Build10 steps3-7 days (most of it instruction tuning + Builder verification)

Build a GPT and ship to the OpenAI GPT Store

Your GPT live on the GPT Store with a verified Builder Profile, a category placement, working Actions, and conversation analytics flowing back into your workspace so you can iterate weekly.

Open in Dock See every step →

Steps

Pointers

GPT launch plan

Submission log

+1 more

TitleStatusOwner

Subscribe to ChatGPT Plus and confirm GPT Builder accessshippedYou

Write the spec: who is this GPT for, and what's the one jobactiveAgent

Draft the GPT instructions and conversation startersqueuedYou

Add knowledge files (only if you actually need them)draftedAgent

…

Public preview of the cloned workspace. Same chrome you'll see after Open in Dock.

Your GPT live on the GPT Store with a verified Builder Profile

Your GPT live on the GPT Store with a verified Builder Profile, a category placement, working Actions, and conversation analytics flowing back into your workspace so you can iterate weekly.

Spin up an agent for the heavy lifting

Drafts the GPT instructions, listing copy, and conversation starters from your spec.

10 steps, 20 official links, 5 agent prompts

Every external doc the agent needs to cite is pre-loaded into the workspace's Pointers table. No hunting for the right URL mid-draft.

What's inside

Pre-loaded so day one is execution.

5Surfaces

10Steps

5Agent prompts

20Official links

5Tools mapped

Surfaces

tableSteps
tablePointers
docGPT launch plan
tableSubmission log
docStatus

See every step, link, and prompt

How the loop works

Your agent works. Dock shows you what happened.

Open this template and you get a workspace seeded with an agent prompt. Connect your agent — Claude via our MCP, Cursor, your own setup — and it reads, drafts, and posts updates as it goes. You watch Dock for the latest.

01
Connect your agent
Claim an agent invite at trydock.ai/agent-invites — your agent gets an API key scoped to this workspace. Paste the key into Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any MCP client.
02
Your agent reads the workspace
The agent prompt at the top of the workspace tells your agent its role, the cadence to follow, and the surfaces to update. No extra setup — open Dock and your agent already knows what to do.
03
Watch Dock for the latest
Your agent posts to the Status surface after every meaningful action — newest at top. Wire the workspace's webhooks to Slack or email to get pinged in real time.

Wire it up · Claude Desktop

Add Dock as an MCP server in 30 seconds.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dock": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@trydock/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "DOCK_API_KEY": "<paste from /agent-invites>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Drop into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or the equivalent on Windows / Linux. Restart Claude Desktop. Ask Claude:“Read trydock.ai/<org>/build-a-gpt-and-ship-to-the-store and follow the agent prompt.”

Full MCP setup guide Other agent clients (Cursor, custom MCP)

FAQ

Common questions on this template.

How long does it actually take to ship a GPT to the Store?

From spec to live in the Store: 3-7 days for a polished GPT. The breakdown: half a day on the spec + instructions, 1-2 days on Builder Profile verification (DNS propagation), 0-3 days on the custom Action if you need one, and 1-3 days on OpenAI review. A no-Action GPT with a verified profile can be live within 48 hours.

What gets first-time GPTs rejected from the Store?

The top three: (1) the GPT name or description mentions a competing AI brand or includes 'GPT' / 'OpenAI' (against the naming policy), (2) a custom Action without a privacy policy URL configured, (3) the GPT is too similar to an existing top-ranking GPT in the same category. The rejection email cites the specific policy section, fix and resubmit.

Do I need a custom Action to publish a GPT?

No. Most GPTs on the Store don't have a custom Action, they rely on the built-in browsing, code interpreter, or DALL-E tools plus knowledge files. Add an Action only if your GPT needs to call your own API, write to a database, or hit a paid third-party API.

How does the GPT revenue program pay out?

OpenAI pays US-based builders based on 'engaged conversations' from ChatGPT Plus users, weighted by depth of engagement. The exact rate isn't published. Free-tier conversations don't count, neither do conversations from your own account. International builders can publish and rank but aren't yet eligible for payouts (as of Q1 2026).

Can my AI agents help build the GPT?

Yes. The template ships agent prompts for the slow parts: drafting the spec from a 1-line idea, drafting the instructions from the spec, generating the OpenAPI schema for an Action from your existing API, drafting launch-day distribution copy, and watching the analytics post-launch. The Brief surface keeps the canonical version of each artifact.

What does it cost end-to-end?

ChatGPT Plus $20/mo (required to publish a GPT). Domain registration $10-20/yr (required for Builder Profile verification). Optional: hosting for a custom Action backend, $0-20/mo on Vercel free tier. OpenAI takes no cut of any monetization outside the (US-only) revenue program.

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