---
sourceDocument: Australia Strategic Portfolio Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/it-business-management

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Strategic Portfolio Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itbm

bundleId :

    - itbm

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Creation example for a demand playbook for IT governance

# Creation example for a demand playbook for IT governance {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated November 3, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 8 minutes to read  
Build a demand playbook that guides technology investment requests through intake, architecture review, and a steering committee decision, and moves the demand state automatically at each step.

## Before you begin

Role required: admin, playbook.admin, or pd_author

Build and test the playbook in a non-production instance first.

## About this task

This example shows one way to model a demand governance process in a playbook. Use it as a starting point and adapt the stages, activities, and assignments to your organization.

In this example, business teams request new technology, such as a self-service employee onboarding app. Before IT commits budget and people, every request goes through three stages:

* Intake: The demand manager captures the business case, records the expected benefit, and requests the people that the demand needs.
* Architecture review: The enterprise architect, and only the enterprise architect, checks that the request fits the technology standards.
* Steering Committee decision: The CIO approves or rejects the investment.

{#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__ul_itig_stages}

As each stage finishes, the playbook moves the demand from Draft to Screening, then to Qualified, and then to Approved.
{#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__table_itig_design__entry__5}

| Activity | Activity type | Assigned to | Starts | Result |
|-|-|-|-|-|
| 1.1 Capture business case | Record Form | The demand manager of the demand | When the stage starts | Business case, financial benefit, and planned dates are added to the demand. |
| 1.2 Add a benefit plan | New Record Form | Playbook user | After 1.1 | A benefit plan is created and linked to the demand. |
| 1.3 Request resources | Instruction | Playbook user | After 1.2 | Resource assignments are created on the Resources tab of the demand. |
| 1.4 Submit for architecture review | Update Record | Automatic | After 1.3 | The demand moves to Screening. |
| 2.1 Technical fit assessment | Record Form | The enterprise architect (a named user) | When the stage starts | Impacted applications, size, risk, and assumptions are added to the demand. |
| 2.2 Mark as qualified | Update Record | Automatic | After 2.1 | The demand moves to Qualified. |
| 3.1 Investment approval | Ask For Ad Hoc Approval | The CIO (a named approver) | When the stage starts | The investment is approved or rejected. |
| 3.2 Mark as approved | Update Record | Automatic, only if the investment is approved | After 3.1 | The demand moves to Approved. |
[Table 1. IT investment governance playbook design]

{#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__table_itig_design}

## Procedure

1. Navigate to AllProcess AutomationWorkflow Studio,
2. Select the Playbooks tab.  
   Tip:  
   The predefined Demand workflow playbook is listed on this tab. To start from it instead of from a blank playbook, select it and then select Duplicate.
3. Create the playbook.
   1. Select NewPlaybook.
   2. In the Playbook name field, enter <kbd class="ph userinput">IT Investment Governance</kbd>.
   3. In the Description field, enter a sentence that explains the process to other playbook designers.
   4. In the Parent table field, select Demand \[dmn_demand\].  
      The parent table makes this playbook a demand playbook.
   5. Select Build playbook.
   {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_itig_create}
4. Add a trigger so that only strategic project demands use this playbook.
   1. Select the Triggers icon in the left sidebar.
   2. Select Add triggerWhen record is created or updated.
   3. In the Trigger label field, enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Strategic project demand created or updated</kbd>.
   4. Under Conditions, add the conditions `Category is Strategic` AND `Type is Project`.
   5. Select Save and close.

