24 lines
1.4 KiB
Plaintext
24 lines
1.4 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: "What uses tokens"
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description: "Understand when OpenWork model usage starts and how to control it."
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---
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OpenWork uses model tokens when a member actually runs work. Setup actions do not consume tokens by themselves.
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## Know when usage starts
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1. Sending a prompt runs the selected model and consumes tokens. Running a skill does the same because the skill is loaded into the task and the model follows its instructions.
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2. There is no result cache today: rerunning the same task sends a new model request.
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3. Usage scales with the context the agent has to read, including long transcripts, pasted text, file attachments, and tool results.
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4. Tasks that make more tool calls usually cost more because the agent reads results and decides the next step.
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5. Prompt cards do not cost anything while they sit in a policy, no matter how many an admin configures. Installing skills or publishing plugins through Collections also costs nothing until a member runs a task that uses them.
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6. A good skill can reduce cost by making repeat work shorter and more deterministic, with fewer exploratory tool calls.
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## Control spend today
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1. Keep prompt cards short and specific.
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2. Prefer focused skills for repeat workflows.
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3. Attach only the files and transcript context the task needs.
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4. Ask for narrow outputs before broad analysis.
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5. Watch for tasks that loop through many tools, then turn the successful path into a skill.
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