--- sourceDocument: Australia Build workflows sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/build-workflows Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Build workflows ft:clusterId : - crworkflow bundleId : - crworkflow workflow : - Creator --- # Creating and managing Playbooks # Creating and managing Playbooks {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Australia * * Updated March 12, 2026 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read Learn how to create and configure a playbook in Workflow Studio. You can view your list of Playbooks by navigating Process AutomationWorkflow StudioPlaybooks. Opening a playbook allows you to edit it. If there are no playbooks in the list, you can create a new one by clicking New and selecting Playbook. For more information on creating a playbook, see [create a process definition](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/cqO52uRHkrW~czttqGe0QQ "Create a playbook to set up an automated business process. Use Playbook builder in Workflow Studio to add stages, activities, triggers, and runtime permissions, then activate the playbook to make it available to agents and fulfillers."). ## Playbook properties {#creating-managing-playbooks__process-definition-properties} After you create a playbook, access its properties by opening it, and selecting Properties in the More actions menu in the upper right corner of the header. In the Additional properties modal, you can edit the following information:{#creating-managing-playbooks__table_ezy_jn4_rlb__entry__2} | Field | Description | |-|-| | Label | Name of the playbook to display in Workflow Studio and in a Playbook Experience. | | Description | Description of what your playbook does. | | Conditions | Conditions that must be met to run your playbook. | | Run my trigger | Option that defines how many times your trigger can run for your playbook. Choices include: * Once: Triggers the playbook once for the life of the triggering input record. * Only if not currently running: Triggers the playbook for every unique change if a process execution is not currently running. * For every update: Triggers the playbook every time the input record is updated, regardless of whether there has already been or there currently are any running process executions. {#creating-managing-playbooks__ul_is1_h3s_slb} | | Run on extended | Option to trigger your playbook when record operations occur on tables that extend the input table. For example, if your selected table is the Task \[task\] table and you select this option, your playbook triggers when a Problem \[problem\] record is created or updated. For more information, see [Table extension and classes](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=table-extension-and-classes&version=australia&pubname=australia-platform-administration&ft:locale=en-US). | [ ] {#creating-managing-playbooks__table_ezy_jn4_rlb} Note: After you create a playbook, you can't change the trigger's input table or trigger type. ## Design considerations {#creating-managing-playbooks__section_qpb_vjz_slb} Refer to these design considerations when working with playbooks: Avoid duplicating business logic used in Workflow Studio, Workflow, and business rules : Replace separate business logic such as business rules, flows, and workflows with a consolidated playbook. Make sure that you deactivate any external business logic you replace to avoid duplication of effort. Ignore records added or updated by import and update sets : Record triggers ignore records added or updated by applying an update set or importing an XML file. These operations apply to the entire application or table rather than an individual record. * **[Create a playbook](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/cqO52uRHkrW~czttqGe0QQ)** Create a playbook to set up an automated business process. Use Playbook builder in Workflow Studio to add stages, activities, triggers, and runtime permissions, then activate the playbook to make it available to agents and fulfillers. * **[Playbook generation from text prompt or image](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/S5A9Co~9fOcljojPg8bkmw)** Generate a playbook using AI from text prompt or image inputs. For example, you can enter a text description to generate a playbook for managing customer support cases. * **[Playbook generation from a knowledge base article](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/w5Mh5L6DUv9GBS1UlAxN4A)** Generate a playbook directly from an existing knowledge base article to using AI reduce manual effort when creating playbooks for documented processes. * **[Playbook recommendations for placeholder activity](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/~muOdDXyPSZf_pZEQT8JCw)** Get AI-generated recommendations for placeholder activities. The system generates recommendations based on an activity's name and description. * **[Preview an activity's runtime UI](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/QUL8QLymUWfUbt_dTn__WA)** See how an activity will appear to end users when the playbook runs. Use the preview to confirm the activity's appearance in real-time, and adjust its configuration before publishing the playbook. * **[Test a playbook](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/_N5PlzezzLZda1P_VEeEBQ)** Verify that your playbook works as expected by running the playbook with test trigger data. Identify and resolve all errors before activating your playbook. * **[Enabling playbook restart](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/vd1qeGvPfj3CE7VIS1DC3Q)** Learn how playbook restart during runtime works and how restart rules control the behavior of stages and activities during a restarted run. * **[Duplicate a playbook](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/09kbDKHeuGtmHttUSKbndQ)** Make a copy of an existing playbook with the same trigger, stages, activities, and experience configurations as the original. Edit the duplicated playbook to quickly create a working variation. * **[Playbook summarization](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/liwDkgNjDhsc3lozt4ROqw)** Use AI to generate overviews of a playbook's stages, activities, triggers, and inputs. Understand a playbook's purpose and flow without going into the details of what is being done at activity and stage level. * **[Playbooks as an MCP tool](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/UEB0aG_~Lm69KRev6AMIuQ)** Expose a playbook as a tool in an MCP server, enabling MCP clients to trigger and execute the playbook through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). * **[Add translations for Playbooks](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/mTU4zyq2lIwDCwYpzL2zDg)** Make Playbooks available in multiple languages during runtime, to support worldwide business processes. **Related concepts** * [Designing Playbook Experience](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/KPHzjMAnm3lVDi8Q~vl4Zg "After building playbooks in Workflow Studio, Playbook Experience administrators can configure the layouts and further customize playbook functions during runtime.") * [Running Playbooks](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PSAivG4~wU1~4qNIHiF_5g "Using Playbooks as an agent or fulfiller.") *[\>]: and then