--- sourceDocument: australia Combined Product Files sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/delta-yokohama-australia Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - australia Combined Product Files ft:clusterId : - delta3ay bundleId : - delta3ay --- # Combined Playbook release notes for upgrades from Yokohama to Australia # Combined Playbook release notes for upgrades from Yokohama to Australia {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated October 8, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 11 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 Combined Playbook Release Notes for Upgrades from Yokohama to Australia These release notes consolidate all Playbook updates from Yokohama through Zurich to Australia, providing ServiceNow customers with a comprehensive guide to new features, changes, and upgrade instructions. Playbooks are structured, guided workflows that streamline business processes by leading users, agents, or technicians through sequential stages of manual tasks, automated actions, and guided decisions, ensuring consistency and improving efficiency across various domains. Show full answer Show less Upgrading to Australia introduces significant enhancements, capabilities, and administrative changes that empower users to better automate, customize, and manage workflows within the ServiceNow platform. ## Important Upgrade Information * Before upgrading to Australia, review and complete the recommended pre- and post-upgrade tasks. * After upgrading, update the **Workflow Studio** application from the ServiceNow Store to access the latest features. * Playbooks require the new **playbook.admin** role for tasks previously assigned to the admin role. * Activation of Playbooks is managed via the Workflow Studio app, part of the ServiceNow AI Platform, available for download and updates through the ServiceNow Store. ## Key Features Introduced from Yokohama to Australia * **Support for Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG):** Generate playbooks from custom actions, flows, subflows, and activity definitions using AI models. * **OpenAI GPT-4o LLM Integration:** Use advanced language models to generate and recommend playbooks from textual inputs. * **Playbook Generation from Knowledge Base Articles:** Automate playbook creation based on existing documented processes to reduce manual effort. * **AI Agent Enhancements:** Configure AI agents for autonomous or collaborative support within playbook activities; add custom AI agents and AI skills as activities to automate focused tasks. * **Ideal Path Visualization:** Define and display the preferred execution path to improve end-user clarity and workflow observability. * **Playbook as a Model Context Protocol (MCP) Tool:** Expose playbooks as MCP server tools to enable triggering and execution via MCP clients. * **Go Back Activity:** Implement conditional loops within playbooks to enable retries and re-evaluations without duplicating flows. * **Fluent DSL Support:** Build and manage playbooks as code using the Fluent domain-specific language in the ServiceNow IDE or SDK. * **Nested Playbooks:** Embed playbooks within others to promote reuse, reduce duplication, and simplify complex workflows. * **End-User Experience Improvements:** Wizard-style guidance for users and real-time runtime UI previews for authors. * **Automated Test Framework Support:** Create automated tests to validate playbook execution. * **Scheduling and Multi-Trigger Support:** Configure playbooks to trigger on schedules or multiple trigger conditions. * **LLM Selection Flexibility:** Choose from models like NowLLM, OpenAI ChatGPT4-o, Gemini, Claude for playbook generation and recommendations. ## Notable Changes and Deprecations * **Trigger Label Update:** The trigger is now labeled "Start" in Workflow Studio. * **Edit Triggers Flexibility:** Modify triggers when duplicating playbooks or working with variants. * **Playbook Activation Without Triggers:** Configure playbooks to activate programmatically without predefined triggers. * **Decision Activity UX Improvements:** Enhanced navigation, branch visibility, and ability to add parallel activities within decisions. * **Role Change:** The `now.assist.creator` role is no longer required for generating playbooks or recommendations with Now Assist. * **Now LLM Service Update:** No longer the default model for new or inactive AI assets; third-party LLMs are now default, with Now LLM still available for manual selection. * **Deprecated Activities:** Older Create Task and Checklist activities continue to function but lack new features such as additional fields or in-studio checklist editing. ## Benefits for ServiceNow Customers * Streamlines process execution with AI-powered playbook generation and automation, reducing manual workload. * Improves process clarity and user guidance with ideal path visualization and enhanced runtime UI previews. * Enables greater customization and control with configurable AI agents, nested playbooks, and flexible trigger options. * Supports governance and security with updated role requirements and controlled permissions for authors and runtime users. * Facilitates maintenance and automation validation via Fluent DSL support and Automated Test Framework integration. * Ensures access to the latest AI capabilities through model selection flexibility and ongoing ServiceNow AI Platform enhancements. Consolidated page of all release notes for Playbook from Yokohama to Australia. ## How to use this page To help you prepare for your upgrade, we have combined the cross-family Playbook release notes onto one page. Read this summary of the new features, changes, and updated information for your product from Yokohama to Australia. Tip: If there were no updates for a release notes section in a certain family release, we included a short note for your reference. For example, if a product did not have any updates in Tokyo, the row says "No updates for this release." ## Important information for upgrading Playbook to Australia Before you upgrade to Australia, review these pre- and post-upgrade tasks and complete the tasks as needed. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__2} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | Upgrade information : After you upgrade to Australia, update the Workflow Studio application in the ServiceNow Store. | [ ] ## New features Between your current release family and Australia, new features were introduced for Playbook. