Runbook

What it is

A runbook documents how to diagnose and resolve a specific alert, incidentIncidentAn unplanned disruption or degradation of a service that needs an urgent response. type, or support scenario, so anyone on shift can follow it.

Why it matters

Runbooks turn expert knowledge into repeatable steps and cut response time for common issues.

Best practices

1. Write them after incidents – The best runbooks come from real events.
2. Keep them executable – Include the exact queries and commands.
3. Test them – A runbook nobody has run may not work.

How Decimal helps

Decimal can follow your runbooks during an investigation and flag where reality has drifted from what's written.