Free Run of Show Template for Event Production Teams

Pick your event type, guest count and when doors open, and we'll build a timed run of show your production team can use straight away. It downloads as an Excel file that also opens in Google Sheets.

Executive Summary

A run of show template keeps your production team on one timeline from doors to close. Pick your event type, guest count and doors time, and this builder creates a timed run of show you can download for Excel or Google Sheets in under a minute.

What a Run of Show Template Is and Why Production Teams Use One

A run of show template is the minute-by-minute plan for your event. It lists every segment in order with its start time, how long it runs, where it happens and who owns it, so your stage manager, AV team and floor staff are all working from the same page.

What goes in a run of show template

• Start and end time for every segment
• How many minutes each segment really gets
• The segment itself, written as an action ("video cuts to podium")
• Where it happens: stage, breakout room or foyer
• One owner from the production team
• Audio, video and lighting cues for the tech desk
• Transitions and room turns as their own rows

A run of show example for a morning general session

CEO Excerpt

"The run of show is the one document everybody on a production team trusts on the day, so it has to match how the show really moves. Put a name next to every segment, write the transitions in as their own rows, and agree who can change the live version. When something slips, and something always does, the team knows exactly who decides what gives." Daniel M., CEO

How to Use This Run of Show Template Builder

Answer three questions

Pick your event type, choose your guest count and set the time doors open. The preview updates as you go, so you can see your run of show take shape before you download anything. If you just need a starting point, the defaults already work.

Adjust the agenda if you need to

Open Customize to rename segments, change durations, add or remove rows and mark hard starts. Set a finish-by time and the builder tells you if your schedule runs past it, or if anything pushes back a hard start like lunch or a product reveal.

Download it for Excel or Google Sheets

Click Download Excel file and you'll get a run of show template with working times, so changing one duration in the file moves everything after it. To use it in Google Sheets, upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Sheets. Need paper copies? Print or save it as a PDF.

What's Inside Your Run of Show Template

The run of show tab

Every file includes cue numbers, start and end times, minutes, segment, location, owner and a hard start flag. Larger events get more detail added automatically:

Supporting tabs that grow with your guest count

• Production team contacts: names, mobiles and radio channels for every role
• Production team call times: who arrives when, from load-in to load-out
• Pre-show checklist: from load-in access to final roll call
• Contingency plan: what happens if a speaker is late, a mic fails or a segment runs over
• Speaker tracker: AV setup, slides received and green room pickup for each speaker

Printed copies for each role

Not everyone needs the full run of show. Under Customize, print a venue copy with logistics only, an emcee copy with their cues and hard starts, or a speaker copy with just their slot.

How Production Teams Use the Run of Show on Event Day

One person calls the show

Pick one person to call standbys and gos, and let only that person change the live run of show. Usually that's your production team lead or stage manager. If you're planning a multi-day program, our planning guide covers that in more depth.

Hard starts and buffers

Some times can't move, like lunch service, a product reveal or a venue curfew. Mark those as hard starts and add a short buffer before them, so small overruns earlier in the day get absorbed before they reach the moments that matter.

Sending the final version

Send vendors and the venue a PDF the night before so nobody works from an old link, and keep the live file with your production team lead. If you also need a week-by-week plan with owners, use our production schedule template alongside this one.

Getting Your Run of Show Template Ready Before Doors Open

A run of show template earns its keep when the day goes sideways and your team still knows what's next. Build it above, share it early, and if you'd like experienced people to run it on the day, our production teams can help.

A quick check before you send it

☐  Every segment has a start time, end time and owner

☐  Transitions and room turns are their own rows

☐  Hard starts are marked and have a buffer before them

☐  One person is named to call the show

☐  Vendors and the venue have the PDF the night before