When you use parallel actions, it speeds up playbook execution by querying
multiple products or running long actions at the same time. This reduces the
wait time for enrichment information, letting analysts start an investigation
sooner. Additionally, grouping parallel actions logically helps organize the playbook.
Before you begin, consider these guidelines:
You can't put a condition or a block in a parallel action.
You can't use actions that have been set to manual.
The parallel actions in each group run randomly in any order. This means you
can't use placeholders of actions in the same group of parallel actions.
You can choose to have individual Skip actions if a step failed for an
individual action, within a group of parallel actions.
You can double-click the top of a group of parallel actions,
and change the name to help logically arrange the parallel action boxes in
your playbook.
Increase the playbook's speed
To speed up the playbook, you can choose to run up to five actions at
once.
Create a parallel action (option 1)
Drag an action from the Step selection on top of another existing
action in the playbook.
Drop it on top of the action. It automatically displays one on top of the
other in a Parallel Action container.
Create a parallel action (option 2)
Press and hold the Shift key to highlight an action. You can highlight up to
five actions at a time using Shift + click. Alternatively, you can
simultaneously highlight several actions by pressing and holding Shift + mouse
to draw a rectangle around them.
Right-click any of the actions and choose Run in Parallel.
Create a parallel action (option 3)
Group two parallel actions together in a box, as
you created in the previous two options.
Right-click a separate action and click Cut.
Place your cursor in the Parallel Action box and click Paste to add the action to the other parallel actions.
Delete one or more parallel actions (option 4)
Highlight one of the parallel actions in the box.
Right-click.
Right-click and select Delete step to delete the highlighted parallel action,
or select Delete all steps to delete the entire group of parallel
actions.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-29 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eParallel Actions in Google SecOps SOAR shorten playbook execution time by running multiple queries or actions simultaneously.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eAnalysts benefit from reduced waiting time for enrichment data, leading to faster investigation initiation when using parallel actions.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003ePlaybooks become more organized and easier to build and understand when logically grouping actions into parallel action groups.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eUp to five actions can be run in parallel, enhancing playbook speed and efficiency.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eParallel actions cannot contain conditions, blocks, or manual actions, and actions within a group run randomly, preventing placeholder usage within the same group.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Use parallel actions\n====================\n\nSupported in: \nGoogle secops [SOAR](/chronicle/docs/secops/google-secops-soar-toc) \n\nWhen you use parallel actions, it speeds up playbook execution by querying\nmultiple products or running long actions at the same time. This reduces the\nwait time for enrichment information, letting analysts start an investigation\nsooner. Additionally, grouping parallel actions logically helps organize the playbook.\nBefore you begin, consider these guidelines:\n\n- You can't put a condition or a block in a parallel action.\n- You can't use actions that have been set to **manual**.\n- The parallel actions in each group run randomly in any order. This means you can't use placeholders of actions in the same group of parallel actions.\n- You can choose to have individual Skip actions if a step failed for an individual action, within a group of parallel actions.\n- You can double-click the top of a group of parallel actions, and change the name to help logically arrange the parallel action boxes in your playbook.\n\nIncrease the playbook's speed\n-----------------------------\n\n\nTo speed up the playbook, you can choose to run up to five actions at\nonce.\n\n### Create a parallel action (option 1)\n\n1. Drag an action from the **Step** selection on top of another existing action in the playbook.\n2. Drop it on top of the action. It automatically displays one on top of the other in a Parallel Action container. \n\n### Create a parallel action (option 2)\n\n1. Press and hold the **Shift** key to highlight an action. You can highlight up to five actions at a time using **Shift** + **click** . Alternatively, you can simultaneously highlight several actions by pressing and holding **Shift** + mouse to draw a rectangle around them.\n2. Right-click any of the actions and choose **Run in Parallel** . \n\n### Create a parallel action (option 3)\n\n1. Group two parallel actions together in a box, as you created in the previous two options.\n2. Right-click a separate action and click **Cut**.\n3. Place your cursor in the **Parallel Action** box and click **Paste** to add the action to the other parallel actions.\n\n### Delete one or more parallel actions (option 4)\n\n1. Highlight one of the parallel actions in the box.\n2. Right-click. \n3. Right-click and select **Delete step** to delete the highlighted parallel action, or select **Delete all steps** to delete the entire group of parallel actions.\n\n**Need more help?** [Get answers from Community members and Google SecOps professionals.](https://security.googlecloudcommunity.com/google-security-operations-2)"]]