How to use the Renew Google Workspace Events Subscriptions agent skill

What is an agent skill, and what does this one do?

An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file that gives an AI agent instructions for a specific task. When a request matches the skill, the agent reads those instructions and runs the commands they describe.

This skill covers one task: renewing or reactivating Google Workspace Events subscriptions. It uses the gws command, specifically gws events +renew. It can renew a single subscription by name, or renew all subscriptions expiring within a window such as the next two days. It does not create subscriptions.

• Renew one subscription by its name, for example subscriptions/SUB_ID.
• Renew every subscription expiring within a time window (--within, default 1h).
• Relies on the shared gws authentication and global settings described in the gws-shared skill.

What you need before installing

The skill only works if the gws command-line tool is installed and authenticated, and if your Google account already has Workspace Events subscriptions. Renewing changes the live state of subscriptions in your Google account, so run it only on subscriptions you are responsible for.

Authentication is handled by a companion skill, gws-shared, which the SKILL.md file asks the agent to read first. If that file is missing, the source says to run gws generate-skills to create it.

• The gws command-line tool (Google Workspace CLI) installed.
• Google Workspace authentication configured through gws.
• Existing Workspace Events subscriptions in the account.
• Network access, since the skill calls Google services.

Install the skill from a ZIP file

Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. The package contains a single file, SKILL.md. Place the unzipped folder in one of two locations, depending on how you want to use it.

For a personal setup available across projects, put it in ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, put it in that project's .claude/skills/ folder so it applies only there.

You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps by going to Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills, and uploading the skill there.

• Personal use: ~/.claude/skills/
• Project use: .claude/skills/ inside the project folder
• Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills

The commands the skill runs

The skill uses the gws events +renew command. It takes three flags. Use --name to renew one subscription, or --all to renew every subscription expiring within the window set by --within. If you omit --within, the default window is 1h.

Window values are written like 1h, 30m or 2d. The skill's cliHelp entry points to gws events +renew --help for the full flag reference on your installed version.

• --name: subscription name to reactivate, such as subscriptions/SUB_ID. No default.
• --all: renew all subscriptions expiring within the --within window. No default.
• --within: time window for --all, such as 1h, 30m or 2d. Default 1h.

How to trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need to type the commands yourself. Ask the agent in plain language, and mention the subscription name or the time window. The agent should match your request to this skill and use the flags described above.

Be specific. A request that names a subscription or a window gives the agent what it needs to choose between --name and --all. If you do not name a window, the agent should fall back to the 1h default.

• "Renew the Workspace Events subscription subscriptions/SUB_ID."
• "Renew all Workspace Events subscriptions expiring in the next two days."
• "Reactivate any Workspace Events subscriptions that expire within 30 minutes."

Keep subscriptions alive with a scheduled job

The source notes that subscriptions expire if they are not renewed periodically, and suggests running --all from a cron job to keep them active. This is the main reason engineers use this skill: a scheduled job that refreshes subscriptions before they lapse.

Choose a --within window longer than the interval between your scheduled runs, so that subscriptions are caught before they expire. Test the command manually on a non-critical subscription first, since renewal changes live state.

• Use --all with a cron job to keep subscriptions alive.
• Pick a --within window that covers the gap between runs.
• Test with --name on one subscription before automating --all.

Safety notes: scripts and network access

This skill runs scripts and uses the network. The commands call Google Workspace services through gws, so they change real subscription state in your account. Renewal is not a dry run.

Follow the security rules in the gws-shared skill, which the source says cover auth, global flags and security. Use an account and scope you are authorised to manage, and review the commands the agent proposes before it runs them, especially when you give it a broad --all request.

• Renewal changes live subscription state in your Google account.
• The skill requires network access and runs scripts.
• Read the gws-shared skill for authentication and security rules.