   {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_itig_trigger}  
   Note:  
   The predefined Demand workflow playbook runs on every new demand. To keep it from also running on strategic project demands, add a condition to its trigger that excludes them, for example `Category is not Strategic`.
5. Add the Intake stage.
   1. Select Board view.
   2. Select Add Stage.
   3. In the Label field, enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Intake</kbd>.
   4. Describe what happens in the stage in the Description field.
   5. Leave the Start rule set to When playbook starts
   6. Select Save and close.
   {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_itig_intake}
6. Add the Capture business case activity and assign it to the demand manager of the demand.
   1. In the Intake stage, select Add activity.
   2. Search for <kbd class="ph userinput">Record Form</kbd>, and select it.
   3. On the Details tab, enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Capture business case</kbd> as the label and add a short description.
   4. On the Automation tab, select Show additional options.
   5. In the Assigned To field, open the data pill picker and select Parent RecordDemandDemand manager.  
      The activity is assigned to whoever is the demand manager on each demand.
   6. On the UI Layout tab, set Associated table to Demand and Associated record to the data pill Parent RecordDemand.
   7. In Form fields, select Business case, Financial benefit, Planned start date, and Planned end date, and then select OK.  
      Include both planned dates. The Resources tab of the demand displays resourcing only after both dates are set.
   8. Select Save and close.
   {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_itig_11}
7. Add the Add a benefit plan activity, which creates a benefit plan linked to the demand.
   1. Select Add activity.
   2. Search for <kbd class="ph userinput">New Record Form</kbd>, and select it.
   3. On the Details tab, enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Add a benefit plan</kbd> as the label, and describe what the user must enter.  
      The start rule is set to after activity 1.1 automatically.
   4. On the Automation tab, set Table to Benefit Plan \[benefit_plan\].
   5. Under Template Fields, select Add Field.
   6. Select the Project/Demand field, and set it to the data pill Parent RecordDemand.  
      The Project/Demand field may display as Work. Setting it links every benefit plan created from this activity to the demand.
   7. On the UI Layout tab, enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Create record</kbd> in the Tagline field.
   8. In Form fields, select Name, Category, Sub category, Start fiscal period, End fiscal period, Entered currency, Entered benefit, and Description.
   9. Select Save and close.
   {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_itig_12}
8. Add the Request resources activity, which sends the user to the Resources tab of the demand.
   1. Select Add activity.
   2. Search for <kbd class="ph userinput">Instruction</kbd> and select it.  
      An Instruction activity displays a message with the Mark Complete and Skip buttons.
   3. On the Details tab, enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Request resources</kbd> as the label, and enter the message for the user as the description.  
      For example: <kbd class="ph userinput">Open the Resources tab on this demand and create resource assignments for the roles this investment needs, for example developer or business analyst. Then select Mark Complete.</kbd>
   4. On the Automation tab, verify that Message is set to This activityDescription and that Wait for user input is set to Yes.
   5. Select Save and close.
   {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_itig_13}
9. Add the Submit for architecture review activity, which moves the demand to Screening automatically.
   1. Select Add activity.
   2. Search for <kbd class="ph userinput">Update Record</kbd>, and select it.
   3. On the Details tab, enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Submit for architecture review</kbd> as the label, and explain in the description that the demand moves to Screening.
   4. On the Automation tab, set Record to the data pill Parent RecordDemand and Table to Demand.
   5. Under Fields, add State and set its value to Screening.
   6. On the UI Layout tab, enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Automated state change</kbd> in the Tagline field.  
      Users see this label in the playbook instead of the default Update Record label.
   7. Select Save and close.

