The skills library
The skills library is your company's list of skills that people can add to their profiles and colleagues can endorse. Use it to add a skill, rename one, merge duplicates and remove skills nobody should use. Every new company starts with 20 common skills, and anyone can add more, so the library needs an occasional tidy.
Where:
- Performance › Settings › Skills
- Or the Custom Skills page, which shows the same list
You need: the Admin Performance right. People with only the Reviewer (Manager) right see the Skills tab in Settings, but the list stays empty and saving fails.
Before You Start
The library is shared by everyone in the company. Renaming or deleting a skill changes it on every profile that has it, at once.
Anyone can also create a skill from Performance › Skills › Add Skill › Create a new skill. That skill joins this library for everyone straight away, so expect near-duplicates over time.
How to add a skill
- Open Performance › Settings › Skills and select Add Skill.
- Type the Skill Name, up to 100 characters.
- Select Save, or press Enter.
Names must be unique, but capitals count: "Excel" and "excel" can both exist.
How to rename a skill
- Find the skill and select the pencil.
- Change the Skill Name.
- Select Save.
Everyone who has the skill now shows the new name, and their endorsements stay.
How to delete a skill
- Find the skill and select the bin.
- Read Permanently delete? and select Delete.
⚠️ Deleting removes the skill from every profile, with all its endorsements and comments. It cannot be undone. Check Times Used first.
How to merge two duplicate skills
There is no merge. To combine "MS Excel" into "Excel":
- Rename the one with fewer Times Used to something clearly retired, such as "MS Excel (use Excel)", so nobody picks it.
- Ask the people who have it to add Excel from Performance › Skills › Add Skill, and their colleagues to re-endorse it.
- Once Times Used is low enough, delete the retired skill.
The library list
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Name | The skill name, A to Z |
| Times Used | How many people have added the skill to their profile |
| Created | When the skill was added to the library |
The count next to Custom Skills is the number of skills in the library. No custom skills yet. Add your first one. means the library is empty, or you do not hold the Admin right.
The 20 starting skills: Communication, Teamwork and Collaboration, Problem-Solving, Adaptability and Flexibility, Time Management, Critical Thinking, Attention to Detail, Work Ethic, Interpersonal Skills, Self-Motivation and Initiative, Emotional Intelligence, Creativity and Innovation, Leadership and Influence, Conflict Resolution, Technical Proficiency, Resilience, Decision-Making, Customer Service Orientation, Organizational Skills and Continuous Learning. They can be renamed or deleted like any other.
What Happens Next
- A new skill appears in everyone's Add Skill list at once.
- A renamed skill shows its new name everywhere, including Team performance › Skills.
- A deleted skill disappears from profiles, the Team Skills list, Latest Endorsements and Most Endorsed counts.
Tips
- Add your role-specific skills before launch, such as "Payroll Processing" or "Forklift Operation". The 20 starting skills are generic.
- Keep the list to a few dozen. A long, vague list gets used inconsistently.
- Pick one spelling and retire the others as above, rather than deleting skills people already have.
- Review the list twice a year and check Times Used. A skill used by nobody can go; a near-duplicate should be retired.
Troubleshooting / FAQ
Q: Saving says "Something went wrong! Please contact support for more details." Usually the name already exists in the library, or you do not hold the Admin right. Check the list for the name first.
Q: I am a manager and the Skills settings page is empty. Managing the library needs the Admin right. Ask an admin.
Q: Can I stop employees creating skills? No. Anyone with Performance access can create one from Add Skill. Tidy the library regularly instead.
Q: Can I see who created a skill? Not on this page.