--- title: Configure guest user access to playbooks description: Set up a playbook, public audience record, and UI experience so that guest users can run playbooks without a ServiceNow login through a public URL. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/build-workflows/workflow-studio/configure-guest-user-access.html release: australia product: Workflow Studio classification: workflow-studio topic_type: task last_updated: "2026-06-11" reading_time_minutes: 3 breadcrumb: [Playbooks patterns, Playbooks, Workflow Studio, Build workflows] --- # Configure guest user access to playbooks Set up a playbook, public audience record, and UI experience so that guest users can run playbooks without a ServiceNow login through a public URL. ## Before you begin Role required: playbook.admin, pd\_author, playbook.write, ui\_builder\_admin, admin An admin must create a public table to receive guest-submitted records. The public table must be registered in `sys_public`, have the **public** role applied, and have create ACLs configured. **Note:** Standalone playbooks can't be configured for guest user access. The playbook must use a public table as its parent table. ## Procedure 1. In Workflow Studio configure a record driven playbook with a parent table to permit public access. Playbooks must be configured to be publicly accessible when you create them. You can't change a playbook to be embedded on public pages later. 1. Navigate to **All** > **Process Automation** > **Workflow Studio**. 2. Select **New** and **Playbook**. 3. On the form, fill in the fields. |Field|Action| |-----|------| |Type|Select **Standard playbook**.| |Playbook name|Enter a unique, user-facing name for your playbook. This name appears to agents and fulfillers during runtime of your playbook.| |Now assist input|Enter a short description about your playbook.| |Application|Choose an application scope that you want your playbook to run in. Selecting **Global** lets your playbook run in any application scope. For more information, see [Application scope](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/application-development/c_ApplicationScope.md).| |Execution type|Select **Record driven** to tie the playbook to a public record. You can't make a standalone playbook public.| |Parent table|Set the parent table to the public table you created as the prerequisite. This field is activated when you select Record driven Execution type.| |Allow this playbook to be publicly accessible and embedded on public pages|Select this option to permit embedding the playbook on public pages. The playbook can be made public only after the Portal Playbook widget is configured for public access. For more information, see [Portal Playbook Widget](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/build-workflows/workflow-studio/portal-playbook-widget.md).| \[Omitted image "pe-guest-1.png"\] Alt text: Screenshot showing the required fields for a guest user playbook. 4. Select **Generate playbook preview**. 5. Review the generated playbook, and select **Save and edit playbook**. The builder displays in **Diagram view**. 2. Configure the trigger for the publicly accessible playbook. 1. On the left sidebar of the **Diagram view**, select the **Triggers** icon \(\[Omitted image "triggers-icon.png"\]\). 2. Select **Add trigger**. 3. Under **Record based**, select **When record is created**. \[Omitted image "pe-guest-2.png"\] Alt text: Screenshot showing the menu flow to add the trigger When record is created. 4. Enter a label for the trigger. 5. Select **Save and close**. 6. Select **Activate** so the playbook runs when its related form is created or updated on your development instance. 3. Create a public audience record. 1. Navigate to **All** > **Now Experience Framework** > **Building Blocks** > **Audiences**. 2. Select **New**. 3. Enter a descriptive **Name**. 4. Select the **Unlock roles** icon \(\[Omitted image "lock-outline-24.svg"\]\) and add the **public** role to the audience. The public role allows users without a ServiceNow login to be included in this audience. 5. Select **Submit**. 4. Create a page in UI Builder to host the playbook experience, and assign the public audience to the page to designate it for guest users without authentication. 1. Navigate to **All** > **Now Experience Framework** > **UI Builder** > **Experiences**. 2. Select an existing Experience or create an Experience to work in. 3. Select the **+** icon next to **Pages** to create a page. 4. Select **Create a new page**. 5. On the **Select a template** screen, choose one: - To use the Standard record template, select the **Standard record template** tile, then confirm by selecting **Use template**. - To start with an empty page, select **Create from scratch instead**. 6. Enter a **Name**, review generated URL path, parameters, and select **Looks Good**. 7. In the Tell us about your variant window, select **+ Add** next to **Audiences**. 8. Search for and select the public audience you created in step 3. 9. Select **Create**. The page opens in UI Builder. Configure the user experience according to your requirements. 5. Add a route ACL to grant the public role access to the page's route. 1. **All** > **System Security** > **Access Control \(ACL\)** 2. Select **New**. 3. On the form, fill in the fields.
Field Action
Type Select **ux\_route**.
Name Enter the page's path with each forward slash replaced by a period. **Note:** For example, the path `now/myapp/test-form` becomes `now.myapp.test-form`.
Requires role Under **Conditions**, in the **Requires role** section, add the **public** role.
4. Select **Submit**. 6. Test the guest user experience. 1. Open the experience URL in an incognito or private browser window to simulate a guest user session. 2. Submit a record through the experience and confirm that the playbook starts and displays stages and activities.