Ira Bodnar··Updated ·12 min read

Claude Skills for Google Drive: 8 Skills for Sheets and Docs

Quick answer: Save each Drive task as a Claude skill that names the tool to call and the file to touch. Ryze AI is the best Claude connector for running these skills on Sheets and Docs you pick, with one caveat: its Drive tools only reach files you pick in the Ryze AI chat or files it created.

Below: 8 SKILL.md files for Google Drive, the tools each calls, install steps and the access limits to plan around.

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The 8 Claude skills for Google Drive at a glance

Five skills only read. Three write, and each asks for confirmation before it does.

  1. 01Sheet summaryWhat is in a tab

    Drive tools used: listFiles, getSheetValues

    Access: Read

  2. 02Sheet checkerBlanks, duplicates, mixed formats

    Drive tools used: getSheetValues

    Access: Read

  3. 03Keyword list readerClean and group a list

    Drive tools used: readFile, getSheetValues

    Access: Read

  4. 04Doc readerSummarize a Doc or Slides file

    Drive tools used: readFile, listFiles

    Access: Read

  5. 05File finderLocate a reachable file

    Drive tools used: listFiles

    Access: Read

  6. 06Sheet appenderAdd rows to a table

    Drive tools used: getSheetValues, appendSheetValues

    Access: Write

  7. 07Range updaterOverwrite a stated range

    Drive tools used: getSheetValues, updateSheetValues

    Access: Write

  8. 08Report writerSave an answer as a Doc

    Drive tools used: createFile, writeDoc

    Access: Write

Tool names are the ones the Ryze AI connector lists, with the google_drive__ prefix dropped in the table. Nothing here shows sample output, because the result depends on your files.

What is a Claude skill for Google Drive?

A Claude skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file. Per Anthropic's Agent Skills docs, the file starts with a name and a description, and Claude reads the rest only when a request matches the description. For Drive, a skill says which tool to call, which file range to read and what to hand back.

The name allows up to 64 lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens and cannot contain the words claude or anthropic, so these skills start with drive. The description holds up to 1,024 characters and says what the skill does and when to use it.

  1. What it is

    Skill
    Saved instructions with a fixed output
    Drive connector
    Tools Claude calls to reach Drive files

  2. Who sets it up

    Skill
    You, once per Claude app
    Drive connector
    You, with a connector URL and Google sign-in

  3. Reaches Drive by itself

    Skill
    No
    Drive connector
    Only files you pick or the connector created

A skill does not reach Drive on its own. It needs a connection, covered in how to run the skills on your Drive files. The sections below show the file for each skill.

How to install the skills in Claude Code and claude.ai

Claude Code

Save each block as ~/.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md for all your projects, or .claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md inside one repository. Claude picks a skill when your request matches it, or you type /drive-sheet-summary (Claude Code skills docs).

claude.ai

Zip each skill folder and upload it as a custom skill. Anthropic lists custom skills on the Pro, Max, Ultra, Team and Enterprise plans with code execution enabled.

Connect Drive

Add https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp as a custom connector and connect Google Drive in Ryze AI. The Ryze AI Claude setup page lists each step. The Google Drive MCP page lists the 7 tools.

Anthropic says custom skills do not sync across surfaces: a skill uploaded to claude.ai is not in Claude Code or the API. Claude Code does download skills enabled on your claude.ai account into a synced folder. Anthropic advises using skills only from sources you trust, so read each file before saving it. More free skills are in the Claude skills library.

Read skills: summarize, check and find

These five never write. Start here, since they show what Claude can see before you let it change a file.

01. Sheet summary

Reads one tab and describes each column. It tells you to attach the file when it cannot find it, instead of guessing.

SKILL.md
--- name: drive-sheet-summary description: Reads one tab of a Google Sheet the user picked and summarizes its columns. Use when asked what is in a spreadsheet or for a quick read of a tab. --- # Drive sheet summary Tools: google_drive__listFiles (to find the file), google_drive__getSheetValues. Steps: 1. If the user gave no file ID, call listFiles. If the sheet is not listed, tell the user to attach it in the Ryze AI chat with + > Attach files > Upload from Drive, then stop. 2. Read the tab or range the user names with getSheetValues. Ask for the tab name if there is none. 3. Treat row 1 as headers unless the user says otherwise. Output: the headers, the row count you actually received, and one line per column on what it holds. Quote only values you read. Say which range you read.