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__10} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | [Support for Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) with playbook generation](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-assist&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : Generate playbooks from inputs that refer to custom actions, flows, subflows, content from installed spokes, or activity definitions. Include the names of commonly used and recently published actions, subflows, flows, and activity definitions available on your instance in your playbook generation requests. [Generate playbooks with the OpenAI GPT-4o LLM](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=change-default-llm-playbook-generation&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : Use the OpenAI GPT-4o LLM to generate a playbook from text. [Translate playbooks content](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=add-translations-playbooks&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : Add custom translations for labels, descriptions, and UI Layout properties in your playbooks. [Restart playbook activities that end in error](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=restart&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : Configure activities so that end users can restart any activity that ends in an error and variant conditions are automatically re-evaluated when playbooks are restarted. [Add more fields in Create Task activities](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-task-activity&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : Add more fields in a more configurable Create Task activity. [Create a checklist directly in Workflow Studio](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=checklist-task-activity&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : Create a checklist directly in the side panel without needing a checklist template. | | Zurich | [Playbook as an MCP tool](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-as-mcp-tool&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Expose a playbook as a tool in an MCP server, enabling MCP clients to trigger and execute the playbook through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). [AI agents autonomous support configurations](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-activity-definition&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Configure in the activity definition how you want autonomous support from AI agents for that activity. The additional configurations help you gain more control on the activity in a playbook. [Playbook generation from a KB article](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-generation-from-kb&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Generate a playbook directly from an existing knowledge base article to reduce manual effort when creating playbooks for documented processes. [Playbook summarization](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-summarization&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Generate an AI-powered summary of a playbook from the Workflow Studio canvas. The summary covers the playbook's stages, activities, triggers, and inputs, helping you understand quickly about its purpose and flow without reading through each activity individually. [Use AI skill as an activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=use-ai-skill-as-activity&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Add an existing AI skill as an activity in your playbook to run lightweight, focused AI tasks as part of the playbook flow. When the playbook reaches the activity, the skill executes, produces structured outputs, and passes those outputs to subsequent activities automatically. [Use custom agent in Agentic Playbooks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=configure-agentic-playbooks&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : In addition to the default AI Agents, you can add your custom AI Agent for an activity. Choose how you want to use the AI Agents in the activity- Collaborative or Autonomous. [Set child variants to evaluate later in a playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=set-evaluation-point&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Instead of evaluating immediately after the trigger, set a playbook's child variants to be evaluated after a specific activity in the playbook. [Create decision branches for stages](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-decision-stage&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Add a decision node between stages to determine which stage to run next, based on runtime conditions. [Route users to stages based on decisions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=add-configure-stage&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Send runtime users to a stage based off of the trigger record or input that users provide. [Agentic Playbooks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=agentic-playbooks&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Enable AI agents to assist users with activities during runtime. [Add permissions for playbook authors](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=user-access-playbooks&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Control which playbook authors can create, edit, and view playbooks in Workflow Studio [Add permissions for runtime users](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-process-definition&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Control whether runtime users can [view a playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-process-definition&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US), [add optional activities](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=optional-activities&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US), [restart a playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=restart&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US), and [complete work within specific stages](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=add-configure-stage&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US). [Set multiple triggers](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=process-automation-designer-triggers&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Configure a playbook to run based on any one of multiple triggers. [Schedule when a playbook should trigger](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-scheduled-trigger-definition&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Configure a playbook to run based on a schedule. [Choose your LLM for playbook generation and recommendations](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=change-default-llm-playbook-generation&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Choose between NowLLM, OpenAI ChatGPT4-o, Gemini, Claude for playbook generation and recommendations. [Generate a playbook with a trigger](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-assist&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Generate a playbook with both a trigger and activities. | | Australia | [Ideal path for a playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=ideal-path-for-playbook&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Use ideal path to identify the intended execution path or view upcoming work hidden behind conditions. Ideal Path enables playbook authors to define and visualize the preferred process route. The end users of a