> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cassidyai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Overview of Skills
> Learn how Skills give Cassidy reusable playbooks for specialized work, when to use them, and how they differ from Agents and Workflows.
A Skill is a reusable playbook that teaches [Agents](/agents/overview) how to complete specialized work.
Instead of explaining the same process in every conversation, you can capture your team's instructions, standards, and examples once. Cassidy can then apply that playbook whenever it is relevant.
## A familiar example
Imagine your customer-facing teams regularly write follow-up emails.
A **Customer Follow-up Email** Skill could teach Cassidy to:
* Use your organization's tone and approved structure
* Lead with the customer's stated goal
* Include the right next steps
* Avoid making commitments the sender has not approved
* Follow examples of strong emails from your team
Someone could ask any compatible Agent:
> Draft a follow-up email after this customer call.
Cassidy can recognize that the Skill is relevant and use the shared playbook. The person does not need to paste the instructions again or switch to a specialized Agent.
## How Skills work
When you send a request:
1. Cassidy considers the Skills available in that chat.
2. Cassidy identifies a Skill that may help with the task.
3. Cassidy loads that Skill's full instructions and supporting resources.
4. The Agent follows the playbook while completing your request.
Only the Skill's name and description are needed to decide whether it may be useful. The detailed instructions and files are loaded when Cassidy uses the Skill, keeping unrelated information out of the conversation.
Installed Skills follow you across chats you start directly in Cassidy. They
remain available when you switch between default and custom Agents that have
**Code Execution & File Creation** enabled. Newer Agents include this setting
by default.
Cassidy can choose a Skill automatically, but you can also select a specific Skill by typing **/** in chat.
## Why teams use Skills
### Keep work consistent
A shared playbook helps different people and Agents follow the same process, quality standards, and boundaries.
### Improve a process once
When the owner improves a Skill and publishes the update, everyone using that Skill receives the improved playbook.
### Reuse expertise
The same Skill can support multiple people, compatible Agents, and selected [Workflow](/workflows/overview) AI actions.
### Make specialized work easier to discover
People can find and install a Skill without knowing which Agent, prompt, or document originally contained the process.
## Examples of Skills
* **Sales:** Write follow-up emails, prepare account plans, or create proposals
* **Customer support:** Draft approved responses and follow escalation rules
* **Operations:** Prepare executive briefs, review vendors, or follow process checklists
* **Marketing:** Create content that follows brand and campaign standards
* **Security:** Answer questionnaires using approved company sources
## What a Skill can use
Every Skill starts with instructions: the repeatable process the Agent should follow.
A Skill can also use:
* Files, examples, and templates that demonstrate the expected result
* [Knowledge Base](/knowledge-base/overview) sources containing approved company information
* [Capabilities](/agents/capabilities/overview) for tasks such as searching the web, creating images, or using a browser
* [Connectors](/agents/connectors/overview) for working with supported business applications
* Published [Workflows](/workflows/overview) for running defined multi-step processes
These resources support the playbook. They do not replace clear instructions about what the Agent should do.
## Skills compared with other Cassidy features
### Skill or Agent?
An **Agent** is the AI teammate you work with. A **Skill** is a specialized way of completing a task.
Give an Agent the identity, general responsibilities, and context it should always have. Use a Skill when the same specialized process should work across different Agents or conversations.
### Skill or Workflow?
A **Workflow** runs a defined sequence of actions, conditions, and approvals. A Skill gives an Agent guidance it can apply flexibly.
Use a Workflow when the process must follow controlled steps. Use a Skill when the Agent needs judgment about how to apply a reusable playbook. You can also add Skills to Workflow AI actions.
### Skill or Knowledge Base?
The **Knowledge Base** provides facts and source material. A Skill explains how to use that information to complete a task.
For example, security policies belong in the Knowledge Base. The procedure for answering a security questionnaire belongs in a Skill.
### Skill or global instructions?
Global instructions describe broad preferences that should apply throughout Cassidy. Skills are for task-specific guidance that should load only when relevant.
## When to create a Skill
A task is a strong candidate when:
* People repeatedly provide the same detailed instructions
* Several people or Agents need the same process
* Results must follow a shared format, tone, or quality standard
* The work depends on reusable examples or templates
* Improving the process once should improve it everywhere
Use something else when:
* The request is a one-time instruction for one conversation
* The behavior permanently belongs to only one Agent
* The process requires fixed triggers, branching, or approvals—in that case, use a [Workflow](/workflows/overview)
## Next steps
Turn a repeatable task into a tested Skill with Cassidy's help.
Install a shared Skill or select one in chat.