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# Playbooks overview

A **playbook** gives an AI agent a job to do. You write down the goal, list the
outcomes (tasks) you want, and choose which [actions](/workspace/actions/overview) the
agent may run. When someone starts a run inside a space, the agent works
through the tasks toward that goal. It reads files, searches the knowledge
graph, and dispatches actions. It pauses for your approval at the gates you
set.

Playbooks are **org-level and reusable**. A playbook is not tied to one space.
You make it available to a [space type](/workspace/spaces/space-types). Every space
created from that type can run it.

Playbooks (the definitions) are **admin-only**. The library lives at
**Playbooks** in the sidebar. If you are not an admin, you see "You need an
admin role to manage playbooks." Running a playbook happens inside a space.
Anyone who can contribute there can run one. See
[Run a playbook](/workspace/playbooks/run-a-playbook).

## Two run types — keep them straight

A space has both a **Playbooks** tab and an **Actions** tab. They are not the
same thing.

| Surface           | What it runs                                                                                                    |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Playbooks** tab | An **agentic run**. The agent pursues a goal across multiple tasks and actions, and pauses for approvals.       |
| **Actions** tab   | A **single-action run**. You run one [action](/workspace/actions/run-an-action) over some files, with no agent. |

This page and the rest of this section cover **playbook runs** (the
Playbooks tab). To run one action over some files, see
[Run an action](/workspace/actions/run-an-action).

## The playbooks library

Open **Playbooks** to see every playbook in your organization. The list has
these columns:

| Column          | What it shows                                                                                |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name**        | The playbook's name. Click it to open the editor.                                            |
| **Status**      | **draft**, **active**, or **archived**.                                                      |
| **Space types** | The space types this playbook is bound to, or **All space types** if it is not bound to any. |
| **Actions**     | How many actions the agent may run.                                                          |
| **Updated**     | When the playbook last changed.                                                              |

Use **New playbook** to start one. See
[Build a playbook](/workspace/playbooks/build-a-playbook) for the editor walkthrough.

## The lifecycle

Every playbook carries a status. It moves through three states.

#### Draft

Being built. You edit the goal, tasks, and actions freely. A draft cannot
run in a space yet.

#### Active

Runnable. You publish a draft by clicking **Activate** in the editor.
Activation validates the playbook first. Only a valid playbook can be
activated: it needs a name plus a title on every task. **Only active
playbooks appear in a space's run picker.**

#### Archived

Retired. The playbook is kept for history but is no longer offered for new
runs. Archive a playbook from the editor when a process is replaced or no
longer needed.

## Runs are always started by a person

There is **no trigger or scheduling system**. A playbook never runs on its own,
on a timer, or in response to an event. A person starts every run from a
space's **Playbooks** tab.

## Where to go next

#### [Build a playbook](/playbooks/build-a-playbook)

Set the goal, add tasks, choose actions and approvals, then activate.

#### [Run a playbook](/playbooks/run-a-playbook)

Start a run in a space and follow the live timeline.

#### [Approvals and steering](/playbooks/approvals-and-steering)

Approve or reject the agent's proposals, steer it mid-run, and control the run.

#### [Actions](/actions/overview)

The installable work that a playbook's agent, or you, can run over files.