Skills and MCP solve different parts of a workflow

Compare what each one supplies

For example, an update-deck method can work from a brief you provide. If the brief must be assembled from a project board, a suitable connected tool may supply that information.

Use both only when the task calls for it

Input: approved project-board data or an attached brief.
Method: identify progress, risks and decisions.
Output: a reviewed update deck.
Permission: read only the named project; do not post results.

The method should say what evidence it needs and what to do when access is unavailable. A connection should expose the capability within the access you have granted. Neither replaces a clear task boundary.

Check access before running the workflow

• Is the required tool actually available in this agent session?
• Does the account have access to the named resource?
• Will the action read data or modify it?
• Are there outside service charges or usage limits?
• Can you use supplied local inputs instead when the connection is unavailable?

Do not paste service credentials into the Skill or a chat to solve a missing connection. Use the service's supported authorization setup and keep secrets out of shared files.

Diagnose the failed part

If a tool cannot connect, inspect its configuration and authorization. If it returns data but the result is poorly structured, inspect the brief and method. If execution stops at rendering, inspect the runtime dependency. Reinstalling a Skill is not a general fix for all three.

When you change the tool supplying evidence, rerun a small task and confirm the method still receives the fields it expects. Data access working is only one part of a successful deliverable.

FAQ

Official references

• Model Context Protocol: Architecture