Getting Started
What is Power Playbooks?
Power Playbooks is a free, browser-based tool for creating and managing operational playbooks and incident response checklists. All your data is stored locally in your browser - no login required, and your data stays on your device.
Dashboard Overview
When you open the app, you'll see your dashboard with playbooks organized into sections:
- Favorites - Playbooks you've starred for quick access
- My Playbooks - Playbooks you've created
- Starter Templates - Pre-built example playbooks to get you started
Navigation Bar
- [Power Playbooks] - Click to return to dashboard
- Search - Quick search (Cmd/Ctrl + K)
- Create Playbook - Opens the playbook builder
- Exports - View your saved exports
- Settings - Configure AI and manage data
- ? (Help) - Opens this help guide
Understanding Playbooks
Starter Templates
Pre-built playbooks to help you get started:
- Security Incident Response
- Data Breach Response
- System Outage Response
- New Employee Onboarding
- Database Maintenance
These are read-only but you can duplicate them to create your own customized versions.
My Playbooks
Your custom playbooks that you can:
- Create from scratch using the builder
- Generate using AI
- Duplicate from starter templates
- Edit, customize, and delete
Categories & Tags
Playbooks are organized by category (Security, Infrastructure, Networking, etc.). Use the filter buttons on the dashboard to quickly find playbooks by category.
Favorites
Click the star icon on any playbook to add it to your Favorites section. Click again to remove. Favorites appear at the top of your dashboard for quick access.
Creating Playbooks
Using the Playbook Builder
Click "Create Playbook" in the navigation bar to open the builder.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Playbook Title - Enter a descriptive title
Example: "Data Breach Response Playbook"
-
Subtitle - Brief description of the playbook's purpose
Example: "Quick incident response checklist"
-
Category - Select appropriate category
- Security
- Infrastructure
- Networking
- Database
- Application
- Identity
- Operations
-
Phases & Tasks
- Click "+ Add Phase" to create a section
- Enter a phase title (e.g., "Detection & Analysis")
- Click "+ Add Task" to add individual tasks
- Enter task descriptions (e.g., "Review security alerts")
- Add multiple phases to organize your workflow
-
Save Your Playbook
- Click "Create Playbook" to save
- Click "Clear Form" to start over
Best Practices for Creating Playbooks
- Use clear, action-oriented task names (e.g., "Isolate affected systems" not "Systems")
- Organize tasks into logical phases (Detection, Containment, Eradication, Recovery)
- Include who should be notified at each step
- Add evidence collection tasks for compliance
- Keep tasks specific and measurable
Working with Playbooks
Opening a Playbook
Click any playbook card on the dashboard to open it in the interactive viewer.
Checking Off Tasks
- Click the checkbox next to a task to mark it complete
- Click again to uncheck
- Progress bar updates automatically
- Completed tasks turn green with a checkmark
Skipping Tasks
- Click "Skip" button next to a task
- Skipped tasks turn yellow and show "SKIPPED"
- Click "Unskip" to restore the task
Adding Artifacts (IOCs/Evidence)
Artifacts are pieces of evidence or indicators of compromise (IOCs) related to specific tasks.
- Click "+ Artifact" next to any task
- A text input appears below the task
- Enter your artifact (e.g., "IP: 192.168.1.100", "User: john@example.com")
- Click "Add Artifact" or press Enter
- Artifacts appear as green tags below the task
- Click the "x" on any artifact to remove it
Progress Tracking
- Progress bar shows completion percentage
- Counter shows "X of Y tasks completed"
- All progress is saved automatically to your browser
Timer
- Click "Start Timer" to track incident duration
- Timer shows hours:minutes:seconds
- Click "Stop Timer" to pause
- Timer state is saved with your progress
Auto-Save
All your progress (checked tasks, artifacts, timer, skipped tasks) is automatically saved to your browser's local storage. You can close the tab and return later to continue where you left off.
AI Generation
Setting Up AI
Power Playbooks supports AI-powered playbook generation using your own OpenAI API key (BYO - Bring Your Own).
- Go to Settings (gear icon in navigation)
- Enter your OpenAI API key
- Select your preferred model (GPT-4o Mini recommended)
- Enable AI features with the toggle
Generating a Playbook with AI
- Open the Playbook Builder
- Click "Generate with AI"
- Describe your scenario (e.g., "Ransomware attack response")
- Optionally select a category
- Click "Generate Playbook"
- Review and customize the generated playbook
- Save when ready
Tips for Better AI Results
- Be specific about the incident type
- Mention any compliance requirements
- Include context about your environment
- The more detail you provide, the better the results
API Key Security
Your API key is stored locally in your browser and is never sent to our servers. API calls go directly from your browser to OpenAI.
Exporting & Reporting
View Report
Click "View Report" while working on a playbook to see:
- Formatted markdown view of all tasks
- Checked tasks marked with [x]
- Unchecked tasks marked with [ ]
- All artifacts included
- Print-friendly format
Export to Markdown
- Click "Export Markdown" in the playbook viewer
- Choose format:
- Standard - Task list only
- With Evidence - Includes artifacts
- Detailed - Includes metadata, timer, artifacts
- File downloads as
.md
Saved Exports
Exports are automatically saved to your browser. View them in the Exports page (document icon in navigation).
Use Cases
- Incident Reports - Export with evidence for post-mortem
- Audit Documentation - Share with auditors
- Team Handoff - Document progress for next shift
- Compliance Evidence - Archive completed checklists
Search & Filtering
Global Search
Press Cmd/Ctrl + K or click the search bar to open global search:
- Searches playbook titles and subtitles
- Results update as you type
- Works across all sections
Filter by Category
Click category buttons to filter:
- All - Show everything
- Favorites - Show only favorites
- Security, Infrastructure, Networking, etc. - Filter by category
View Modes
Toggle between Grid and List view:
- Grid View - Card layout with full details
- List View - Compact list for quick scanning
Your preference is saved automatically.
Data Management
Where is my data stored?
All your data is stored locally in your browser using IndexedDB. This means:
- Your data never leaves your device
- No account or login required
- Data persists across browser sessions
- Data is tied to this browser/device
Export All Data
Go to Settings and click "Export All Data" to download a JSON backup of all your playbooks, exports, and settings.
Import Data
Use "Import Data" in Settings to restore from a previously exported backup.
Clear All Data
Use "Clear All Data" in Settings to permanently delete all stored data. This cannot be undone.
Important Notes
- Clearing browser data will delete your playbooks
- Use the Export feature to create backups
- Data is not synced between devices
Tips & Best Practices
Organizing Playbooks
- Use favorites for frequently used playbooks
- Assign appropriate categories for easy filtering
- Create playbook variants for different scenarios
- Keep titles descriptive and consistent
During Incidents
- Start the timer to track incident duration
- Add artifacts as you discover them
- Skip irrelevant tasks rather than deleting
- Export with evidence when incident is complete
For Compliance
- Note framework references in artifacts
- Export detailed reports for audit trail
- Keep playbooks up-to-date with framework changes
- Use AI to generate compliance-focused playbooks
Backup Your Data
- Regularly export your data as backup
- Store backups in a safe location
- Test importing backups occasionally
Mobile Usage
- Dashboard is fully responsive
- Floating action button (+) for quick playbook creation
- All features work on mobile browsers