A great runbook is the difference between a smooth on-call shift and a 3 AM disaster. With Trupeer, you can save hours on writing IT runbooks by starting with a free runbook template, customizing it with your brand guidelines, and turning long runbooks into video walkthroughs that on-call engineers can scan in seconds.

This runbook template provides a structured framework to capture incident type, severity, prerequisites, step-by-step procedures, escalation paths, rollback steps and post-incident actions - useful for IT operations, DevOps, SRE and security teams. Pair it with our AI SOP creator for related procedures, generate an AI video walkthrough, and translate into 65+ languages for global ops teams.

How to customize this template in Trupeer

Step 1: Open the Templates Section

Go to the Templates section from the main navigation.

Step 2: Select and Open a Template

Click on any template you want to work with to open it.

Step 3: Expand the Template View

If needed, expand the template view to see the full layout and details clearly.

Step 4: Edit the Template

Click on Edit to start modifying the selected template.

Within the editor, you can:

• Add new sections

• Define or update formatting rules

• Add a logo and adjust its position and related settings

Step 5: Save Your Customized Template

After making all necessary changes, click Save to store the updated template as your own.

Step 6: Preview and Fine-Tune the Template

When you want to see how your customized template looks, open the Preview.

From the preview screen, you can continue to make adjustments directly if needed, ensuring the template appears exactly as you want.

With a runbook template you can:

• Save hours on writing: Skip the blank page with a structure built for ops procedures.

• Cut MTTR: Clear runbooks help on-call engineers resolve incidents faster.

• Stay on-brand: Apply your logo, fonts and colors using Trupeer's brand kit.

• Train new engineers: Pair runbooks with video walkthroughs to onboard ops staff faster.

• Standardize across teams: Use the same runbook format for every incident type.

• Reach global teams: Translate runbooks into 65+ languages with one click.

A great runbook turns chaos into routine. Use this template to capture every operational procedure clearly - so your team responds with confidence, every time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a runbook?

A runbook is a documented set of procedures for performing operational tasks - from routine maintenance to incident response. Runbooks are widely used in IT operations, DevOps, SRE and security teams to ensure tasks are performed consistently, especially during high-pressure situations.

What should a runbook include?

A good runbook includes the procedure name and purpose, scope, prerequisites, step-by-step actions, expected outputs, troubleshooting tips, rollback steps, escalation paths and post-incident actions. Each step should be specific enough that any qualified engineer can execute it.

What is the difference between a runbook and a playbook?

The terms are often used interchangeably, but technically a runbook is more procedural (step-by-step for a specific task), while a playbook is broader (covers strategy and decision-making for a class of incidents). Runbooks tell you exactly what to do; playbooks help you decide what to do.

How do you write a runbook?

Start by identifying a frequently-occurring procedure or incident. Document the exact steps an experienced engineer would take. Add prerequisites, troubleshooting tips and escalation paths. Test the runbook by having someone unfamiliar with the procedure follow it. Refine based on feedback.

How often should runbooks be updated?

Update runbooks after every incident that uses them - capture what worked, what didn't and any new edge cases. Review unused runbooks quarterly. Outdated runbooks during an incident can make things worse - keep them current and tested.