
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/applications/nuance/worker/NuanceWorker.php b/src/applications/nuance/worker/NuanceWorker.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/applications/nuance/worker/NuanceWorker.php
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+<?php
+
+abstract class NuanceWorker extends PhabricatorWorker {
+
+  protected function getViewer() {
+    return PhabricatorUser::getOmnipotentUser();
+  }
+
+  protected function loadItem($item_phid) {
+    $item = id(new NuanceItemQuery())
+      ->setViewer($this->getViewer())
+      ->withPHIDs(array($item_phid))
+      ->executeOne();
+
+    if (!$item) {
+      throw new PhabricatorWorkerPermanentFailureException(
+        pht(
+          'There is no Nuance item with PHID "%s".',
+          $item_phid));
+    }
+
+    return $item;
+  }
+
+}