Package your research workflow usings skills
Package your research process into a skill that creates reports without re-explaining your standards every time.
- CategoryProfessional
- ModelSonnet 4.5
- Features
- ShareCopy link
1
Describe the task
Monthly research reports often involve repeatedly explaining the same details: which sources to use for each section, how to write a specific way, specific formatting rules. Skills streamlines your entire research workflow—from sources and formatting to visual elements—ensuring every report consistently meets your standards without the need for constant re-explanation.
Creating this skill takes one conversation. Walk through your report structure section by section, explain which sources feed which parts and how each should be formatted, upload your template and logo. Claude packages everything into a skill that triggers automatically whenever you mention research reports.Describe your report section by section. Specify which sources to use where, how each section should be formatted, and upload your template showing spacing and design.
I want to create a skill for my monthly competitive intelligence reports. These reports follow a specific template with different requirements for each section.
I'm uploading my report template showing the exact structure and spacing. Here's what each section needs:
Section 1 - Executive Summary: Pull from recent web articles about competitors. Format as 4-5 concise bullet points, each under 20 words. Bold key metrics.
Section 2 - Market Landscape: Use web search for analyst reports and industry trends. Write in prose paragraphs, 2-3 pages, professional but accessible tone.
Section 3 - Competitive Analysis: Pull from uploaded competitor data files. Present as comparison tables with our company highlighted. Include 3-4 key differentiators.
Section 4 - Recommendations: Based on all above sections. Format as numbered list (1-5 items), each with brief rationale. Direct, actionable language.
Formatting specifics:
- Headings: Bold, 14pt, dark blue (#1B4F72)
- Body text: 11pt, regular weight, black
- Tables: Light gray headers, alternating row colors
- Add our company logo in the header (I'm uploading the PNG)
- Add my signature image at the bottom of the last page
2
Give Claude context
This workflow leverages Claude's skills system. In Settings > Capabilities > Skills, make sure code execution and file creation is turned on so you have the ability to create Skills.
Required context
Upload files or past work to serve as examples, templates, or references that Claude can integrate into or reference within the skill. Claude can work with diverse file types, such as those listed here.
No items found.
research-brief-reference
PDF
research-brief-reference
PDF
Optional context
Enable Extended Thinking in the chat bar for deeper strategic thinking about gathering sources, structuring information and meeting quality standards.
Extended Thinking
3
What Claude creates
Claude walks you through building the skill, asking questions to capture all the different requirements for each section. After Claude creates your skill package, upload it through chat or in Settings > Capabilities > Skills to make sure it is enabled. The skill activates automatically when you mention competitive intelligence or research reports.
From Claude
I'll help you create a comprehensive skill for your monthly competitive intelligence reports. Let me start by reading the skill creation guide to ensure we follow best practices.
Reading the skill creator guide to understand best practices for creating this brand guideline…
Your Competitive Intelligence Skill is Ready!
I've created a comprehensive skill for generating your monthly competitive intelligence reports with exact formatting and structure. Here's what you're getting:
Main Deliverable
competitive-intelligence.skill - Install this skill file in Claude
Documentation & Examples
- User Guide - How to use the skill with examples
Package Summary - Complete overview of what's included
Sample Report - Example output showing the formatting
What This Skill Does
The skill generates professional competitive intelligence reports with:
Four standardized sections:
- Executive Summary (4-5 bullets, under 20 words each, bold metrics)
- Market Landscape (2-3 pages of prose, analyst reports, trends)
Competitive Analysis (comparison tables + 3-4 differentiators)
Recommendations (numbered list with rationale)
Automated research:
Web searches for competitor news and industry trends
Google Drive integration for your internal competitor data
Analyst report fetching and synthesis
Professional formatting:
- Exact typography (14pt headings, 11pt body, dark blue #1B4F72)
Styled comparison tables with your company highlighted in yellow
Company logo in header, signature at bottom
Proper spacing, colors, and layout
Quick Start
After installing the skill, just say: "Create my December 2025 competitive intelligence report"
Claude will research, structure, and generate a publication-ready DOCX in ~5-7 minutes.
Customization
The skill includes synthetic placeholder assets:
- company_logo.png - Replace with your actual logo
signature.png - Replace with your signature
All formatting specs are in references/template.md if you need to adjust the template.
Key Features
- Token-efficient - Clean, focused SKILL.md under 500 lines
- Progressive disclosure - Detailed formatting specs in reference files
- Tested scripts - Python DOCX generator works perfectly
Real research - Integrates web search and Google Drive
Publication-ready - Professional formatting automatically applied
The skill follows all best practices from the skill creator guide including workflow-based structure, concrete examples, and proper resource organization.
4
Follow up prompts
Continue the conversation with Claude to refine, expand, or explore further.
Test the skill
Create a new report by simply mentioning the skill to trigger it naturally, all the tedious formatting and source-gathering automated.
I need to begin drafting my October competitive intelligence report. The focus on AI coding assistants.
Update the skill
Adjust formatting for a specific section
The Executive Summary bullets are too long. Update the skill, to make sure to tighten each to under 15 words and make them punchier. Use em dashes for sub-points instead of nested bullets.
Integrate your connectors
Simply tell Claude which tools need to be used in your workflow. Skills can include tools by integrating with any MCP connectors you have connected.
Update my competitive intelligence skill. Pull team insights from #competitive-intel channel slack and reference past reports in Drive for trend comparisons.
5
Tricks, tips, and troubleshooting
Inspect the skill files
Download the ZIP and open SKILL.md. A skill at it’s core is just a group of files, wit the main instructions written in plain markdown showing: which sources go where, formatting rules per section, logo placement. You can have Claude help you make edits or just edit directly if something's wrong.
If it doesn't trigger automatically
Say "Use my Competitive Intelligence Report Generator skill." Or edit SKILL.md's when to use section to broaden triggers from "competitive intelligence reports" to "research reports, market analysis, competitor analysis."
Test with a past report first
Before using for real, test it: "Create the September competitive intelligence report" (one you already did). Compare outputs to surface gaps before they matter.
Ready to try for yourself?
Chat with Claude to easily package your processes and expertise into skills. Start with a workflow you repeat often, and easily invoke the skill at any time, anywhere in Claude.
