Workplace glossary

What is Runbook?

Definition & practical guide1 min read

A runbook is a practical operating guide: what to do, in what order, and who owns each step. IT teams use them for incidents; workplace teams can use them for evacuations, visitor issues and system outages.

On this page

A good runbook is boring in the best way. When something goes wrong, nobody needs to improvise from memory.

Common questions

What does Runbook mean in simple terms?

A runbook is a practical operating guide: what to do, in what order, and who owns each step. IT teams use them for incidents; workplace teams can use them for evacuations, visitor issues and system outages.

What goes wrong with Runbook?

A good runbook is boring in the best way. When something goes wrong, nobody needs to improvise from memory.