Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Share Google Doc and Notify agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The Share Google Doc and Notify skill is a packaged set of instructions that lets an AI agent share a Google Docs file with a collaborator and email them the link. It is written for people who already use the gws command-line tool with a configured Google Workspace account. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it in plain language, and what to check before running it.
Share Google Doc and Notifygoogleworkspace/cli · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install the gws tool. Install the gws command-line tool so the binary named gws is available, then authenticate it to your Google Workspace account.
- 2Load the required skills. Make sure gws-drive, gws-docs and gws-gmail are loaded along with this skill.
- 3Download the skill ZIP. Download the ZIP from the page, which contains SKILL.md.
- 4Unzip into a skills folder. Unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/, or upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
- 5Ask in plain language. Name the Google Doc and the reviewer's email address, and say you want them given editor access and sent the link.
- 6Check the details before it runs. Confirm the document, recipient and writer access level, since the steps run without a confirmation step.
What is an agent skill?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file. The file tells an AI agent how to carry out a specific task, such as a sequence of commands to run. When the skill is loaded, the agent can follow those instructions on your behalf instead of you typing each step.
This skill is listed under the recipe category in the productivity domain. It is a short recipe rather than a general tool: it does one job with three steps.
What the skill makes the agent do
Once installed, the agent can find a Google Docs file by name, give a named person editor (writer) access to it through Google Drive, and send that person an email containing the document link through Gmail.
The skill works by running the gws command-line tool. The steps in SKILL.md use three actions: finding the file with gws drive files list, creating the permission with gws drive permissions create, and sending the email with gws gmail +send. Because these run against your Google account, the agent acts on your real documents and mail.
Install the skill: download, unzip, or upload
Download the ZIP of the skill from the page you are reading. It contains SKILL.md.
For Claude Code, unzip it into your personal skills folder at ~/.claude/skills/, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder if you want it limited to one project.
In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: .claude/skills/ inside the project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Set up the requirements first
The skill will not work until its dependencies are in place. You need the gws command-line tool installed, with the binary named gws, and authenticated to a Google account. The skill also needs the gws-drive, gws-docs and gws-gmail skills loaded alongside it.
The recipe needs Google Drive, Google Docs and Gmail access through gws. If any of these are missing, the steps will fail.
- gws binary installed and authenticated to a Google account
- Skills gws-drive, gws-docs and gws-gmail loaded
- Google Drive, Google Docs and Gmail access through gws
How to trigger the skill with natural requests
Ask the agent in plain language, naming the document and the person. The agent uses the skill when your request matches its description: sharing a Google Doc with edit access and emailing collaborators the link.
Give the document name and the email address. The skill's examples use a document called Project Brief and a reviewer at company.com, so use the same kind of details.
- Share my Project Brief doc with reviewer@company.com and email them the link.
- Give Sam editor access to the Project Brief Google Doc and tell them it is ready for review.
- Find my Google Doc named Project Brief and send the link to reviewer@company.com.
What the underlying commands look like
These are the three commands the skill's steps describe. Read them before you approve a run, since the agent executes them as written with your account.
Step 1 finds the document by name. Step 2 sets writer (editor) access for one email address. Step 3 sends the email with the document link.
gws drive files list --params '{"q": "name contains '\''Project Brief'\'' and mimeType = '\''application/vnd.google-apps.document'\''"}'
gws drive permissions create --params '{"fileId": "DOC_ID"}' --json '{"role": "writer", "type": "user", "emailAddress": "reviewer@company.com"}'
gws gmail +send --to reviewer@company.com --subject 'Please review: Project Brief' --body 'I have shared the project brief with you: https://docs.google.com/document/d/DOC_ID'Safety: what to check before running it
This skill runs scripts and uses the network. It acts on your real Google account, so it can change who can access a document and send mail on your behalf.
The recipe is hard-wired to editor (writer) access and to a specific email address. It does not include a confirmation step, so the share and the email both run without pausing. Check the document name, the recipient and the access level before you let it run.
- Do not use it for view-only or public-link sharing; the recipe grants writer access.
- Confirm the recipient email address is correct before the agent runs.
- Check that the document found is the right one, since the search matches by name.
- Run it on a document you are comfortable sharing with editor rights.
What people use it for
- Sharing a project brief with a reviewer and emailing them the link in one request.
- Giving a colleague editor access to a shared draft after a team meeting.
- Notifying a named collaborator that a document is ready for their review.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the share Google Doc and notify agent skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills. You also need the gws tool and the gws-drive, gws-docs and gws-gmail skills.
What do I need to run this skill?
You need the gws command-line tool with the binary named gws, authenticated to a Google account. The gws-drive, gws-docs and gws-gmail skills must be loaded, and the account needs Google Drive, Google Docs and Gmail access through gws.
Is this skill free and what is its licence?
The source lists the licence as Apache-2.0 for the googleworkspace/cli repository that contains this skill. The source does not state pricing, so check the repository for any cost details.
Can the skill share with view-only access or a public link?
No, not as written. The recipe is hard-wired to writer (editor) access and a specific email address, so it cannot be used for view-only or public-link sharing.
Does the agent ask for confirmation before sharing?
The steps run the share and the email without a confirmation step. Check the document, recipient and access level before you let the agent run it.
What are alternatives if this recipe does not fit?
The source does not name alternatives. If you need view-only sharing or a confirmation step, you could use the gws commands directly and review each one before running it.
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Our verdict
This skill suits people who already use gws with a Google Workspace account and regularly share documents with reviewers, and who want the agent to handle both the sharing and the email. It is a poor fit if you need view-only or public sharing, or if you want to review each share and email before it is sent.
Download the skill