> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.aident.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # How It Works > From a plain-English description to a running automation Aident turns a short description into a working automation. Here's what happens from the moment you land on **Home** to the point where your playbook runs on its own. ## The Journey The **Home** screen in the left sidebar has one big input. Type what you want done in plain English — as specific or as general as you like. When you send it, Aident opens the editor for a new playbook. The Home screen with the big input where you describe a new automation **Aiden** is the chat in the side panel of the editor. It writes the first draft of your playbook — the **🎯 Goal**, the **⚙️ Integrations** it needs, and the **📄 Plan** (an **Input** card, ordered **Steps**, and an **Output** card). You can edit any section directly, or ask Aiden to rework it. Aiden drafting a playbook in the editor with Goal, Integrations, and Plan sections Look at the integration pills under **⚙️ Integrations**. Orange means you haven't signed in yet — click the pill to connect. Red means Aiden couldn't resolve a reference; click **Ask Agent to Fix** and Aiden will repair it. White means ready to go. Integration pills in the editor showing connection status for each app Open the **Triggers** tab at the top to choose when your playbook runs. Pick a **Time Trigger** for a schedule, or an **External Event** trigger to run when something happens in Gmail, Slack, or another connected app. You can also run it on demand with **Test Run** while you're testing. Triggers tab showing Time Trigger and External Event options The **Dashboard** in the left sidebar shows every playbook you've built, its current status, active trigger state, and last run. Open a playbook to review its full results history. Dashboard listing your playbooks with status labels and recent runs Aiden stays available in the side chat of the editor. Ask it to add a step, tighten the Goal, switch integrations, or explain why something ran the way it did. The playbook updates in place. Aiden refining a playbook in the side chat of the editor ## The Three Tabs Every playbook has three tabs at the top of its page. You'll switch between them as you design, schedule, and review.
Playbook

The main canvas, plus Aiden in the side chat. Design and refine here.

Triggers

Configure when the playbook runs — a Time Trigger for a schedule, or an External Event for something in a connected app. The Input and Output live here too.

Results

The full history of past runs. Click any run to see what Aiden did, the input it received, and the output it produced.

## Dashboard Status at a Glance When you look at your list on the Dashboard, each playbook shows one of these labels. The playbook has active triggers and recent runs are succeeding. Nothing to do. A run is happening right now. Open it to watch live. The playbook paused and is waiting on you. Open it to respond. The last run didn't finish. Open it to see what went wrong, or ask Aiden to fix it. The playbook exists but has no trigger turned on. Open the Triggers tab to add one. ## Next Steps Build your first playbook from Home Tour the three sections of the canvas Choose when your playbook runs Sign in to the apps your playbook uses