Build a Skill

Written by Uday Kumar Updated September 17, 2026 05:34

Who this is for. Anyone with SmartResearch access: analysts, managers and finance leads. Access. Included for everyone at an organization whose subscription covers SmartResearch, whatever their role. No permission needs to be assigned. See the Roles and Access Reference.

The skill builder is a conversation rather than a form. You describe the workflow, and it drafts the skill around your answers.

Before you begin

Decide what you would ask if you were doing the analysis by hand. Only a name and purpose are required, so a single clear sentence is enough to start.

Build a skill

In the sidebar, select Skills.
Select + Create skill.

The builder opens on Create a skill. To return without saving, select ← Back to skills.
Describe the workflow in a sentence or two.

The builder asks what workflow you keep repeating and offers worked examples, such as Flag vendors whose spend jumped more than 30% month-over-month, Give me a weekly cash position with next week’s bills due, and Summarize AR aging by customer with anything over 60 days.
Answer each follow-up question in the message box, or select one of the options offered.

The box prompts Answer here, or pick an option above.
Check the rail on the right as it fills in.
Select Save skill.

The skill is added to the Personal tab of the catalog. To leave without saving, select Close.

The Create a skill conversation with the About, Triggers, Defaults, Steps and Output checklist beside it

Figure 1. The builder. The conversation is on the left; the skill takes shape in the rail on the right.

Progress rail

The rail is headed Your skill takes shape here and shows an em dash against any section not yet filled.

Table 1. Rail sections

Section	Required	If you leave it blank
About	Required	You cannot save without it. Holds the name and purpose.
Triggers	Optional	SmartResearch infers when the skill applies.
Defaults	Optional	SmartResearch chooses sensible defaults.
Steps	Optional	SmartResearch plans its own approach.
Output	Optional	SmartResearch picks the output shape.

Because only About is required, a usable skill can come from one sentence. Fill the optional sections when you need the result to be reproducible in a particular shape.

The builder carries the standing caution that SmartResearch can make mistakes. Read the drafted steps in the rail before you save.

Related information

For more information, see Skills.