> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.abbyy.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configure a derived skill

> Customize fields, validation rules, and recognition settings on a derived skill while keeping it linked to its read-only base skill.

A derived skill inherits all of its fields, rules, and recognition settings from the base skill — and you can customize each of those independently.

## Configure fields

A derived skill inherits all the fields from its base skill. You can disable or delete inherited fields that you do not need or add new fields to extract additional data.

### Add a field

In a derived skill, you can add a new field in the same way as in a custom skill. For information about how to add a field, see [Adding Fields](/vantage/documentation/skill-designer/document/adding-fields/adding-fields). Any fields you create in a derived skill will not be included in its base skill.

### Disable a field

To disable an inherited field:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Skill Settings">
    In the Skill Designer, click the **Skill Settings** icon to the right of the skill name.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Turn off the field">
    In the dialog box that opens, click the **Fields** tab and turn off the corresponding toggle in the row with the field properties. If necessary, you can re-enable a previously disabled field at any time.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  When you disable a field, all its associated rules are also disabled. If you re-enable a field and want to continue using its associated rules, you must manually enable them. For information on how to manage rules, see [Configure validation rules](#configure-validation-rules).
</Note>

### Remove a field

To remove a field you created:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click the delete icon">
    In the data form, click the delete icon to the right of the field name.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm removal">
    Click **Remove**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Until you save the settings, you can restore the field by clicking **Restore Settings From Base Skill** in the bottom left corner of the **Field Settings** dialog box. If you have already saved changes and published the skill, you can revert to the previous version of the skill by opening it for editing and publishing it again.

## Set up field properties

In the **Field Settings** dialog box, you can adjust the settings of fields inherited from the base skill. To open the **Field Settings** dialog box, in the Skill Designer, click the field settings icon to the right of a field.

The following settings always match the settings of the base skill and cannot be changed:

* In the General group, the **Allow Multiple Items** property
* In the **Text Appearance** group: All properties
* In the **Value** group, for a field with the **Text** data type, the **Regular expression** property
* The **Barcode type** property of a barcode field

You can reset the new settings to the settings for the base skill at any time by clicking **Restore Settings From Base Skill** in the bottom left corner of the **Field Settings** dialog box.

## Edit layout

You can edit the appearance of the data form:

* Change the layout of the data form. For more information, see [Editing data form layout](/vantage/documentation/skill-designer/document/adding-fields/editing-data-form-layout).
* Restore the layout. To do this, click **Restore Layout from Base Skill** in the **Actions** pane. The layout will be restored, and any custom fields you added to the derived skill will be listed at the bottom of the data form. If custom fields were added to a group, these will be listed at the bottom of the group.

## Configure validation rules

A derived skill inherits all the validation rules of its base skill. Inherited rules cannot be edited. However, you can copy inherited rules and modify the copies. The modified copies will be used instead of the original rules with the same names.

You can turn off inherited rules that are not required for document processing or add new rules to validate extracted data.

### Turn off a validation rule

To turn off a validation rule:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Skill Settings">
    In the Skill Designer, click the **Skill Settings** icon to the right of the skill name.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Turn off the rule">
    In the **Skill Settings** dialog box, go to the **Rules** tab and turn off the rule you want. You can turn it back on at any time.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Create a new rule

You can create a new rule in the same way as in a custom skill. For information on how to create a rule, see [Rule Verification](/vantage/documentation/skill-designer/document/rule-verification/rule-verification). Any rules you created in a derived skill will not be included in its base skill.

### Remove a new rule

To remove a new rule:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the rule">
    On the **Rules** tab of the **Skill Settings** dialog box, select the rule you want to remove.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Delete and save">
    Click the delete icon, and then click **Save**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Until you save the settings, you can restore the rule by clicking **Restore**.

## Configure recognition settings

A derived skill inherits the recognition settings from its base skill.

To improve recognition speed, disable unnecessary recognition languages in a derived skill. You can also disable the **Handwritten** option if your documents do not contain any handwritten text.

<Note>
  You cannot select any other languages or enable the **Handwritten** option if they are disabled in the base skill.
</Note>

## Related topics

* [Derived skills](/vantage/documentation/skill-catalog/derived-skills/derived-skills)
* [Update a derived skill](/vantage/documentation/skill-catalog/derived-skills/update)
* [Skill Catalog](/vantage/documentation/skill-catalog/skill-catalog)
* [Add fields](/vantage/documentation/skill-designer/document/adding-fields/adding-fields)
* [Rule verification](/vantage/documentation/skill-designer/document/rule-verification/rule-verification)