--- sourceDocument: Australia Release Notes sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/release-notes Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Release Notes ft:clusterId : - rn bundleId : - rn --- # Playbook release notes # Playbook release notes {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated March 12, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 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 Playbook Release Notes - Australia Release The Playbook builder, part of the ServiceNow® Workflow Studio application, enables the creation of multi-flow processes through diagram or task board interfaces. The Australia release introduces significant enhancements to improve playbook design, testing, automation, and user experience. These updates help ServiceNow customers streamline complex workflows, automate tasks with AI, and improve maintainability and user guidance. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Nested Playbooks:** Allows embedding playbooks within other playbooks to reuse activity sets, simplify maintenance, and speed up design load times. * **On-Demand Playbook Launch:** Enables runtime users to start playbooks as needed, providing flexibility in process execution. * **Automated Test Framework Support:** Facilitates automated testing of playbooks to ensure workflows run as intended. * **AI Integration:** Incorporate AI agents and AI skills as playbook activities to automate complex tasks, gather context, and produce structured outputs for subsequent workflow steps. Support for custom AI agents with collaborative or autonomous modes is included. * **Playbook Summarization:** Generates AI-powered summaries describing playbook stages, activities, triggers, and inputs directly from the Workflow Studio canvas for quick understanding. * **Go Back Activity:** Adds conditional looping capabilities within playbooks, enabling retry and re-evaluation logic without duplicating flow structures. * **Playbook Generation from Knowledge Base Articles:** Automatically creates playbooks from existing KB articles to reduce manual creation effort. * **Runtime UI Preview:** Provides real-time side-by-side previews of activity user interfaces while configuring playbooks. * **Fluent DSL Support:** Allows playbook development and management as code using the Fluent domain-specific language in the ServiceNow IDE or local SDK. * **Playbook as MCP Tool:** Enables playbooks to be triggered and executed via the Model Context Protocol (MCP) in MCP server-client environments. ## Important Updates and Changes * **Role Updates:** Tasks that previously required the admin role now require the `playbook.admin` role, enhancing security and role management. * **ServiceNow AI Platform Tiers:** AI capabilities are now categorized into Foundation, Advanced, and Prime licensing tiers, controlling access to features such as generative AI skills and agentic workflows. * **Now LLM Service Changes:** The Now LLM Service is no longer the default model for new or inactive AI assets; a third-party LLM is selected by default but the Now LLM Service remains available for manual choice. * **Branding Update:** ServiceNow's AI experience is now branded as ServiceNow Otto, affecting product names including Playbooks while maintaining existing entitlements. * **Role Removal:** The `now.assist.creator` role is no longer required to generate playbooks or recommendations with Now Assist. ## Activation and Upgrade Information * Playbooks is available through the Workflow Studio application in the ServiceNow Store, included as part of the ServiceNow AI Platform. * To access the latest features, customers should update the Workflow Studio app and related applications like Process Automation Content. * Playbook generation features require installation of the ServiceNow Otto for Creator app. * Agentic Playbooks functionality must be enabled through Now Assist. ## Related Applications * **Workflow Studio:** Unified design environment consolidating Playbooks, Workflow Studio, Integration Hub integrations, and Decision Builder for streamlined workflow authoring and monitoring. * **Playbook Experience:** Enables customization of default playbook user experiences to tailor agent interactions. ## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers * Reuse and modularize workflows with nested playbooks to improve maintainability and efficiency. * Leverage AI capabilities to automate routine or complex tasks within workflows, reducing manual effort. * Test playbooks thoroughly using Automated Test Framework to ensure reliable process execution. * Quickly understand and document playbook logic with AI-generated summaries and runtime UI previews. * Integrate playbooks with external systems using MCP and code-based management with Fluent DSL for advanced automation scenarios. * Benefit from enhanced security and role management aligned with updated roles and licensing tiers. The Playbook builder within the ServiceNow® Workflow Studio application enables playbook owners to create multiple-flow processes in a diagram or task board interface. The Playbook builder was enhanced and updated in the Australia release. ## Playbooks highlights for the Australia release {#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-highlights} * Nest playbooks within other playbooks. * Enable runtime users to launch a playbook on demand. * Test playbooks with the Automated Test Framework. * Preview the UI for an activity in when configuring a playbook activity in Workflow Studio. * Use AI agents as activities in your playbook to automate tasks. {#process-automation-designer-rn__ul_zcq_5jr_jhc} See [Exploring Playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=process-automation-designer&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US) for more information.{#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-highlights-2} Important: Playbooks is available in the ServiceNow Store. For details, see the "Activation information" section of these release notes. ## Important information for upgrading Playbooks to Australia {#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-upgrade-info} After you upgrade to Australia, update the Workflow Studio application in the ServiceNow Store.{#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-upgrade-info-1} ## New in the Australia release {#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-new-features} [Nested playbooks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=nested-playbooks&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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. {#process-automation-designer-rn__ul_fcd_mqv_whc} Simplified end-user playbook experience : 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&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US) : The Automated Test Framework can be used to create automated tests to confirm your playbooks run as planned. [Use AI agents as a playbook activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=ai-agent-as-activity&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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. **[Australia Patch 3](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/DV1TPpiWEUyO6zY~iwNq1A "The Australia Patch 3 release contains important problem fixes.")** [Playbook summarization](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-summarization&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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. **[Australia Patch 4](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/hpSe6FW9rwONQbG06dlmzQ "The Australia Patch 4 release contains important problem fixes.")** [Go back activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=go-back-activity&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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. **[Australia Patch 5](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/86~p_JZvUlBB3FD_j8roSw "The Australia Patch 5 release contains important problem fixes.")** [Playbook as an MCP tool](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=playbook-as-mcp-tool&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&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. ## Changed in this release {#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-changed-features} [Required role update](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=user-access-playbooks&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US){#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-rn-workspace} : 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&version=australia&pubname=australia-intelligent-experiences&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 {#process-automation-designer-rn__ul_pgy_j1t_r3c} 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&version=australia&pubname=australia-intelligent-experiences&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&version=australia&pubname=australia-application-development&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 in this release {#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-removed-features} The now.assist.creator role is no longer a required role to generate a playbook or playbook recommendation when using Now Assist.{#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-removed-features-1} ## Activation information {#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-activation} 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.{#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-activation-1} 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&version=australia&pubname=australia-application-development&ft:locale=en-US) application. To use Agentic Playbooks, enable it through Now Assist.{#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-activation-2} 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/r/store-release-notes/sn-store-release-notes.html).{#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-activation-3} ## Related ServiceNow applications and features {#process-automation-designer-rn__process-automation-designer-rn-related-apps} [Workflow Studio](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=workflow-studio&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US) : ServiceNow® Workflow Studio consolidates Playbooks, Workflow Studio, Workflow Studio, Integration Hub integrations, andDecision Builder into one design environment. Author, configure, and monitor all of your workflows in a streamlined experience. [Playbook Experience](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=process-automation-designer-architecture-overview&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US) : ServiceNow® Playbook experiences enable you to customize the default playbook user experience for your agents.