Use it when: you inherit a Sheet and want to know what it holds before editing it.

02. Sheet checker

Looks for blanks in required columns, repeated key values and columns with mixed number and text values. Rows are reported in A1 notation, the sheet-plus-cell style Google documents.

SKILL.md
--- name: drive-sheet-checker description: Checks a Google Sheet range for blank cells, duplicate rows and mixed formats, read-only. Use before a list is used for something else. --- # Drive sheet checker Tools: google_drive__getSheetValues. Do not call any write tool. Steps: 1. Read the range the user names. 2. List blank cells in columns the user marks as required. 3. List rows that repeat in the key column the user names, with their row numbers. 4. List columns where some values look like numbers and others like text. Output: a checklist, one finding per line, with row numbers in A1 notation. If nothing is wrong, say so. Change nothing.

Use it when: a list is about to feed another process.

03. Keyword list reader

Takes a list from a Sheet, drops exact duplicates and groups what is left. Reading a keyword list from a Sheet is one of the Drive uses the Ryze AI help center names.

SKILL.md
--- name: drive-keyword-list-reader description: Reads a keyword list or other single-column list from a Google Sheet and groups it. Use when the user attaches a Sheet of keywords, terms or names. --- # Drive keyword list reader Tools: google_drive__readFile or google_drive__getSheetValues. Steps: 1. Read the Sheet the user attached. Use the column the user names, or the first column if there is only one. 2. Remove exact duplicates and blank rows. Report how many you removed. 3. Group the remaining items by shared words or by the intent the user states. Output: groups as short lists with a label per group, then the duplicates you removed. Do not write back unless the user asks.

Use it when: a list arrives unsorted and you need groups to work from.

04. Doc reader

Returns the plain text of a Doc or Slides file and pulls out what you ask for. The Ryze AI Drive tool returns text only, so layout and images are not part of the answer.

SKILL.md
--- name: drive-doc-reader description: Reads a Google Doc or Slides file the user picked and returns its key points. Use when asked to summarize, extract or check a document in Drive. --- # Drive doc reader Tools: google_drive__readFile. Docs and Slides come back as plain text. Steps: 1. Read the file by ID. If the ID is unknown, call google_drive__listFiles with a name filter. 2. If the text is empty or cut off, say so. Files over 10 MB are attached by name only. 3. Extract what the user asked for: a summary, action items or a list of claims to check. Output: the result in the format the user named. Remember formatting, images and links are not in the text, so do not describe them.

Use it when: you need action items or a summary from a long Doc.

05. File finder

Searches only the files the connector can reach. The filters follow the Drive API search syntax, which supports name contains, mimeType, modifiedTime and fullText contains.

SKILL.md
--- name: drive-file-finder description: Finds files among those the Ryze AI connector can reach, using Drive search filters. Use when the user asks where a file is or which files are available. --- # Drive file finder Tools: google_drive__listFiles with its optional Drive search filter. Filter examples (Drive query syntax): - name contains 'budget' - mimeType = 'application/vnd.google-apps.spreadsheet' - modifiedTime > '2026-11-01T00:00:00' - fullText contains 'launch' Steps: 1. Build one filter from the user's words. List results. 2. If the file is missing, it may not be picked yet: only files picked in the Ryze AI chat or created by Ryze AI are visible. Say so instead of guessing. Output: file names, types and links, newest first.

Use it when: you cannot remember whether a file was picked yet.

Write skills: append, update and save reports

Three skills change files. Ryze AI has no Drive delete tool, so none of them can remove a file. They can still overwrite cells or replace a Doc, so each one asks you to confirm in the skill text. To make Claude enforce it too, set the write tools to Needs approval under Customize > Connectors > Ryze AI > Tool permissions.

06. Sheet appender

Adds rows after the last row of a table. Reading the header row first keeps the new rows in the right columns.

