> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://lava.so/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Importing Workflows and Routines > Bring the skills, instructions, and Zaps you already use in Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code, Zapier, and other tools into Lava as Workflows, and run them as Routines. You may already have instructions that work: a Claude Code skill that posts your standup, a custom GPT that screens candidates, a Claude project set up for sales follow-ups, a Zap that sends the weekly digest. Import brings them into Lava. Lava turns each one into a Workflow in a conversation with you, saves it right away, and shows you what it saved. Zaps that ran on their own in Zapier can run on their own in Lava too, as Routines. > [!NOTE] > > **Prerequisites:** Lava Desktop installed and signed in. See [Install Lava Desktop](/docs/desktop/install.md) if you haven't done this yet. ## How Importing Works **1. Open Import** On Home, open **Workflows**, then choose **Import from other tools**. You can also start from **Import from other tools** on Home when you have no Workflows yet, or from **Import from Zapier** on the **Routines** tab, which opens the Zapier steps directly. **2. Pick where your instructions live** The Import page starts with **On this computer**, where Lava lists the skills it finds here, then **Claude**, **ChatGPT**, **Zapier**, and **Another tool**, then files. Each source opens its own steps. **3. Choose what to import** Tick the skills, projects, or Zaps you want, or paste the instructions. A line beside **Import** says what stays on this computer. **4. Lava saves your Workflows** **Import** starts a new conversation with your files attached. Lava turns each one into a Workflow, saves it, and shows you what it does and what it needs. For Zaps, it then offers Routines. Each import comes from one source. To import skills from Claude Code and a custom GPT, import each in turn; each opens its own conversation. ## What Stays on Your Computer Nothing leaves your computer until you choose **Import**. To list the skills it found, Lava reads only their names and descriptions on this computer. Then: * **Scripts and programs stay behind.** Lava never runs imported code. The Workflow describes the script's job in words, and Lava does that job with your connected apps. * **Secrets stay behind.** Files such as `.env`, `.pem`, `.key`, SSH keys, `credentials*.json`, `.npmrc`, and `.netrc` are skipped, and so is any text that contains an API key or token. * **Your conversations stay behind.** From a Claude export, Lava takes only each project's instructions and Claude's memory. Conversations, account details, and project knowledge files stay on your computer. * **Your Zap data stays behind.** From a Zapier export, Lava takes only each Zap's trigger and steps. Step outputs and sample data, connected accounts, run history, and Zapier's other products stay on your computer. Select **Details** beside **Import** to see each file that stays behind and why. What you import goes to that conversation's workspace in Lava. ## Import from This Computer Each time the Import page opens, Lava looks for skills that other AI tools keep on this computer. **On this computer** says where it is looking while it checks, then lists one row per tool that keeps skills here, or says **No skills found**. Open a tool to see its skills and tick the ones you want. If a tool keeps five skills or fewer, they arrive ticked; a longer list starts unticked, with a filter once it passes eight. Skills already in Lava are marked **Already in Lava** and stay unticked. Lava checks these folders: | Tool | Folder | | - | - | | Claude Code skills, including skills synced from claude.ai | `~/.claude/skills` | | Claude scheduled tasks | `~/.claude/scheduled-tasks` | | Claude Code commands | `~/.claude/commands` | | Skills you added in the Claude app (Anthropic's built-in skills are left out) | The Claude app's data folder, such as `~/Library/Application Support/Claude` on a Mac | | Codex, Cursor, or Gemini CLI | `~/.agents/skills` | | Cursor | `~/.cursor/skills` | | Gemini CLI | `~/.gemini/skills` | Skills kept anywhere else come in from files: drop the folder on the page or choose it. > [!NOTE] > > A Claude scheduled task holds its prompt but not its schedule. Lava asks when it ran, and offers to set it up as a Routine after you try it. ## Import from Claude Claude includes your projects and memory in your data export. Lava reads the export on this computer and brings in only what a Workflow or your Wiki can use. **1. Request your data export** On the Import page, choose **Claude**, then **Open Claude settings**. In Claude, open **Settings**, then **Privacy**, and choose **Export data**. **2. Download the .zip** Claude emails you a download link, which expires after 24 hours. Download the `.zip` from it. If the link expires, request the export again. **3. Add the export** Drop the `.zip` on the page, or choose **Choose the export**. Lava lists the projects and memory it found. **4. Tick what you want** Untick anything you'd rather leave, then choose **Import**. **What comes in:** each project's custom instructions, which become Workflows, and Claude's memory, marked **Suggested for your Wiki**. **What stays behind:** your conversations, your account details, project knowledge files, and projects with no instructions. > [!NOTE] > > Claude offers data exports on its Free, Pro, and Max plans. On a Team or Enterprise plan, your organization's Primary Owner requests the export. You can still paste a project's instructions into **Another tool**. ## Import from Zapier Zapier includes your Zaps in your account data export. Lava reads the export on this computer and brings in each Zap's trigger and steps. **1. Request your data export** On the Import page, choose **Zapier**, then **Open Zapier settings**. Zapier opens in its App when it's on your sidebar, otherwise in Lava's browser. In Zapier, open **Security and data**, and under **Data management** choose **Download my account data**. The Zapier card shows **Export requested** until you import an export. **2. Download the .zip** Zapier emails you a link when the export is ready. Download the `.zip` from it. **Download all private and shared Zaps**, in the same section, emails a `.json` of your Zaps instead, which works too. The download links last 7 days. **3. Add the export** Drop the file on the page, or choose **Choose the export**. Lava lists the Zaps it found. **4. Tick what you want** Untick any Zap