Updated November 2026

Building Gemini Skills and Workspace Studio Flows

Class Duration

7 hours of live training delivered over 1-2 days to accommodate your scheduling needs.

Student Prerequisites

Comfort with everyday office software: documents, spreadsheets, email, and a web browser
Familiarity with Google Workspace apps such as Gmail, Docs, and Drive
Experience building or using Gems is helpful for the migration topics
No technical background or programming experience required

Target Audience

Business users, team leads, and Gem owners in operations, HR, finance, marketing, sales, support, and management, plus the Workspace administrators who govern skills. Attendees work in organizations moving from Gems to skills on Google Workspace. No technical background is assumed.

Description

Google is replacing Gems with skills: reusable instructions that guide Gemini on a task. This course teaches business users to build skills in the Gemini app and in Google Workspace, with no programming. Participants combine skills in one request and use them in Gmail, Docs, Slides, Drive, and Chat. They also build Workspace Studio flows that call skills from an Ask Gemini step. A migration module covers moving from Gems, which stop working no sooner than March 1, 2027 for business and enterprise customers.

Learning Outcomes

Explain what a Gemini skill is and how skills replace Gems.
Create skills in the Gemini app with Gemini, a template, or a SKILL.md upload.
Write instructions and descriptions that Gemini applies reliably.
Use skills in the Gemini side panel in Workspace apps.
Build and share skills in Workspace Studio and Docs.
Combine several skills in one request.
Automate recurring work with Workspace Studio flows that call skills.
Apply admin controls and data protections to skills.
Plan a migration from Gems to skills.

Training Materials

Comprehensive courseware is distributed online at the start of class. All students receive a downloadable MP4 recording of the training.

Software Requirements

Students need a Google Workspace account on a plan that includes Gemini, with skills and Google Workspace Studio turned on by an administrator, plus a web browser. Existing Gems to migrate are useful but not required. No installation required.

Training Topics

From Gems to Skills

What a skill is
Skills versus Gems
Skills versus ordinary chat
Where skills run
Where a skill helps
From idea to shared skill

Creating Skills in the Gemini App

Creating a skill with Gemini
Starting from a template
Turning a chat into a skill
Uploading a SKILL.md file or folder
Naming and describing a skill
Turning skills on and off
Calling a skill with a slash command

Writing Effective Skill Instructions

Anatomy of skill instructions
Descriptions Gemini can match
What the skill should not do
Tone, audience, and format
Refining from results

Skills in Google Workspace

Skills in the Gemini side panel
Gmail, Docs, Slides, Drive, and Chat
Skills in the Chat mobile app
The skill builder in Docs
Skills in Workspace Studio
Features still rolling out
Reviewing results before use

Combining Skills

Several skills in one request
Small, focused skills
Avoiding overlapping descriptions
A personal set of go-to skills

Automating Work with Workspace Studio Flows

What Workspace Studio does
Flow starters
Scheduled and email starters
AI steps such as Ask Gemini
Selecting skills in an Ask Gemini step
Testing a flow
Sharing and maintaining flows

Sharing skill copies from Workspace Studio
Admin settings for skills
External skill sharing controls
Gemini app access settings
Workspace Studio audit log events
Data loss prevention and permissions
Protecting company data

Migrating from Gems

The Gem retirement timeline
Gems in the Settings panel
Business, enterprise, and education dates
Personal account timing
Draft skills migrated from Gems
Reviewing and activating drafts
What carries over
Migrated skills stay in the Gemini app
Replacing Ask a Gem steps
Rebuilding Gems in Workspace