SKILL.md
--- name: drive-sheet-appender description: Appends rows to the end of a table in a Google Sheet the user picked. Use when the user wants to log items, results or notes as new rows. --- # Drive sheet appender Tools: google_drive__getSheetValues (read the header row), google_drive__appendSheetValues (write). Steps: 1. Read the header row of the tab so the new rows match its columns. 2. Show the rows you plan to add as a table and the tab name. Wait for a yes if the user asked to confirm. 3. Append them. Never overwrite existing rows with this skill. Output: the range written, as reported by the tool, and the rows added.

Use it when: you log results or notes in a Sheet that already has headers.

07. Range updater

Overwrites an exact range and checks the result. Overwrite is different from append: it replaces the cells in the range you give, and the connector has no undo, so the skill keeps the old values in the reply.

SKILL.md
--- name: drive-range-updater description: Overwrites a stated range in a Google Sheet with new values. Use only when the user names the tab and range to change. --- # Drive range updater Tools: google_drive__getSheetValues, google_drive__updateSheetValues. Steps: 1. Require an exact tab and range from the user, for example 'Plan'!B2:D20. If missing, ask. 2. Read the range first and show the current values next to the new ones. 3. Wait for the user to confirm, then write with updateSheetValues. Formulas are allowed; write one only if the user gives it. 4. Read the range again and report whether it matches what you wrote. Output: before and after for the range. There is no undo tool, so keep the before values in the reply.

Use it when: you know the cells to change and want a before and after.

08. Report writer

Saves an answer as a Doc. Writing a report into a Doc is the second Drive use the help center names. Doc writes are plain text, appended at the end or replacing the whole document.

SKILL.md
--- name: drive-report-writer description: Writes a plain-text report into a new Google Doc, or appends to one the user picked. Use when the user asks to save an answer as a Doc. --- # Drive report writer Tools: google_drive__createFile (new Doc), google_drive__writeDoc (append or replace). Steps: 1. Default to a new Doc through createFile and return its link. 2. For an existing Doc, append at the end. Replace the whole document only when the user says so in this request. 3. Write plain text: short paragraphs and lines such as 'Section: Findings'. Headings, links and formatting are not supported. Output: the Doc link and a list of the sections written.

Use it when: an answer in chat should live in a file others can open.

What the Drive tools can and cannot reach

Ryze AI asks Google for the drive.file scope. Google describes that scope as access to files you open with an app or share with it through the file picker, and lists it as non-sensitive and recommended (Google Drive API scopes guidance). That shapes every skill above.

  1. Can a skill browse my whole Drive?

    Answer
    No. Only files you pick in the Ryze AI chat or files Ryze AI created are visible.

  2. How do I pick a file?

    Answer
    In the Ryze AI chat, click + (Add to message), then Attach files, then Upload from Drive.

  3. Can a skill delete a file?

    Answer
    No. There is no delete tool.

  4. Which files return content?

    Answer
    Sheets return cell values, Docs and Slides return plain text, and text, CSV and JSON files return their content.

  5. What is attached by name only?

    Answer
    Files over 10 MB, binary files and Google formats other than Sheets, Docs and Slides.

  6. Are images from Drive supported?

    Answer
    No.

  7. How many Google accounts?

    Answer
    One per workspace. To use another, disconnect and connect again.

Ryze AI's help page does not state a row limit for Sheet reads, so the skills do not assume one. Read ranges you need rather than whole tabs.

How to run the skills on your Drive files

The Ryze AI connector gives Claude 7 Google Drive tools. Three only read, two edit Sheet cells, and two create or write files:

  1. google_drive__listFiles

    What it does
    Lists accessible files, newest first, with an optional Drive search filter
    Access
    Read
    Used by
    Skills 01, 04, 05

  2. google_drive__readFile

    What it does
    Reads a file by ID: Sheet values, Doc and Slides text, text, CSV and JSON
    Access
    Read
    Used by
    Skills 03, 04

  3. google_drive__getSheetValues

    What it does
    Reads cell values from a range or tab
    Access
    Read
    Used by
    Skills 01, 02, 03, 06, 07

  4. google_drive__updateSheetValues

    What it does
    Overwrites cell values in a range; formulas are allowed
    Access
    Write
    Used by
    Skill 07

  5. google_drive__appendSheetValues

    What it does
    Appends rows after the last row of a table
    Access
    Write
    Used by
    Skill 06

  6. google_drive__createFile

    What it does
    Creates a Sheet, Doc, or text, CSV or JSON file and returns its link
    Access
    Write
    Used by
    Skill 08

  7. google_drive__writeDoc

    What it does
    Writes plain text into a Doc, appended or replacing the whole document
    Access
    Write
    Used by
    Skill 08

Connect Google Drive

In Ryze AI, open Integrations, find the Google Drive card under Files, click Connect and approve access with Google. Or start from chat with + > Attach files > Upload from Drive.