you'd rather leave, then choose **Import**. **What comes in:** each Zap's trigger and its steps with their settings, which become one Workflow per Zap. A Zap that was off in Zapier comes in too, and Lava says so. **What stays behind:** step outputs and sample data, connected accounts, task history, your Agents, Chatbots, and other Zapier products, the code in Code by Zapier steps, and any setting that looks like an API key or token. Connect the app in Lava instead. **Routines:** a Zap already ran on its own in Zapier, so after saving, Lava offers to run each Zap that was on as a Routine, without trying it first. You agree to each one, and Lava asks for your approval before creating it. * A Zap on a schedule becomes a Routine on that schedule. When it runs more than once an hour to check an app Lava can watch, such as Gmail or Google Sheets, Lava first offers to run it when something changes there instead, so you pay for a run only then. You can keep the schedule. * A Zap started by an app event, such as a new email, becomes a Routine started by that event when Lava can watch it. When it can't, Lava offers a Routine that checks for new items on a schedule, or keeping the Workflow to run when you ask. * Lava offers a Routine once the apps it needs are connected, and offers to connect them first. * A Zap that was off in Zapier comes in as a Workflow only. Each Workflow's description also says how the Zap started in Zapier. ## Import from ChatGPT Lava brings in a custom GPT from its instructions, which you copy from ChatGPT. **1. Open your GPTs** On the Import page, choose **ChatGPT**, then **Open ChatGPT**. Your GPTs open in Lava's browser. When you come back to Home, the Import page is waiting where you left it. **2. Copy the GPT's instructions** Choose the GPT, select **Edit GPT**, then **Configure**, and copy everything under **Instructions**. **3. Paste and import** Paste the instructions into the box and choose **Import**. **What comes in:** the GPT's instructions, which become one Workflow. **What doesn't:** anything you don't paste. The GPT's knowledge files, actions, and conversation starters stay in ChatGPT. ## Import from Another Tool Choose **Another tool** to paste instructions from anywhere: a Gemini Gem, a Copilot agent, a saved prompt, or a page of steps from your team's wiki. Lava saves a Workflow from what you paste. ## Import from Files Drop files anywhere on the Import page, or choose **choose a folder** or **choose files**. Lava lists what it found as recipes, such as a skill folder or a Markdown file, for you to tick. You can bring: * **Skill folders:** a `SKILL.md` with its references and templates. * **Markdown and text files:** `.md`, `.txt`, `.json`, `.yaml`, `.csv`, and `.html`. * **A `.zip`** of either, up to 10 MB. * **A Claude data export**, which Lava reads as described in [Import from Claude](#import-from-claude). * **A Zapier export** or Zap download, which Lava reads as described in [Import from Zapier](#import-from-zapier). Each file can be up to 1 MB, and one import holds up to 200 files and 10 MB. Scripts, programs, secrets, and other file types stay on your computer. ## After You Bring Something In Lava works through your import in the conversation: 1. It reads each file and sorts it: a recipe becomes a Workflow, and standing guidance such as a CLAUDE.md or Claude's memory becomes a suggestion for your Wiki. 2. It converts each recipe. A step that used a command-line tool, such as `gh` for GitHub or `linear` for Linear, becomes the same action through that app's Connector when Lava has one. 3. It saves each Workflow, then shows it in plain words: what it does, the apps it needs and whether they're connected, whether it sends anything, and what didn't carry over. Ask for a change in the same conversation. 4. After saving, it offers to try the Workflow now. If the original ran on a schedule, it offers to try it and then run it on that schedule as a Routine. A Zap skips the trial run: Lava offers each Zap that was on as a Routine right away, as described in [Import from Zapier](#import-from-zapier). Lava asks for your approval before creating any Routine, unless the agent is in Auto mode. Each imported Workflow ends with a line that names where it came from, such as `Imported from Claude Code skill "daily-standup" on 2024-01-01.` Lava uses that line to notice when you import the same recipe again. It skips an unchanged copy, and asks before saving a changed one. Lava suggests what could go in your Wiki but writes nothing there. You add a suggestion yourself. ## FAQ > **Does anything leave my computer before I choose Import?** > > No. Lava reads the names and descriptions of found skills on this computer to list them. Files go to Lava only when you choose **Import**, and only the ones you ticked. > **Does Lava sign in to Claude, ChatGPT, or Zapier for me?** > > No. You request the Claude or Zapier export and copy a GPT's instructions yourself. Lava opens those pages so you don't have to find them, and never acts in your Claude, ChatGPT, or Zapier account. > **Can I import a skill that runs a script?** > > Yes, without the script. Scripts stay on your computer and Lava never runs imported code. The Workflow describes what the script did, and Lava does it through your connected apps. If an app it needs isn't connected, Lava tells you which one. > **Why doesn't Lava find my skills?** > > Lava checks only the folders listed under [Import from this computer](#import-from-this-computer). If your skills live somewhere else, drop the folder on the Import page or use **choose a folder**. > **Does importing change the original skill, project, or GPT?** > > No. Lava reads a copy. Your original stays as it was in the tool it came from. > **Can I import a Zap or another automation?** > > Yes, Zaps come in through [Import from Zapier](#import-from-zapier). For another automation tool, paste a description of what it does into **Another tool**, and Lava saves a Workflow from your description. > **What happens if I import the same skill twice?** > > Lava marks skills that are already in Lava and leaves them unticked. If one comes through anyway, Lava notices the earlier copy: it skips an unchanged one, and asks before saving a changed one. ## Next Steps > **[Working with the Agent](/docs/desktop/working-with-agent.md)** > > Run your Workflows and follow the agent's work. > **[Using Lava Safely](/docs/desktop/using-lava-safely.md)** > > How approvals keep you in control of what the agent does. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.