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What a skill is

A skill is a packaged set of instructions — usually a markdown document — that teaches an agent how to handle a specific kind of task. If the system prompt is the job description, skills are the playbooks on the shelf. Skills work like skills systems you may know from developer tools (Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf): you import a skill into your workspace, then assign it to one or more agents. When a skill is assigned, its guidance is available during conversation and automated runs — without pasting the same paragraphs into every agent’s Builder tab.
Skills vs. other configurationA refund-handling skill might describe escalation steps; Contact Book Focus lets the agent look up the customer; the system prompt sets tone and policy.
From What agents are — and aren’t: the system prompt is standing orders; skills are specialized manuals you attach when relevant.

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Importing skills

Skills enter your workspace through import — typically from a URL, file, or shared skill package your organization maintains. After import, the skill appears in your workspace Skills library with a name and short description. You can assign it to agents without copying its contents into each Builder tab.
Screenshot placeholder Workspace Skills library or import dialog. Show Import skill (URL or file), a list of imported skills with name/description, and an Assign to agent action.
Prefer small, focused skills over one giant skill file. “How to draft a support reply” and “How to summarize a contract” as separate skills compose better than a single 50-page document — and they respect the agent’s context budget.

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Assigning skills to an agent

On the agent detail page, open the Skills area (alongside Focus, Actions, and Linked Context). Assign one or more imported skills to this agent. Removing a skill from an agent does not delete it from the workspace library — other agents can still use it.
Screenshot placeholder Agent Skills tab: assigned skills as cards with remove control, plus Add skill picker listing workspace library skills not yet assigned.

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Writing or requesting skills

Good skill content reads like a concise runbook:
  • When to use — triggers that should activate this playbook
  • Steps — ordered procedure the agent should follow
  • Output format — what “done” looks like
  • Escalation — when to stop and hand off to a human
To add skills your workspace does not have yet, share the workflow with your XSpada rep or explore fit in Evolve — especially for industry-specific procedures.

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When to use skills

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Where to go next

Configure an agent

Skills tab alongside Focus, Actions, and linked context.

Promote to team member

After skills and testing, add the agent to your team for Evolve work.

System prompt & variables

When to fix the prompt vs. add a skill.

Glossary

Quick definitions for skill-related terms.
If you would like something unique to your business or have a unique issue, use XSpada Evolve or ask a XSpada rep.