   {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_itig_14}  
   Note:  
   An Update Record activity sets the state without checking any conditions. To check the same conditions that apply when users change the state manually, such as the required role, add a custom demand state transition checker activity before the Update Record activity. For more information, see [Transition checker to move a demand to the next state automatically](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/8cXJmx79Z3q7IJp2Ftq9Cw#playbooks-in-demand-workspace__section_dmnd_state_change).
10. Add the Architecture review stage and its activities.
    1. Select Add StepAdd Stage to the right of the Intake stage.
    2. Enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Architecture review</kbd> as the label.
    3. Describe what the architect checks, and set the start rule to After specific stages.
    4. Add a Record Form activity with the label <kbd class="ph userinput">Technical fit assessment</kbd>.
    5. On the Automation tab, select Show additional options.
    6. In the Assigned To field, enter the name of your enterprise architect.  
       Only the assigned user can complete the activity. To assign the activity to a team instead, set Assignment Group, for example to your enterprise architecture group.
    7. On the UI Layout tab, set the associated table and record as in the Capture business case activity.
    8. In Form fields, select Impacted Business Applications, T-Shirt size, Risk of performing, and Assumptions, and then select OK.
    9. Select Save and close.
    10. Add an Update Record activity with the label <kbd class="ph userinput">Mark as qualified</kbd>.
    11. Configure it as in the Submit for architecture review activity, but set State to Qualified.  
        The activity starts after 2.1 Technical fit assessment.
    {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_itig_stage2}
11. Add the Steering Committee decision stage and its activities.
    1. Select Add StepAdd Stage.
    2. Enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Steering Committee decision</kbd> as the label, and set the stage to start after the architechture review stage.
    3. Select Add activity.
    4. Search for <kbd class="ph userinput">Ad Hoc Approval</kbd> and select Ask For Ad Hoc Approval.
    5. Enter <kbd class="ph userinput">Investment approval</kbd> as the label.
    6. On the Automation tab, set Approver to your CIO, Table to Demand, and Record to the data pill Parent RecordDemand.  
       To have a group approve instead, set Approver Group.
    7. Select Save and close.
    8. Add an Update Record activity with the label <kbd class="ph userinput">Mark as approved</kbd> that sets State to Approved.
    9. On the Details tab of the Mark as approved activity, select Show additional options.
    10. Add a run condition: set the field to 3.1 Investment approvalApproval State and the value to <kbd class="ph userinput">approved</kbd>.
    11. Select Save.
    12. Select Save and close.  
        If the CIO rejects the investment, the activity is skipped and the demand stays in the Qualified state.
    {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_itig_stage3}
12. Review the playbook in Board view and Diagram view.
13. Select Activate.  
    The status changes from Inactive to Active, and new demands that match the trigger start the playbook. After you change an active playbook, select Activate again to publish the change. Demands
    already in progress keep the version of the playbook that they started with.
14. Test the playbook.
    1. Create a demand with Category set to Strategic and Type set to Project.  
       For more information, see [Create a demand](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ZLhTCzaCcqZq_IxOg5g8ww "Create demands to capture the strategic and operational requirements and centralize information for stakeholder assessment and prioritization.").
    2. Open it from the List page in demands.
    3. Select Playbook from the demand navigation menu.
    {#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__substeps_odh_fy4_clc}
{#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__steps_itig}

## Result

The IT Investment Governance playbook appears with its three stages, and the Capture business case activity is ready for the demand manager.

As users work through the playbook, the demand moves through its states automatically:

* After the demand manager completes the intake activities, the demand moves to Screening, and the technical fit assessment is assigned to the enterprise architect.
* After the architect completes the assessment, the demand moves to Qualified, and the approval request goes to the CIO.
* If the CIO approves, the demand moves to Approved and all three stages show as complete.
{#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__ul_itig_result}

## What to do next

Adapt the example to other processes. For example:

* For marketing demands, replace the enterprise architect with a brand reviewer and the CIO with the CMO, and add campaign fields to the forms.
* For finance governance, add a decision so that demands above a cost threshold go through an additional finance approval stage.
* For business units, create one playbook for each unit, and route demands to each playbook with its own trigger condition, for example on the department.
{#example-it-investment-governance-playbook__ul_itig_adapt}
**Related concepts**   

* [Playbooks in Next Experience for Demand Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/8cXJmx79Z3q7IJp2Ftq9Cw "Playbooks in Next Experience for Demand Management provide a guided, structured approach to managing a demand from initiation to completion. Playbooks focus specifically on helping teams follow the demand life cycle for different governance processes, so every demand progresses consistently and critical steps aren't missed.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Customize and create playbooks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vywRICGeP1kwA2PytJF7qg "Configure a playbook to match your organization's demand process. Customize the default demand workflow playbook or create one to define the stages and activities that guide demand records through your workflow.")
* [Use playbook for a demand](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/HvztLqhM~dVcnq3w3wkfvw "Use the demand workflow default playbook on a demand to complete the activities in each stage and move the demand through its life cycle.")  
**Related topics**   

* [Workflow Studio Playbooks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=workflow-studio-playbooks-landing&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US)

*[\>]: and then