Give your skill arguments and its own files

The steps

One step at a time. When a step’s check matches, tick it and the next one opens.

1. 01

   Step 1 of 4: Save the skill and its template

   Put SKILL.md and template.md in one folder under .claude/skills.

   acme-quotes/

   • folder .claude
     • folder skills
       • folder client-updatefrom Day 12
       • folder quote-emailNew
         • SKILL.mdNewfrontmatter and steps
         • template.mdNewread only when the skill runs

   .claude/skills/quote-email/SKILL.md · MarkdownCopy

   ---
   description: Drafts a short email that sends a client their Acme quote, from a client name and role:hours line items.
   argument-hint: '"<client name>" "<role:hours ...> [--discount <percent>]"'
   arguments: [client, items]
   disable-model-invocation: true
   allowed-tools:
     - Bash(node src/cli.js *)
     - PowerShell(node src/cli.js *)
   ---
   
   Draft a quote email for $client.
   
   1. Run this command in the project folder and keep its output:
      `node src/cli.js $items`
   2. If the command prints an error, show the error to the user and stop.
      Don't write an email from guessed numbers.
   3. Fill in [template.md](template.md) with the client name and the numbers
      from the command output.
   
   Rules:
   
   - Copy every amount exactly as the command printed it, currency included.
     Never work out a number yourself.
   - Keep the discount line only when the output has one.
   - Leave `{{your name}}` as it is, for the user to fill in.
   - Put the finished email in your reply. Don't save it to a file and don't
     send it anywhere.
   

   .claude/skills/quote-email/template.md · MarkdownCopy

   # Quote email template
   
   Fill in every `{{...}}` from the quote command's output. Keep the wording
   around them. Drop the discount line when there is no discount.
   
   ```
   Subject: Your quote from Acme: {{total}}
   
   Hi {{client}},
   
   Thanks for asking us to price this job. Here is what it covers:
   
   {{one line per role: the role, its hours and its amount}}
   
   Subtotal: {{subtotal}}
   Discount ({{percent}}): {{discount}}
   VAT ({{vat percent}}): {{vat}}
   Total: {{total}}
   
   Reply to this email if you'd like to go ahead or change anything.
   
   Best regards,
   {{your name}}
   ```
   

   Check it worked

   In Claude Code, /skills lists quote-email with a user-only label.

   If it didn’t work

   `/skills` doesn’t list `quote-email`.

   Check the path is .claude/skills/quote-email/SKILL.md and that --- is its first line. Then run /reload-skills.

   It worked — next step Not yet
2. 02

   Step 2 of 4: Read what each field does

   Three frontmatter fields turn a fixed prompt into a small tool.

   .claude/skills/quote-email/SKILL.md

   arguments: [client, items]

   Fills $client with the first argument and $items with the second.

   disable-model-invocation: true

   Only you can start it. Claude doesn’t see its description.

   allowed-tools: Bash(node src/cli.js *)

   Runs that command without asking, for this turn only. A PowerShell line does the same on Windows.

   Check it worked

   You can say why allowed-tools doesn’t limit Claude: it approves tools but removes none. Removing them is disallowed-tools.

   It worked — next step Not yet Back
3. 03

   Step 3 of 4: Run it with two arguments

   Quote each argument so a name with spaces stays whole.

   In Claude Code

   You type: › /quote-email "Bloom Bakery" "design:10 dev:24 --discount 10"

   – What happens: Claude runs node src/cli.js design:10 dev:24 --discount 10 without a permission prompt.

   – What happens: It reads template.md and replies with the email.

   Check it worked

   An email to Bloom Bakery with a total of EUR 3,326.40, and no prompt for the quote command.

   If it didn’t work

   Claude asks before running the quote command.

   The command must start with node src/cli.js to match allowed-tools. An ask or deny rule in your settings still wins.

   It worked — next step Not yet Back
4. 04

   Step 4 of 4: Feed it a role that doesn’t exist

   The skill’s rules say what to do when the command fails.

   In order:

   1. You

      You type the command

      /quote-email "Bloom Bakery" "copywriting:5"

   2. Shell

      The quote command runs

      It prints Error: Unknown role "copywriting".

   3. Claude

      Claude reads the result

   • If the command prints an error

     Claude shows it and stops

   • If it prints a quote

     Claude fills in the template

   Check it worked

   Claude shows the unknown-role error and writes no email.

   It worked — finish Not yet Back