Guide Editor

The Guide Editor provides a comprehensive interface for building and modifying guides. This guide covers the editor's features and how to construct effective procedural automation.

Opening the Editor

Access the Guide Editor by:

• Creating a new guide (click New on the Guides page)
• Editing an existing guide (click Edit on a guide's detail page)
• Opening a draft generated from Chat

Editor Layout

The editor provides several areas:

Section	Purpose
Header	Title, description, metadata
Steps Panel	Add, edit, and order steps
Variables Tab	Configure input and output variables
Test Run	Validate the guide with sample data

Guide Metadata

At the top, configure basic information:

• Title — Descriptive name for the guide
• Description — What this guide does and when to use it
• Category — Grouping for organization
• Tags — Keywords for search

Working with Steps

Steps are the building blocks of guides. Each step represents one action in the procedure.

Adding Steps

1. Click Add Step
2. Enter a title and description
3. Configure the step type and automation
4. Save

Step Configuration

For each step, configure:

Field	Description
Title	Brief name (e.g., "Check database status")
Description	Detailed instructions for what this step does
Automation Type	How the step executes
Tool Configuration	For automated steps, which tools to use
Success Indicator	How to verify the step completed correctly

Automation Types

Type	Behavior
Fully Automated	AI executes using tools, no human involvement
Semi-Automated	AI executes with human confirmation before each action
Manual	Human performs the action and marks complete
Information Only	Displays information, no action required

Configuring Automated Steps

For automated and semi-automated steps:

1. Select Tools — Choose which tools from your outposts can be used
2. Provide Instructions — Tell the AI what to accomplish
3. Set Context — Specify what information the step needs
4. Define Output — What data to capture from the step

The AI interprets your instructions, selects appropriate tools, executes them, and interprets the results.

Manual Steps

For manual steps:

1. Write Clear Instructions — What the human should do
2. Add Command Blocks — Copy-able commands if applicable
3. Specify Expected Outcome — What success looks like
4. Include Verification — How to confirm the step worked

Command Blocks

For steps that involve commands:

command_block:
  title: "Check service status"
  command: "systemctl status myservice"
  copy_enabled: true

Command blocks render with a copy button, reducing errors from manual typing.

Step Order

Steps execute in the order shown. To reorder:

• Drag and drop steps in the editor
• Use up/down arrows on each step

Variables

Variables make guides flexible and reusable.

Input Variables

Input variables are provided when the guide starts.

Adding an Input Variable:

1. Go to the Variables tab
2. Click Add Input Variable
3. Configure:
   • Name — Reference name (e.g., server_name)
   • Type — Text, number, boolean, selection
   • Required — Must be provided to run
   • Default — Value if not specified
   • Description — Help text for users

Example Input Variables:

• environment — dev, staging, prod
• server_name — Target server
• backup_retention_days — How long to keep backups

Output Variables

Output variables capture results for later steps or final output.

Adding an Output Variable:

1. Click Add Output Variable
2. Configure:
   • Name — Reference name
   • Type — Expected data type
   • Source Step — Which step produces this value

Using Variables in Steps

Reference variables in step instructions:

Connect to server {{server_name}} in the {{environment}} environment.

The editor provides autocomplete for available variables.

Passing Data Between Steps

Automated steps can capture output that later steps use:

1. Step 1 runs a query, captures result as db_status
2. Step 2 references {{db_status}} in its instructions
3. AI uses the previous result to inform the current step

Test Run

Validate your guide before publishing.

Running a Test

1. Go to the Test Run tab
2. Provide values for input variables
3. Click Start Test
4. Watch execution progress
5. Review results for each step

Test Mode Behavior

In test mode:

• Tools execute normally (be careful with destructive actions)
• Results are logged but don't count in metrics
• You can step through manually or let it run

Debugging

If a test fails:

• Review which step failed
• Check tool execution logs
• Verify variable values
• Adjust configuration and retest

Publishing

Before Publishing

Verify:

• All steps have clear descriptions
• Automated steps have correct tool configuration
• Variables are properly defined
• Test run completed successfully

Publishing the Guide

1. Click Publish
2. Confirm you want to make it available
3. Guide state changes from Draft to Active

Published guides appear in the guide library for your team.

Best Practices

Start with Chat

Let AI generate a first draft from your description, then refine in the editor.

One Action Per Step

Each step should do one thing. Break complex actions into multiple steps for clarity and easier debugging.

Use Descriptive Titles

"Rotate database credentials" is better than "Step 3". Titles should explain what happens.

Parameterize Everything

Use variables instead of hardcoded values. A guide that works for one server should work for any server.

Include Error Handling

For critical steps, add verification or rollback instructions in case of failure.

Document Assumptions

Note prerequisites, required permissions, and expected environment in the description.

Related Topics

• Guides — Guide concepts and overview
• Flows — Diagnostic automation
• Flow Editor — Similar concepts for flows
• Runs — Track guide executions