playbook gets runtime visibility into the expected workflow path, improving process clarity, usability, and observability. [Playbook as an MCP tool](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-as-mcp-tool&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Expose a playbook as a tool in an MCP server, enabling MCP clients to trigger and execute the playbook through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). [AI agents autonomous support configurations](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-activity-definition&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Configure in the activity definition how you want autonomous support from AI agents for that activity. The additional configurations help you gain more control on the activity in a playbook. [Go back activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=go-back-activity&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Use the Go Back activity to define a conditional return point in a playbook. When placed in a decision branch, the activity directs the playbook to loop back to a specified point. The playbook can look back to an earlier activity, stage, or the start of the playbook based on the branch outcome. This enables conditional retry and re-evaluation logic without duplicating flow structure. [Playbook generation from a KB article](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-generation-from-kb&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Generate a playbook directly from an existing knowledge base article to reduce manual effort when creating playbooks for documented processes. [Preview an activity's runtime UI](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=preview-playbook-runtime-ui&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Preview an activity's runtime UI directly from the diagram canvas, with a real-time side-by-side preview that updates as you edit. [Fluent support for Playbooks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-process-definition&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Build, edit, and manage playbooks as code with the Fluent domain-specific language (DSL) in the ServiceNow IDE or a local SDK. [Playbook summarization](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-summarization&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Generate an AI-powered summary of a playbook from the Workflow Studio canvas. The summary covers the playbook's stages, activities, triggers, and inputs, helping you understand quickly about its purpose and flow without reading through each activity individually. [Use AI skill as an activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=use-ai-skill-as-activity&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Add an existing AI skill as an activity in your playbook to run lightweight, focused AI tasks as part of the playbook flow. When the playbook reaches the activity, the skill executes, produces structured outputs, and passes those outputs to subsequent activities automatically. [Use custom agent in Agentic Playbooks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=configure-agentic-playbooks&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : In addition to the default AI Agents, you can add your custom AI Agent for an activity. Choose how you want to use the AI Agents in the activity- Collaborative or Autonomous. [Use AI agents as a playbook activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=ai-agent-as-activity&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : 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. [Nested playbooks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=nested-playbooks&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Nest playbooks as a step within other playbooks to enable the following scenarios: * Define sets of activities for reuse across multiple playbooks to help avoid duplication. * Break up large playbooks for easy maintenance and fast load time in Playbook Designer. [Simplified end-user playbook experience](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=wizard-layouts-playbooks&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Implement a wizard experience for guiding your end users through a sequence of steps to achieve an outcome, such as servicing a printer. [Automated Test Framework support for playbooks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=testing-support-playbooks&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : The Automated Test Framework can be used to create automated tests to confirm your playbooks run as planned. | [ ] ## Changes Between your current release family and Australia, some changes were made to existing Playbook features. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__18} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | [Trigger label updated](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=process-automation-designer-triggers&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : The trigger is now labeled "Start" in Workflow Studio. [Change triggers in any playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=duplicate-process&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : Edit triggers when you duplicate a playbook, in a variant, etc. | | Zurich | [Activate playbooks without a trigger](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=process-automation-designer-triggers&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Configure and activate playbooks without specifying triggers, so that playbooks are only triggered programmatically. [Implement playbooks that are callable by a scriptable API](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=process-automation-designer-triggers&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Configure a playbook that executes with an input object instead of requiring the configuration of a trigger record reference and trigger conditions. [Decision activity enhancements](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-a-decision-activity&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : User experience improvements to decision activities: * In the Board view, select the branch to see a list of dependent activities and branches, and to navigate to them. * When a decision or one of its branch nodes is selected in Diagram view, the decision and all of its branches are selected, and the side panel opens. * Add parallel activities within decision branches. [Enter a combination of pills and text in an email body](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=add-configure-activity&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : Enter a combination of text and multiple pills in any rich text / HTML editor container, such as an email body. [ServiceNow Otto](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=now-assist-for-creator-landing&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : ServiceNow Otto is the new AI experience brand. This change is reflected in the name of ServiceNow products, including