Preparing and exporting packs

This page is for people building packs in A1KnowHow and for AI assistants helping them. It covers what to write, what to include, and how to export.

New to packs? Start with the Packs overview.

A pack is a portable starter kit: documents, workflows, and agents bundled together. You prepare it in the app, then either download a .a1kh file to share or publish it to the public pack catalog.

Good packs tell recipients what they get, who it is for, how to use it, and what they need set up first—before they click install.

The workflow in four steps

Pack details — title, short description, long description, category, tags, author
Choose items — pick documents, agents, and workflows from your account
Save — keep a draft in Packs (/sb/packs)
Download pack file — review what is included, confirm the privacy checkboxes, export .a1kh

Note: currently exporting packs to the catalog is not publicly avaiable.

What goes in a pack

Each item gets a reference key (for example lead_research or design_agent). The export process uses these keys so links between documents, agents, and workflows still work after someone imports the pack into their own account.

Packs do not bundle the following types, you must describe them in the long description instead:

MCP servers — external tool connections (GitHub, CRM, etc.)
LLM providers — the models configured in Settings
Workspaces — recipients choose where documents go at install time

See MCP servers & LLMs for what recipients may need to connect themselves.

Composition tips

Include every document, agent, and workflow your pack references—do not assume the recipient already has them.
Use clear item names; reference keys should stay short and stable (weekly_report_wf, not random IDs).
An empty pack can export but helps no one. Add at least one useful item before sharing.

Pack metadata

Field	Where it shows	What to write
Title	Catalog page, your library	A human name readers understand—e.g. Workflow Builder, not `workflow-builder`
Short description	Catalog cards, search, pack list	One plain-language line (max 500 characters)
Long description	Catalog About section and README inside the `.a1kh` file	Markdown—see template below
Category	Catalog badge	e.g. Automation, Marketing, Support
Tags	Catalog chips	Short labels for discovery (`onboarding`, `skills`)
Author name	Catalog byline	Optional—your team or company name

There is no separate target audience field. Put that in the long description under Good for (see template).

Short description

One sentence: the problem you solve and what is inside.

“Turn meeting notes into follow-up tasks with a guided workflow and checklist documents.”
“Six marketing playbooks plus an agent that applies your tone guide.”
“A support runbook and workflow that routes tickets by topic and urgency.”
Use a slug or internal codename as the title (workflow-builder instead of Workflow Builder)
Lead with jargon (“MCP-orchestrated multi-agent RAG pipeline”)
Cram the whole guide into the short line—save detail for the long description
Include customer names, secrets, or “contact us for setup”

Long description (README)

The long description becomes the About section on the public catalog page and the README inside the exported file. Write it in Markdown.

Recommended structure (copy and adapt):

[1–2 sentences: what problem this solves and what the pack does, in everyday language]

## What's included
- **Guide documents** — short playbooks for …
- **Workflow** — walks you through …
- **Agent** — helps you …

## Good for
- Teams building their first workflow
- Ops leads who want a repeatable planning process
- Anyone who needs consistent standards before building in the app

## How to use it
1. Add this pack to your library and install it.
2. Open the included workflow and run it on a small real example.
3. Read the guide documents it points to.
4. Create a new workflow in the app and build from the plan.

## Requirements
- An LLM provider configured in Settings (if the pack uses AI steps)
- [Optional] A connected CRM MCP server — see our MCP setup guide

[One closing line: what this pack is *not*, e.g. "You still build the final workflow yourself—this is a starting blueprint."]

The catalog already lists item names as chips under What’s included. In the long description, explain why those items matter—not just repeat their titles.

Markdown tips

Use ## headings, **bold**, bullet lists, numbered steps, and [link text](url) for docs pages.
Keep it simple—headings, lists, and links render reliably on catalog pages.
Avoid pasting workflow YAML, internal IDs, API keys, or long tables.

The Workflow Builder catalog page follows this structure: opening hook, What’s included, Good for, How to use it, and a clear closing line. Use it as a pattern—not as wording to copy.

Workflow and dependency checklist

Before export, read every workflow included in the pack (from the builder or from items/workflows/*.yaml inside the exported file). Scan for external dependencies and tell the author what recipients must set up.

MCP tool steps — look for mcp_server_id and mcp_tool_name. MCP servers are not shipped in packs.
Agent steps — confirm referenced agents are included in the pack or documented.
LLM steps — note which provider or model the workflow expects.
Document and workspace references — prefer including those documents in the pack.

Each dependency must either be in the pack or listed under ## Requirements in the long description—with plain-language setup steps and links to public docs (e.g. MCP servers) when available.

Examples of Requirements sections

Pack type	Requirements to document
Skills + agent only	“An LLM provider configured in Settings”
Workflow with CRM enrichment	“A connected CRM MCP server (Salesforce or HubSpot). Recipients connect their own integration after install.”
Workflow design pack (no external tools)	No Requirements section needed—or only “Sign in and install into your account”

If a workflow needs something you cannot bundle, say so clearly. Do not promise zero setup when MCP or LLM configuration is required.

Before you download

Use this checklist on the export page (/sb/packs/{id}/export):

Title reads well to a non-technical reader
Short description works as a single catalog card line
Long description has What’s included, Good for, and How to use it
Requirements lists anything not in the pack (MCP, LLM, external services)
No personal data, customer details, or secrets in documents, agents, or workflows
Privacy confirmation boxes on the export page are satisfied
Spot-check: README inside the .a1kh matches your long description

The export page reminds you to review for names, confidential business information, and API keys before sharing.

How to share

Method	What happens
Send `.a1kh`	Recipient uses Import pack in the app (`/sb/packs/import`), then installs into their workspaces
Catalog link	After publishing, share `/packs/{slug}`—visitors can Add to your library and install

Recipients can edit everything after install: documents, agent instructions, and workflow steps.

Documentation