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This guide walks you through creating runbooks that guide your agents effectively.

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Creating a New Runbook

1

Navigate to Runbooks

Go to Build → Runbooks in your dashboard.
2

Click Create Runbook

Click Create Runbook to open the editor.
3

Name Your Runbook

Give it a clear, descriptive name:
  • Good: “Password Reset Procedure”, “Refund Request Handler”
  • Avoid: “Runbook 1”, “Support”
4

Write Your Instructions

Use the editor to write your runbook content.
5

Save

Click Save to save your runbook.

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Writing Effective Instructions

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Start with an Objective

Begin with a clear statement of what the runbook should accomplish:
This focuses the agent on the goal, not just the steps.

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Write Clear Steps

Use numbered steps for the main procedure:
Tips:
  • Use action verbs: “Ask”, “Check”, “Use”, “Explain”
  • Be specific but not over-prescriptive
  • Include what information to gather

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Add Conditional Guidance

Handle different scenarios:

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Reference Tools

Embed tool references when the agent should take action:
The agent will know to call that specific tool at this step.

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Include Snippets

Insert reusable snippets for common procedures:

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Define Escalation Criteria

Be explicit about when to escalate:

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Runbook Template

Use this structure as a starting point:

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Testing Your Runbook

Before assigning to an agent, test it:
1

Create a Test Agent

Create an agent using this runbook (or update an existing one).
2

Open Playground

Go to Test → Playground and select the agent.
3

Run Test Scenarios

Try different conversation paths:
  • Happy path (everything works)
  • Error cases (account not found, etc.)
  • Edge cases (unusual requests)
  • Escalation triggers
4

Review Execution

Check the execution steps to see how the agent interpreted your instructions.
5

Iterate

Update the runbook based on what you observe.

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Best Practices

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Do

  • Be specific about goals — Clear objectives help the agent make good decisions
  • Use natural language — Write like you’re training a human teammate
  • Cover edge cases — Think about what could go wrong
  • Include examples — Show what good responses look like
  • Test thoroughly — Try many scenarios before deploying

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Don’t

  • Don’t over-prescribe — Leave room for the AI to adapt
  • Don’t assume context — Be explicit about what information to gather
  • Don’t forget escalation — Always define when to hand off
  • Don’t skip testing — Real conversations will surprise you

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Next Steps

Snippets

Create reusable instruction blocks

Tools

Learn about available tools

Test Your Runbook

Validate in the playground