Playbooks. Your product entitlements remain unchanged. Check your entitlements to determine your access to specific features. | | Australia | [Required role update](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=user-access-playbooks&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Any tasks that previously required only the admin role now require the playbook.admin role instead. [ServiceNow product tiers](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=ai-native-sku-overview&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : The ServiceNow AI Platform now brings you a new AI experience with three licensing tiers available: * Foundation: AI basics to deliver insights * Advanced: AI to boost productivity across relevant use cases * Prime: Act autonomously with all AI assets, and create your own Depending on your license, you will have access to certain application features, generative AI skills, agentic workflows, and AI agents. [Changes in the Now LLM service](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=exploring-large-language-models&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : The Now LLM Service is no longer the default model provider for new or inactive AI assets. A third-party LLM is now selected by default, while existing configurations using the Now LLM Service continue unchanged. The Now LLM Service is still available for manual selection. [ServiceNow Otto](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=now-assist-for-creator-landing&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : ServiceNow Otto is the new AI experience brand. This change is reflected in the name of ServiceNow products, including Playbooks. Your product entitlements remain unchanged. Check your entitlements to determine your access to specific features. | [ ] ## Removed Between your current release family and Australia, some Playbook features or functionality were removed. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__26} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Deprecations Between your current release family and Australia, some Playbook features or functionality were deprecated. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__34} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | * * * If you have the old Create Task activity in your existing playbooks, it will continue to function. You just can't add the extra fields that are available only in the new Create Task activity. * If you have the old Checklist activity in your existing playbooks, it will continue to function. You just won't be able to update the checklist directly in Workflow Studio the way that you can with the new Checklist activity. | | Zurich | * now.assist.creator role | | Australia | The now.assist.creator role is no longer a required role to generate a playbook or playbook recommendation when using Now Assist. Starting with the September 2026 release, Gemma 4 joins our growing portfolio of open-weight models available through Now LLM Service. We're committed to bringing you the latest industry advancements while maintaining sovereignty-focused options, all hosted and governed by ServiceNow with the infrastructure and data protections you rely on today. Older models will remain available for existing published AI skills, agents, and agentic workflows, but will no longer be available for new development or configuration. For details, see the [KB3066214: ServiceNow Otto Model Upgrades](https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB3066214) article in the Now Support Knowledge Base. | [ ] ## Activation information Review information on how to activate Playbook. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__42} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | Activation information : The Playbooks application comes with the Workflow Studio ServiceNow Store app. Workflow Studio is part of the ServiceNow AI Platform® and is available by default. Get the latest Workflow Studio features by downloading the latest Workflow Studio app in the ServiceNow Store, as well as related applications like Process Automation Content and Process Automation Experience Demo. The Playbooks application can be downloaded for patch fixes. To use playbook generation features in Workflow Studio, download the [ServiceNow Otto for Creator](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=now-assist-for-creator-landing&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) application. To use Agentic Playbooks, enable it through Now Assist. Visit the [ServiceNow Store](https://store.servicenow.com/sn_appstore_store.do#!/store/home) to view all the available apps, and for information about submitting requests to the store. For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the [ServiceNow Store version history release notes](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=sn-store-release-notes&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US). Important: Playbooks is available in the ServiceNow Store. For details, see the "Activation information" section of these release notes. | [ ] ## Additional requirements If any additional requirements were introduced or changed for Playbook we have noted them here. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__50} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Browser requirements If any specific browser requirements were introduced or changed for Playbook we have noted them here. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__58} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Accessibility information Review details on accessibility information for Playbook, such as specific requirements or compliance levels. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__66} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Localization information If there are specific localization considerations for Playbook we have noted them here. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__74} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Highlight information If there are specific highlight considerations for Playbook we have noted them here. {#dfrn3-playbook-summary__entry__82} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | * Playbooks are structured, guided workflows that lead users, agents, or technicians through the steps required to complete a business process, such as case resolution or work order fulfillment. * Playbooks consist of sequential stages, each containing activities that can be manual tasks, automated actions, or guided decisions, ensuring consistency and conformance across records. * Benefits include eliminating the need to memorize processes, providing real‑time guidance, automating routine steps, and enabling administrators to update processes centrally, which applies to all users. * Playbooks support use cases across multiple domains. See [Explore](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=process-automation-designer&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) for more information. | [ ]