Autobooks vs Playbooks in Bardeen

This tutorial explains the difference between Playbooks and Autobooks in Bardeen. You’ll learn how each type of automation works, when to use them, and how to build simple examples using Google Calendar and Slack.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to choose the right automation type for your workflow.

Chapter I: Key Concepts in Playbooks and Autobooks

In Bardeen, there are two main types of automations:

• Playbooks: Manually triggered by a user. These are human-in-the-loop automations.
• Autobooks: Automatically triggered by an event, time, or condition. These run in the background without user input.

You can create both from the “Create Playbook” section in the Bardeen extension.

Chapter II: Open the Bardeen Extension

1. Click the Bardeen icon in your Chrome toolbar.
2. The extension will open on top of your browser tab.
3. On the left panel, you’ll see options for “Playbooks” and “Autobooks.”

Chapter III: What Is a Playbook?

• A Playbook is a sequence of actions that you trigger manually.
• It’s useful when you want to control when an automation runs.
• Example use case: You click a button to get your last calendar event and send a Slack message with the details.

Note: Playbooks are  ideal for tasks you want to run on demand.

Chapter IV: What Is an Autobook?

• wAn Autobook is a fully automated workflow that runs based on a trigger.
• It doesn’t require manual input once it’s set up.
• Example use case: Automatically send a Slack reminder 5 minutes before every calendar event.

Note: Autobooks are useful for recurring or time-based tasks that should run in the background.

Chapter V: Create an Autobook

Let’s walk through creating a simple Autobook using Google Calendar and Slack.

1. In the Bardeen sidebar, click “Create Playbook.”
2. Select the “Trigger” section to start building an Autobook.
3. Choose a trigger source. In this example, select Google Calendar.
4. Pick a trigger, for example “When next event starts within” or “When an event is created, updated, or deleted.”
5. Click on the trigger you want to use. For example, “When next event starts within.”
6. Connect your Google Calendar account if prompted.
7. You’ll now see the trigger added to your canvas. A lightning bolt icon indicates it’s an Autobook.
8. Add an action: click and the “+” button, choose Slack as the app, and select “Send Slack message.”
9. Connect your Slack account if needed.
10. Customize the Slack message to include event details or a reminder.
11. Save the Autobook.

This Autobook will now run automatically before your meetings.

Chapter VI: Create a Playbook

Now let’s build a Playbook that you trigger manually.

1. Go back to the Bardeen sidebar and click “Create Playbook.”
2. This time, don’t select a trigger. You’ll start with an action.
3. Choose Google Calendar as the app.
4. Select “Get last event.”
5. Add another action: choose Slack and select “Send Slack message.”
6. Customize the message to include details from the last event.
7. Save the Playbook.

To run this Playbook:

• Open the Bardeen extension.
• Find the Playbook under “My Playbooks.”
• Click to run it manually.

This Playbook is useful when you want to pull information or take action on demand.

Chapter VII: When to Use Each Type

Use an Autobook when:

• You want something to happen automatically.
• The trigger is based on time or an external event (e.g., calendar update, email received).

Use a Playbook when:

• You want to control when the automation runs.
• The task is part of your daily workflow and needs human input.

Summary

You now understand the difference between Playbooks and Auto Books in Bardeen:

• Playbooks = manually triggered, human-in-the-loop
• Autobooks = automatically triggered, run in the background

You’ve also learned how to build simple examples using Google Calendar and Slack. This foundation will help you choose the right automation type for your needs and build more advanced workflows in future tutorials.