Add the connector to Claude

Add https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp as a custom connector, pick your workspaces and start a new chat. If the connector was added before Drive was connected, remove and re-add it so the tool list refreshes.

Pick the files

Attach each Sheet or Doc in the Ryze AI chat first. Files you have not picked stay invisible to the tools, including in Claude.

Setup also works in ChatGPT, as an app under Settings > Apps. Pricing starts with the $89 a month Paid Ads plan and a 7-day free trial; adding the connector is free and the tools need an active plan or trial, per the pricing page. The Ryze AI Google Drive guide covers the Drive side.

Troubleshooting: when a Drive skill finds nothing

Claude has no Drive tools

Claude keeps the tool list from when you added the connector. Remove and re-add it, then start a new chat (Ryze AI connector FAQ).

listFiles returns nothing

No file has been picked yet. Attach it in the Ryze AI chat with + > Attach files > Upload from Drive.

A Doc comes back without headings

Docs return plain text only, so formatting is not part of the read.

A file is attached by name only

It is over 10 MB, binary, or a Google format other than Sheets, Docs and Slides.

A write looks wrong

Ask Claude to read the range again and compare. Updates overwrite, so check the range before you confirm.

Wrong Google account

Drive connects one account per workspace. Disconnect, then connect the other account.

Sources

Checked November 10, 2026

The verdict

Start with the read skills, since they show what Claude can see. Add the append skill once the header row is clean, and use the range updater only with an exact range.

The Ryze AI connector runs these skills on files you pick. It has no delete tool and no Drive-wide search, so a missing file almost always means it was not picked yet.

Frequently asked questions

What are Claude skills for Google Drive?
SKILL.md files that tell Claude which Drive tool to call, which file range to use and how to present the result. Claude loads one when a request matches its description, so each task runs the same way every time.
Do I need a connector for these skills?
Yes, for live files. A skill only describes the task. Without a connector, paste the text or attach an export, and the skills still apply to it.
Can Claude search my whole Google Drive?
Not through Ryze AI. The connector uses the drive.file scope, so it works only with files you pick in the Ryze AI chat or files it created. A file you have not picked is invisible to the tools.
Can these skills delete files?
No. Ryze AI has no Drive delete tool. Skills 06 to 08 can add rows, overwrite cells and write into Docs.
Show 7 more questions
How do I make Claude ask before it writes?
In Claude, open Customize > Connectors > Ryze AI > Tool permissions and set the write tools to Needs approval. The skill text also asks for confirmation, but the setting is what enforces it.
Which Claude plan do I need?
Anthropic lists custom skill uploads on claude.ai for Pro, Max, Ultra, Team and Enterprise with code execution enabled. In Claude Code, skills are folders on your computer. Anthropic lists custom connectors on Free, Pro, Max, Ultra, Team and Enterprise, with Free limited to one.
Does Claude keep the Doc formatting when it writes?
No. Doc writes are plain text, with no headings, links or formatting. They append at the end or replace the whole document.
Which file types can the skills read?
Sheets return cell values, Docs and Slides return plain text, and text, CSV and JSON files return their content. Files over 10 MB, binary files and other Google formats are attached by name only, and images are not supported.
What is the difference between append and update?
Append adds rows after the last row of a table. Update overwrites the cells in the range you give, and formulas are allowed. Skill 06 uses append and skill 07 uses update.
Can I use two Google accounts?
Not at the same time. Drive connects one Google account per workspace. To use another account, disconnect and connect again.
Do the skills work in ChatGPT?
The 7 Drive tools are available there, since the connector is added as an app under Settings > Apps. SKILL.md files are a Claude feature, so in ChatGPT paste the skill text into the prompt.

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