---
sourceDocument: Zurich Build workflows
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/build-workflows

 Release :

    - zurich

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Zurich Build workflows

ft:clusterId :

    - crworkflow

bundleId :

    - crworkflow

workflow :

    - Creator


---

# Optional activities

# Optional activities {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Zurich
* 
* Updated July 31, 2025
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Enable your agents and fulfillers to add additional activities as they go through a playbook.

## Overview {#optional-activities__section_kyz_fnb_xzb}

Admins enable and add optional activities in the Workflow Studio
Playbooks builder, while agents and fulfillers add and complete optional activities in Playbook Experience.

As an example, if you have a playbook for a Security Incident, a playbook admin could add an optional activity for a virus scan. When the activity runs, the optional virus scan activity would take the parent Security Incident record and run third-party virus
scanning integrations on Configuration Management Database (CMDB) assets associated with the parent record. The security analyst can decide at runtime whether to run a virus scan based on their assessment of the situation.  
The flow of working with optional activities:

1. Turn on and add optional activities to a playbook in Workflow Studio.
2. Optional activities are configured like other activities. To see [design an automated process](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/CfPumr1LrWfCc0f82cxfcQ "Create a sample playbook to standardize and automate how Service Desk agents handle chat interactions with VIP users.").
3. Agents add optional activities in Playbook Experience.
{#optional-activities__ol_br2_bqb_xzb}
**Related concepts**   

* [Activity definitions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/hC2JPXxYVpwMpyvSURl_5w "Activity definitions describe how the activities in your playbook get the data that they need when your playbook runs.")
* [Automation Assets](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/L67AP3dqWmiE_EenylU4QQ "Include all automation assets in the activity picker to add a subflow, flow, or action directly to your playbook without having to create an activity definition.")
* [Playbook activity state mapping](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/TxmkEZ31OOJd6i3fec3cRw "Use playbook activity state mapping to override the status of a playbook card.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Add and configure a stage in a playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/eGbgfOMGuzh4FN9SQEsjGA "Add and configure a stage in your playbook.")
* [Add and configure an activity in a playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/NbXwzuPJ~aGBcYZeOqq4Dw "Add and configure an activity in your playbook.")
* [Use AI agent as an activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ooMWuQV3n4XRlAE6~TT0AQ "Use an existing AI agent as an activity in your playbook to automate tasks. The AI agent gathers the required context, performs the work, and produces outputs that subsequent activities can consume.")
* [Use an AI skill as an activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/VDJSJlQFDQCJVIC43XokNw "Use an existing AI skill as an activity in your playbook to perform lightweight, focused AI tasks. When the playbook reaches the activity, the skill runs, produces structured outputs, and passes those outputs to subsequent activities.")
* [Decision activities](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/QyHxbYwM6qhzqDzb~Wc9KQ "Create and define branches with different conditions for different paths between activities.")
* [Decision stages](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/S4pK7SF48XPb4Tso9rn_vQ "Create and define branches with different conditions for different paths between stages.")
* [Parallel branches](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/xmTen~VpUFkYSmESNMMUjg "Add branches for activities and stages that run in parallel to another branch of activities and stages.")
* [Add dynamic inputs to an activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/63bEPdFvWFmUcskvj3zH5w "Configure your activity to show a certain set of fields based on the value of another input, such as a selected catalog item, selected decision table, or even a REST API response.")  
**Related reference**   

* [Start with delay input properties](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/0bU5ECLrTgx0LIrj6BCf~w "Specify a duration of time to wait before running an activity or a stage whose start rule and conditions have been met. Give users time to act during automated playbooks. Give users time to wait for a specific date and time to complete actions.")
* [Questionnaire activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Gm_0SxqbZGe5zYGiIJa0SQ "Collects inputs from a user during a playbook run to use later in the playbook.")

## Add an Optional Activity to a playbook {#ariaid-title2}

As a Playbooks administrator, add an optional activity to a playbook that Playbook Experience agents and fulfillers can choose to add and complete during the playbook runtime.

### Before you begin

Role required: playbook.admin or pd_author

### Procedure

1. Navigate to AllProcess AutomationWorkflow StudioPlaybooks.
2. Open the playbook that you want to add an optional activity to.
3. Switch to Board view.  
   ![Toggle for Diagram and Board views]()  
4. In the upper right-hand corner, toggle on Optional activities.  
   ![Toggle on Optional activities]()  
   The optional activities swimlane opens.
5. Add an optional activity.  
   Global optional activities can be inserted by the agent or fulfiller anywhere in the playbook, while a stage-specific optional activity can only be inserted within its specific stage.
6. Configure your activity the way that you would configure a regular activity.

*[\>]: and then