--- title: Playbooks Overview slug: turbine-user-guide/playbooks-overview docTags: createdAt: 2026-02-09T06:24:26.000Z --- Playbooks are a series of triggers, logic, and actions that automate a workflow. A playbook can contain triggers, actions, native actions, components, assets, inputs, and outputs. :::hint{type="info"} To create or change flows with natural language, use **Playbook Building Mode** (Text to Playbook). See [Create and Modify Playbooks with Hero AI](docId\:TmMNjGlC0e9lIPO37KZPB) or the [Hero AI](docId\:swZ8uETVmVoOJwGm_xNK-) overview. ::: ## Playbook Architecture - A playbook can have one or more **flows**. - Each flow has exactly one trigger. - Flows do not communicate with each other. ## Playbook Data Model On the canvas, Turbine stores playbook information in **two layers**. Understanding both layers explains what **Save** updates and why some changes appear only after you save from the canvas editor. | Layer | What you see in the UI | What is stored | What runs | | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | **Playbook (container)** | Playbook name, description, canvas layout, flow order, annotations | A **builder playbook** record that lists which flows belong to this playbook | Does not run by itself; groups flows | | **Flow** | One trigger and its actions on the canvas | A **playbook** (flow) document: automation definition plus **YAML source** (`meta.src`) | This is what executes when the flow is triggered | ### How the Two Layers Relate - One **playbook (container)** can reference **one or more flows**. - Each **flow** is a separate automation document linked from the container. - When you add a new flow on the canvas, the product creates a new flow document and adds its ID to the container. ### What Happens When You Save Saving from the canvas editor can update **both** layers: 1. **Flow changes** (triggers, actions, conditions, connections): The editor updates the in-memory flow definition, merges it into the flow **YAML source**, and sends updates to the Turbine playbook API for each dirty flow. 2. **Container changes** (playbook name, description, flow order, annotations): The editor saves the **builder playbook** record separately, including the ordered list of flow IDs. :::hint{type="info"} If you change only flow logic and the container name does not change, you are still saving flow documents. If you rename the playbook or reorder flows, the container save runs as well. ::: ### Standalone Playbooks From the Playbook Listing Page When you create a playbook from **ORCHESTRATION > Playbooks** and open the classic playbook editor, you usually work with a **single flow** stored as one playbook document. That path does not use a separate builder playbook container in the same way as a multi-flow canvas playbook. For creating playbooks, see [How to Create a Playbook](docId:0-KvG5p4LTHw75ItmpUWp) (manual) or [Create and Modify Playbooks with Hero AI](docId\:TmMNjGlC0e9lIPO37KZPB) (Text to Playbook). ## Playbook Listing Page The **Playbook Listing** page provides a centralized view of all playbooks in your environment. From this page, you can search for playbooks, apply filters to narrow the results, review playbook details, and perform common management actions. Navigate to **ORCHESTRATION > Playbooks** to access the Playbook Listing page. ### Search Playbooks Use the **Search** bar in the upper-right corner of the page to quickly locate playbooks. You can search by: - Playbook name - Playbook description The playbook list updates to display matching results as you type. ### Filter Playbooks Use the filters at the top of the page to narrow the list of playbooks. ### Created The **Created** filter displays playbooks based on when they were created. Select one of the available relative time ranges, including: - Last 15 minutes - Last 30 minutes - Last 1 hour - Last 5 hours - Last 10 hours - Last 24 hours - Today - Yesterday - Last 2 days - Last 3 days - Last 7 days - This week - Last week - This month - Last month - This year You can also select **Custom range** to specify a start date and end date. After selecting a range, click **Apply** to update the list. ### Created By The **Created By** filter displays playbooks created by specific users. You can: - Search for a user by name. - Select one or more users. - Select **All** to display playbooks created by every user. The playbook list updates after your selection. ### Last Updated The **Last Updated** filter works the same way as the **Created** filter. Filter playbooks based on when they were last modified by selecting a predefined relative time range or a custom date range, then click **Apply**. ### Last Updated By The **Last Updated By** filter works the same way as the **Created By** filter. Search for one or more users and select them to display playbooks last updated by those users. ### Last Run Use the **Last Run** filter to display playbooks based on when they were most recently executed. Select a predefined relative time range or choose **Custom range**, then click **Apply**. ### Sort Playbooks Click the **Last Updated** column heading to sort the playbook list by the date the playbooks were last modified. Click the column heading again to reverse the sort order. ### Playbook List Columns The Playbook Listing page displays the following information for each playbook. | Column | Description | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Name** | Displays the playbook name. Below the name, the number of enabled flows is shown in the format **Enabled Flows/Total Flows** (for example, **5/12 Flows Enabled**). | | **Created** | Date the playbook was created. | | **Created By** | User who created the playbook. | | **Last Updated** | Date the playbook was last modified. | | **Last Updated By** | User who last modified the playbook. | | **Last Run** | Date the playbook was last executed. | ### Playbook Actions Each playbook includes a **More options** (⋮) menu that provides additional management actions. | Action | Description | | ---------------------- | -------------------------------- | | **Export** | Export the playbook. | | **Publish** | Publish the playbook. | | **Submit to Swimlane** | Submit the playbook to Swimlane. | | **Delete** | Permanently delete the playbook. | :::hint{type="info"} By default, all filters are set to **All**, and the page displays all playbooks that you have permission to view. You can apply multiple filters at the same time and use **Search** with filters. The **Search** bar searches only the playbook **name** and **description**. To reset a filter, select **All** from the corresponding filter dropdown. ::: ## Playbook Canvas Basics The canvas is where you build playbooks using drag-and-drop actions, triggers, and reusable components. It supports AI assistance, flow controls, and testing from the same workspace. ### Canvas Layout - **Add panel** (left): Browse and add triggers, actions, and components. - **Canvas** (center): Arrange actions and connect flows. - **Details panel** (right): Configure the selected trigger or action. ### Add Panel Use the Add panel to search and drag items into the canvas: - [Triggers](docId\:SEDgtHtXrZuOHZSUvHAD4) - [Native Actions](docId\:rBn1ysy4kRUWYWmpwbyGa) - [Record Actions](docId\:j6eUvk5LaYMULE_3t1nOv) - [Components](docId\:c7ipCS5NdR9sGu4z6Pjs0) ### Flow Connectors and Direction Flows use connectors to control execution between actions: - **On success** - **On failure** - **On complete** Green connectors indicate success paths, while red connectors indicate failure paths. The canvas uses a top-down layout, so flows move from upstream (near the trigger) to downstream (later actions). For details, see [Flows](docId\:tC21DpIKHWKGvvVVaXbMq). ### Playbook Details Panel The right-hand panel shows playbook details such as the name and description. Close the panel (X) to free up more canvas space. ### Test Console Use the Test Console to run end-to-end tests of your playbook flows. For details, see [Test Console](docId:1D0fiftjsdox88PVpK5fS). ## Timeouts and Limits Canvas playbooks do not enforce a fixed maximum number of actions. Run timeouts, action timeouts, loop nesting, and data size limits apply during design and execution. For the full reference, see [Timeouts and Limits](docId:3OfEvWJNekRk_DSSCBqnx).