Turn a repeated job into a script the skill runs

How this helps you

A repeated chore becomes a quick script run with a two-line answer, instead of the Bot doing every step again.

✦ Try it

That result is correct. Turn exactly what you just did into a script that needs no AI to run. Test it on today's data and show me it gets the same result. Then save a skill called [skill name] that runs the script, replies in two lines, and only flags numbers that look odd. If the script fails, tell me instead of doing the job by hand.

Fill in: [skill name]: a short name you'll remember, such as weekly stats.

What they did

Jordan Rafealov ran out of usage and went looking for ways to make the same work cost less. One of his fixes is turning a job you always do into a script. His example is a weekly stats job: pull the week's YouTube views, subscribers and top videos into a stats sheet. First he does the job once with the Bot and checks it, fixing anything wrong, because you don't want to script a mistake. Then he asks the Bot to turn exactly what it just did into a script that needs no AI to run, test it on today's numbers and confirm it gets the same result. He saves that as a skill (weekly stats) that runs the script and replies in two lines, flagging only odd numbers. Next week he just asks for the skill. Other jobs he lists: resizing files, transcribing, renaming and sorting folders.

Who it's for: People with weekly reporting, file or data chores that run the same way every time.

Before you start

A job you repeat the same way each time, with a clear right answer you can check.
Whatever access the job needs (a sheet, a channel, a folder).

How to try it

Do the job once in chat. Check every number or file and correct the Bot until it's right.
Ask it to turn exactly what it just did into a script that needs no AI to run, in whatever language it prefers.
Have it run the script on today's data and compare with the result you just checked.
Save a skill that runs the script and replies in two lines, flagging only odd results.
Next time, just ask for the skill by name. Add a routine only once it has worked a few times.

What to expect

A saved skill and a script file on the Bot's computer. Next week the reply is two lines, such as 'Stats added. Views down 30% on Tuesday, worth a look.'

Common mistakes

Scripting before the job is right. Jordan's rule: check it first, you don't want to automate something broken.
Jobs that need judgment, like writing or choosing. Scripts suit fixed steps with checkable results.
Not testing on today's data, so you don't know the script matches the checked result.
Our addition: the 'tell me instead of doing it by hand' line keeps a broken script from quietly falling back to the slow way (we haven't verified this step).

Related tips

Do it by hand, save a skill, then schedule: Most automations break because they're scheduled before they've worked once.
Teach a task by doing it once: Do the workflow while it watches; it records the steps.
Build a monthly usage audit page that labels every routine: Hand your Bot screenshots of your usage and billing pages, get a page that marks each routine Keep, Slow down, Change check or Retire.