--- sourceDocument: Australia Build workflows sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/build-workflows Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Build workflows ft:clusterId : - crworkflow bundleId : - crworkflow workflow : - Creator --- # Ideal path for a playbook # Ideal path for a playbook {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated August 21, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Ideal path for a playbook The ideal path in a playbook represents the expected sequence of activities that should run when decisions resolve as anticipated. It defines the typical route through decision branches that reflects the normal or expected outcomes, such as an approval decision usually being approved. This path can be defined for each decision branch and visualized across the entire playbook in Workflow Studio. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Golden Path Visualization:** In Workflow Studio, the Golden Path highlights the entire ideal route from start to end, allowing authors to verify the coherence of their playbook's expected flow before activation. * **Conditional Activities at Runtime:** Activities on the ideal path behind unresolved decisions are shown as conditional, read-only previews to users during execution. These previews update dynamically as decisions resolve, showing actual activities when execution deviates from the ideal path. * **Decision Evaluation Modes:** Depending on the decision's configuration, either one or multiple branches can be marked as ideal. For "First matching branch only," only one ideal branch is allowed; for "All matching branches," multiple ideal branches can be selected and shown simultaneously as conditional activities. ## How the Golden Path Visualization Works * The playbook must have at least one decision with an ideal branch configured to enable the Golden Path visualization. * The visualization highlights all activities along the ideal branches in gold color. * If a decision lacks an ideal branch, the highlighting stops at that point, even if later decisions have ideal paths defined. * For decisions with multiple ideal branches, all branches forward are highlighted. * The visualization dynamically updates as ideal branch selections are changed and persists across playbook variants. ## How Conditional Activities Work at Runtime * Conditional activities preview upcoming steps behind unresolved decisions, providing users with foresight into likely next actions. * These activities are non-interactive and update based on the actual path taken once decisions resolve. * If the execution diverges from the ideal path, the conditional activity is replaced by the actual activity on the chosen branch. * Conditional activities only display when the ideal path feature is enabled on the playbook experience record; by default, activities behind unresolved decisions are hidden. ## Configuring Ideal Path Authors can mark decision branches as ideal paths within Workflow Studio to enable Golden Path visualization and conditional activity previews. Additionally, configuring the Playbook Experience allows users to see the ideal path's stages and activities before they execute during playbook runs, enhancing predictability and user guidance. The ideal path is the expected execution route through a playbook. The sequence of activities that should run when a decision resolves in the anticipated way. You can define an ideal path on each decision branch and visualize it across the entire playbook in Workflow Studio. When a playbook contains decision activities, each decision can branch in multiple directions depending on how conditions evaluate at runtime. In most processes, one branch represents the typical, expected outcome. For example, an approval decision that is usually approved. Marking that branch as the ideal path shows the route through the decision you intend as the norm. The ideal path has two expressions in a playbook: In Workflow Studio : The Golden Path visualization traces a highlighted route through the canvas, following all configured ideal branches from start to end. Authors use this to confirm that their ideal branch selections add up to a coherent end-to-end path before activating the playbook. In the playbook runtime experience : Activities that are on the ideal path behind an unresolved decision are shown to the user as conditional activities. It displays a preview of what is likely to come next, even before the decision has been evaluated. When the decision resolves and execution follows the ideal path, the conditional activity becomes active. If execution takes a different branch, the conditional activity is replaced by the activity on the actual path taken. ## Ideal path and decision evaluation modes {#ideal-path-for-playbook__section_umq_cnw_hkc} The number of branches you can mark as ideal for a given decision depends on how that decision is configured to evaluate its branches. * First matching branch only: You can mark one branch as ideal. * All matching branches: You can mark multiple branches as ideal. All ideal branches are shown as conditional activities in the runtime experience simultaneously. {#ideal-path-for-playbook__ul_vb3_mnw_hkc} ## How the Golden path visualization works {#ideal-path-for-playbook__section_i35_xnw_hkc} The Golden path visualization in Workflow Studio traces the ideal route through the entire playbook canvas when you enable Golden path from the View options. The following rules apply for golden path visualization: * The playbook must contain at least one decision that has an ideal branch configured. * The visualization follows the ideal branch at each decision, highlighting all activities on that route in a golden color. * If a decision in the sequence has no ideal branch configured, the golden path highlighting stops at that decision. Activities after that point aren't highlighted, even if later decisions in the playbook do have ideal paths defined. * For decisions with multiple ideal branches configured, the golden path highlights all ideal branches from that decision forward. * The visualization updates when you undo or redo changes to ideal branch selections. * The visualization persists when you switch between playbook variants. {#ideal-path-for-playbook__ul_tpr_44w_hkc} ## How conditional activities work at runtime {#ideal-path-for-playbook__section_zph_1pw_hkc} Conditional activities are the runtime expression of the ideal path. They are shown as previews in the playbook execution view for activities that have not yet active because the decision that gates them has not yet resolved. * Conditional activities are read-only. Users can't interact with them until the decision resolves and execution reaches them. * When the decision resolves and execution takes a non-ideal path, the conditional activity is removed and the activity on the actual path is shown instead. * If the non-ideal path itself contains further decisions, those decisions can also have ideal branches configured, and their conditional activities are shown from that point forward. {#ideal-path-for-playbook__ul_xtt_2pw_hkc} Conditional activities are displayed only when the ideal path feature is enabled on the playbook experience record. By default, activities behind unresolved decisions aren't shown at runtime. To learn about how to configure ideal path for a playbook in Workflow Studio, see [Configure the ideal path for a playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/6LR8bYGxFsWPvPADMkLVnA "Mark one or more decision branches as the ideal path in Workflow Studio for a playbook. The playbook can highlight the expected execution route and show users a preview of upcoming activities at runtime."). * **[Configure the ideal path for a playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/6LR8bYGxFsWPvPADMkLVnA)** Mark one or more decision branches as the ideal path in Workflow Studio for a playbook. The playbook can highlight the expected execution route and show users a preview of upcoming activities at runtime. * **[Configure Playbook Experience to display ideal path](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/W7Snh3DHo37NDpTPvFr22w)** Configure Playbook Experience to show the stages and activities in an ideal path before they are executed during a playbook run.