Last checked against Anthropic's Help Center and Claude documentation on October 17, 2026.

If you keep pasting the same instructions into Claude ("use our tone, keep it under 200 words, end with a call to book"), a Skill fixes that. You write the instructions once, and Claude follows them whenever a task matches. This page explains Skills in plain English, shows you how to add one, and gives you five templates you can copy today.

What is a Claude Skill?

A custom skill is "a folder with a SKILL.md file of instructions, and optionally scripts and reference files, that Claude loads when a task matches the skill's description" (Create custom skills).

Good to know:

Every plan gets them. Skills work on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise, but need code execution turned on (Use skills in Claude).
Claude picks them automatically. It reads each skill's description to decide when to use it. You can also ask by name, for example "Use my proposal writer skill."
They work in more places than chat. Enabled skills also work in Cowork, in the Claude add-ins for Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook, and in Claude Code when you sign in with the same account (Claude Code v2.1.273 or later).
Skills hold the how, Projects hold the what. Anthropic puts it this way: "projects store knowledge, skills perform tasks" (Claude Academy).

A skill isn't the right tool for a one-off task, for live data from another app (that's what connectors are for), or for rules you want in every conversation (use your preferences or project instructions instead) (Create custom skills).

How to add a skill (verified steps)

Step 1: Turn on code execution

On Free, Pro or Max, go to Settings > Capabilities and make sure Code execution and file creation is on. On Team and Enterprise, an organization Owner controls this in Organization settings > Plugins & skills on the Policy tab (Use skills in Claude).

Step 2: Make the skill folder

Create a folder named exactly like the skill, for example proposal-writer.
Inside it, create a plain text file called SKILL.md.
Paste one of the templates below and fill in the [square brackets].

The name field may only use lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens (up to 64 characters) and must match the folder name. The description can be up to 1,024 characters (Create custom skills).

Step 3: Zip the folder, not the file

Compress the folder itself. The ZIP must contain proposal-writer/SKILL.md. A SKILL.md sitting loose at the top of the ZIP won't be recognized (Create custom skills). Any ZIP tool works as long as you compress the folder. On a Mac or Linux terminal, the docs give this command, run from the folder that contains your skill folder: zip -r proposal-writer.zip proposal-writer/

Step 4: Upload it

Go to Customize > Skills.
Click the + button, then + Create skill.
Select Upload a skill and choose your ZIP.
The skill appears in your list, where you can toggle it on or off.

These steps come from the Help Center. Claude Academy describes the same option as Add, then Upload skill, so the label you see may differ slightly (Claude Academy).

No-ZIP option: start a new chat and say "I want to create a skill for [task]." Claude interviews you, builds the file, and you click Save skill to add it (Claude Academy).

Step 5: Test it

Try a few prompts that should trigger the skill and check Claude's thinking to confirm it loaded. If it doesn't, make the description more specific (How to create custom skills).

The 5 templates

Edit everything in [square brackets]. Each block is a complete SKILL.md.

1. Proposal writer (folder: `proposal-writer`)

---
name: proposal-writer
description: Write client proposals and quotes for [Business Name]. Use when asked to draft a proposal, quote, estimate or scope of work for a prospect.
---
# Proposal writer

1. If missing, ask for: client name, their problem, services wanted, budget range and deadline.
2. Use this structure: Summary of their goal, Our approach, Scope (bulleted deliverables), Timeline, Price, What we need from you, Next step.
3. Prices come only from what I provide. Never invent a price. Write [PRICE NEEDED] if unsure.
4. Tone: [friendly and confident]. Plain English, no jargon. Under [600] words.
5. End with: [Reply to approve, or book a call at LINK].

2. Review reply drafts (folder: `review-reply-drafts`)

---
name: review-reply-drafts
description: Draft public replies to customer reviews for [Business Name] on Google, Yelp or Facebook. Use when given a review to respond to.
---
# Review reply drafts

1. Thank the reviewer by first name if shown.
2. Positive reviews: 2 to 3 sentences. Mention one specific detail they praised.
3. Negative reviews: apologize once, don't argue, don't share private details, and invite them to contact [email or phone] to make it right.
4. Never offer refunds or discounts unless I say so.
5. Sign off as [Name, Role].
6. Give two versions: short and warm. Never post anything; drafts only.

3. SOP writer (folder: `sop-writer`)

---
name: sop-writer
description: Turn rough notes, voice memo transcripts or checklists into a standard operating procedure (SOP) for [Business Name] staff.
---
# SOP writer

Format every SOP like this:
- Title and purpose (one sentence)
- Who does it and how often
- Tools or supplies needed
- Numbered steps, one action each, starting with a verb
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- "Done when" checklist

Write for a new hire on day one. If a step is unclear in my notes, add [ASK OWNER] instead of guessing.

4. Product description writer (folder: `product-description-writer`)

---
name: product-description-writer
description: Write online store product descriptions for [Store Name]. Use for new listings, rewrites, or Shopify, Etsy or Amazon copy.
---
# Product description writer

1. Inputs: product name, materials, size, key features, price, who it's for.
2. Output: a title under [70] characters, a 2-sentence hook, 4 to 5 benefit bullets, care or sizing notes, and a meta description under 155 characters.
3. Voice: [warm, playful, never pushy].
4. Only use facts I give you. No health, safety or "best" claims I didn't supply.

5. Weekly report (folder: `weekly-report`)

---
name: weekly-report
description: Build the weekly business report for [Business Name] from sales numbers, notes or spreadsheets. Use when asked for a weekly report, summary or recap.
---
# Weekly report

1. Sections: Headline (one sentence), Key numbers vs last week, Wins, Problems, Next week's priorities.
2. Show each number with the change from last week, and flag any change over [10]%.
3. If data is missing, write "not provided". Never estimate.
4. Keep it under one page. End with three questions I should think about.

Tip: pair the weekly report skill with a scheduled Cowork task (type /schedule in a Cowork task) on a paid plan, and Claude can build the report on a cadence (Get started with Claude Cowork).

Safety notes

Only install skills from sources you trust, and read a skill's files before enabling one someone else made. Don't put passwords or API keys in a skill, because anyone you share it with gets its files (Use skills in Claude; Create custom skills).

Want these as ready-made ZIP files? Download the free Claude Skills template pack and upload them in minutes.

Need skills built around your own process? CNR Consulting can turn how your team already works into tested Claude Skills. Book a quick chat.