What’s the difference between people flags and skill flags?

People Flags tag individuals with a designation that applies broadly — “this person is a certified trainer” or “this person is a team lead.” Skill Flags tag the intersection of a person and a specific skill — “this person is an expert in financial modeling.” Both are searchable and filterable across the platform.

Can we define our own flag types?

Yes. Create any flag designation your organization uses — Expert, Mentor, Trainer, Specialist, Lead, or anything else. Each flag gets a custom name, description, and color for visual identification. System-default flags are read-only. Custom flags are fully editable with drag-and-drop ordering.

How does the Flag Matrix work?

The Flag Matrix is a grid showing people as rows and skills as columns, with flag indicators at each intersection. It gives you a visual map of who holds which expertise across a career pathway or team. Filter by flag type or person to focus the view.

Can we search for people by flag across the organization?

Yes. The search and explore features let you filter people by flag designation — find every certified trainer, every Python expert, or every mentor across departments, locations, and business units. Results include the person’s role, department, and related skills.

How is this different from a skills directory?

A skills directory shows who has a skill. Flags show who has a specific level of authority or designation within that skill — the difference between “knows Python” and “is the go-to Python expert who trains others.” Flags add a qualitative layer on top of quantitative proficiency data.

Can flags be assigned in bulk?

Yes. The bulk assignment modal lets you select multiple people and apply a flag in one action. Useful when a cohort completes a certification, a team restructures, or you need to designate trainers across a department.

How quickly can we start using flags?

Immediately. Define your flag types in Settings, assign them to people or skills, and they’re searchable across the platform. Most organizations set up their flag taxonomy and initial assignments within days.

How long does it take to fill a position with an external hire?

According to <a href="https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/talent-acquisition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SHRM research</a>, it takes an average of 42 days to fill an open position externally. Skill flags — like Expert, Mentor, and Trainer designations — let you identify internal candidates instantly, reducing time-to-fill and preserving institutional knowledge that external hires take months to develop.

Skill Flags

Your experts are already here. Find them.

Tag people by expertise, search by skill flag, and staff any project from inside your org — before you post a job or call a recruiter.

Book Demo

Flag Matrix view showing a grid of people (rows) × skills (columns) with colored flag indicators — FlagPill badges showing designations like “Expert”, “Trainer”, “Mentor” across team members, with filtering controls visible in the toolbar

Every organization has subject matter experts, certified trainers, and deep specialists scattered across teams. The problem isn’t that they don’t exist. It’s that nobody can find them when it matters — when a deal needs a specific credential, a project needs a niche skill, or a new hire needs a mentor.

That knowledge lives in managers’ heads, outdated org charts, and email threads. When the person who “just knows” is unavailable, the whole system breaks down.

Tag it. Search it. Staff it.

SkillsDB lets you tag people and skills with custom flags — Expert, Trainer, Mentor, Specialist, or any designation your organization uses. Flags are searchable, filterable, and visible across profiles, skills matrices, and career pathways. When you need someone with a specific expertise, you search for the flag. Not for a person you happen to remember.

Trusted by some of the world's best companies

How It Works

For Talent Development

Identify internal trainers and mentors by skill, not title. When gap analysis reveals a shortage, flags tell you who can teach it. Pair mentors with learners.

For Resource Planning

Search by skill flags to find every qualified person in the org. Staff engagements based on verified expertise — across offices, practice areas, and seniority levels.

For Workforce Strategy

Track concentration risks across the workforce. If a critical capability lives in three people, flags surface that risk so you can build depth before it’s needed.

For Frontline Training

A plant needs a safety trainer for a specific process. A site needs an SME for certification. Flags make expertise searchable regardless of geography or reporting structure.

It takes an average of 42 days to fill an open position externally. Many of those roles could be staffed internally — if organizations had a reliable way to find qualified people already on payroll.

— SHRM

SkillsDB has been helping organizations surface and deploy internal expertise since 2008. Fortune 500 customers. SOC2 Type II certified. GDPR compliant. 30+ countries served.

Stop searching for experts by memory.

Tag your specialists, trainers, and subject matter experts — then find exactly who you need, the moment you need them.

Book Demo

Your experts are already here. Find them.

Tag it. Search it. Staff it.

How It Works

For Talent Development

For Resource Planning

For Workforce Strategy

For Frontline Training

Related Features

Skills Matrix

Gap Analysis

Career Frameworks

Proficiency Assessment

Certifications

Surveys