Why this matters

You've built skills that handle general tasks like quoting and follow-up emails. But your business probably runs on specific apps. Xero for accounting. ServiceM8 for job management. Cliniko for client bookings. Jobber for scheduling. Whatever your industry uses.

Right now, you switch between these apps dozens of times a day. Open Xero, create an invoice. Open ServiceM8, log a job. Open Cliniko, check tomorrow's bookings. Each switch costs you time and mental energy.

In this chapter, you'll teach Claude how YOUR specific apps work, so you can say things like "create an invoice in Xero for Sarah's kitchen job" or "what jobs have I got scheduled this week in ServiceM8?" and Claude handles it.

What we're doing

Building a skill file that teaches Claude one of your business apps, step by step. By the end, Claude will understand your app well enough to help you use it through conversation instead of clicking through menus.

The two ways Claude can work with your apps

Before we build anything, you need to understand the two ways this works:

Both options use the same skill file approach. The only difference is whether Claude does it directly or guides you through it.

Step 1: Pick your app

Choose the one business app you use most often. The one you open every day. Don't pick the most complicated one. Pick the one where you spend the most time doing repetitive tasks.

Common choices by industry:

Industry	Popular apps
Tradies	ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus, Simpro
Health & Wellness	Cliniko, Jane App, Power Diary, Mindbody
Accounting	Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks
Cleaning	Jobber, Launch27, ZenMaid
Retail	Shopify, Square, Lightspeed
Hospitality	Deputy, Kounta, Lightspeed
Freelancers	Harvest, Toggl, FreshBooks
Real Estate	Rex, VaultRE, Agentbox

Got one in mind? Good. We'll build a skill for it.

Step 2: Document what you actually do in it

Before writing any skill file, you need to map out what you actually do in this app. Not every feature. Just the tasks you do regularly.

Open Claude and say:

Claude will ask you things like:

• What do you use it for most? (invoicing, scheduling, client records?)
• How often do you create new records?
• What information do you enter every time?
• Are there any steps you always do in the same order?

Answer honestly. The more specific you are, the better your skill will be.

Step 3: Build the skill file

Now tell Claude to turn your workflow into a skill. Say:

Claude will create a skill file. Here's what a good one looks like:

Example: Xero invoicing skill (for a tradie)

# Skill: Xero Invoicing

## When to use this
When a job is complete and the client needs an invoice.

## What I need from the user
- Client name
- Job description (what was done)
- Materials used and cost
- Labour hours
- Any extras or variations

## Steps
1. Look up the client in Xero (create if new)
2. Create a new invoice with:
   - Due date: 14 days from today
   - Line items: Labour (hours x $85/hr), Materials (itemised), Travel ($45 flat)
   - GST: included on all items
   - Reference: job address + date
3. Add my standard payment terms in the notes
4. Save as draft (never send without checking)

## Rules
- Always itemise materials separately, never lump sum
- Labour rate is $85/hr, minimum 2 hours
- Travel is $45 flat fee for jobs within 30km, $1.20/km after that
- GST is always included, never excluded
- Payment terms: 14 days, 2% late fee after 30 days
- Never round down. Always round up to nearest dollar

## Example output
"Invoice created in Xero for Sarah Henderson:
- Labour: 4.5 hours x $85 = $382.50
- Materials: Dulux Wash&Wear 10L ($189), primer 4L ($67), drop sheets ($23) = $279
- Travel: $45
- Total (inc GST): $706.50
- Due: [14 days from today]
- Saved as draft - check and send when ready."

Example: ServiceM8 job logging skill (for a cleaner)

# Skill: ServiceM8 Job Logging

## When to use this
When a new booking comes in and needs to be added to the system.

## What I need from the user
- Client name and address
- Service type (standard clean, deep clean, end of lease, commercial)
- Date and time
- Any special instructions

## Steps
1. Check if client exists in ServiceM8
2. Create new job with:
   - Job type matching service requested
   - Scheduled date and time
   - Assigned to: check team availability first
   - Duration: standard clean 2hrs, deep clean 4hrs, end of lease 6hrs, commercial varies
3. Add special instructions to job notes
4. Set status to "Scheduled"

## Rules
- Always check for existing client first, don't create duplicates
- Minimum booking is 2 hours ($140)
- End of lease always gets a checklist attached
- Saturday jobs have 1.5x rate, Sundays are 2x
- Never book two jobs that overlap for the same cleaner
- Always confirm address includes unit/apartment number for apartments

## Example output
"Job created in ServiceM8:
- Client: Tom Henderson, 42 Elm Street, Paddington
- Service: Deep clean (4 hours)
- Date: Tuesday 15 April, 9:00 AM
- Assigned to: Maria (available)
- Rate: $280 (4hrs x $70/hr)
- Notes: Pet-friendly products only, access via side gate
- Status: Scheduled"

Example: Cliniko appointment skill (for a physio)

# Skill: Cliniko Patient Booking

## When to use this
When a patient calls or messages to book an appointment.

## What I need
- Patient name (check if existing)
- Appointment type (initial consult, follow-up, dry needling, group class)
- Preferred date/time
- Any specific practitioner request

## Steps
1. Search for patient in Cliniko
2. Check practitioner availability for requested time
3. Create appointment with:
   - Correct appointment type and duration
   - Initial consult: 45 min, Follow-up: 30 min, Dry needling: 45 min
   - Practitioner: requested or next available
4. Check if health fund details are on file
5. Send confirmation via Cliniko's built-in messaging

## Rules
- Initial consults are ALWAYS 45 minutes, no exceptions
- Don't book back-to-back initial consults for the same practitioner
- Check Medicare/health fund details are current (expire annually)
- Cancellation policy: 24 hours notice required
- Waitlist patients get priority for cancellation spots
- Never book outside practice hours (Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 8am-1pm)

Step 4: Test it with a real scenario

Don't test with made-up data. Use a real task you need to do today. Open Claude and try:

Watch what Claude produces. Check it against what you'd normally do manually:

• Did it get the pricing right?
• Did it follow your rules?
• Did it include everything you'd normally include?
• Is anything missing or wrong?

If something's off, tell Claude: "That's wrong because [reason]. Update the skill to include this rule." Claude fixes the skill, and it never makes that mistake again.

Step 5: Add your second and third apps (when ready)

Once your first app skill is working well, repeat the process for your next most-used app. Most business owners end up with 2-4 app skills:

• Accounting app (invoicing, expenses)
• Job/booking management (scheduling, client records)
• Communication tool (email templates, client updates)
• Industry-specific tool (whatever's unique to your trade)

Don't rush this. Get one working properly before starting the next.

The power move: connecting apps together

Here's where it gets really powerful. Once Claude knows multiple apps, you can chain tasks together:

We'll build more multi-app workflows in the automation chapters coming up. For now, focus on getting your first app skill solid.

What you just learned

• Claude can work with your business apps in two ways: directly connected (with a connector) or guided (drafts content, you paste it)
• App skills follow the same format as your other skills: when to use, steps, rules, examples
• Start with your most-used app, get it working, then add more
• Test with real scenarios and update the skill when something's off
• Once Claude knows multiple apps, you can chain them into multi-app workflows

Try it yourself

• Pick your most-used business app
• Tell Claude about your workflow in that app
• Build the skill file with Claude's help
• Test it with a real task from today
• Fix anything that was off and update the skill

Mark chapter as complete