Event Rundown Template Guide: Show Flow & Schedule Templates
Everything you need to create professional event rundowns and show flows. From spreadsheet templates to digital timer tools that bring your rundown to life in real time.
Quick Summary
- An event rundown is the master document that drives every live event, from corporate conferences to award shows
- Key elements: time codes, segment descriptions, responsible persons, technical cues, and notes
- Digital timer tools like TimedFlow replace static spreadsheets with live, interactive rundowns
- A well-structured rundown is the difference between a smooth event and a chaotic one
What Is an Event Rundown?
An event rundown template (also called a show flow, cue sheet, or run of show) is a detailed, time-coded document that outlines every element of a live event in chronological order. It is the single source of truth that stage managers, producers, technical directors, and all crew members reference during an event.
Think of a rundown as the script of your event. It does not contain every word that will be spoken, but it maps out every segment, transition, technical cue, and timing detail so that every person involved knows exactly what happens and when. Without a solid event production rundown, even well-planned events can fall apart during execution.
Whether you are producing a 30-minute corporate presentation or a 3-day industry conference, the rundown is your operational backbone. In this guide, we will cover everything from basic show flow template structures to advanced digital rundown tools that sync with live timers.
Essential Elements of an Event Rundown
Every professional event schedule template includes these core columns. Understanding each one helps you build rundowns that are clear, actionable, and production-ready:
The start time for each segment (e.g., 09:00 AM, 09:15 AM)
How long each segment lasts (e.g., 15 min, 30 min, 5 min transition)
Description of the segment (e.g., "Keynote: AI in Healthcare", "Coffee Break")
Who is on stage or responsible for the segment
AV, lighting, and stage directions (e.g., "Fade lights", "Roll video")
Additional context, contingency plans, or special instructions
Sample Event Rundown
Here is what a typical conference morning event rundown template looks like:
Types of Event Rundowns
Conference Rundown
Multi-track events with parallel sessions, keynotes, panels, and networking breaks. Conference rundowns often include room assignments and track labels alongside the standard time and segment information. They must account for transition times between rooms and synchronize break timers across all tracks.
Key challenge: Keeping parallel tracks synchronized and managing room changeovers.
Award Show / Gala Rundown
Highly scripted events with precise cue timing for music, lighting, video rolls, and stage movements. Every second counts in award shows, making this the most detailed type of rundown. Technical cues are critical and often include exact timestamps for audio fades, spotlight changes, and teleprompter cues.
Key challenge: Split-second cue timing and coordinating multiple technical departments.
Corporate Meeting Rundown
Simpler structure focused on agenda items, time allocations, and presenters. Corporate meetings typically have fewer technical cues but still benefit from clear timing to maintain productivity. The rundown doubles as the meeting agenda distributed to participants.
Key challenge: Keeping discussions on track and managing Q&A time allocation.
Broadcast / Livestream Rundown
Includes camera assignments, graphics triggers, lower-third cues, and commercial break timing. Broadcast rundowns need to account for the technical production workflow alongside the content schedule. Every visual element that appears on screen needs a cue in the rundown.
Key challenge: Coordinating content, graphics, cameras, and streaming tech simultaneously.
The Problem with Spreadsheet-Based Rundowns
Most event professionals still build their rundowns in spreadsheets -- Google Sheets, Excel, or similar tools. While spreadsheets are great for planning, they fail during live event execution in several critical ways:
No Live Timing
A spreadsheet shows planned times, not actual elapsed time. When a speaker runs 5 minutes over, you have to mentally recalculate every subsequent time slot. Under pressure, this manual recalculation leads to errors.
No Countdown Display
Spreadsheets cannot display a live countdown on a confidence monitor or stage display. You still need a separate timer tool, creating a disconnect between your rundown and your timing.
Version Confusion
When the rundown changes (and it always does), ensuring every crew member has the latest version is a nightmare. Different tabs on different phones showing different versions of the schedule causes dangerous miscommunication.
Not Production-Ready
Spreadsheets are hard to read on a phone backstage, impossible to display on confidence monitors, and do not integrate with any timing or cuing systems. They are planning tools, not execution tools.
Digital Rundown Tools: The Modern Approach
Digital rundown platforms like TimedFlow bridge the gap between planning and execution. Instead of a static spreadsheet, your rundown becomes a live, interactive tool that drives your event in real time:
What a Digital Rundown Gives You
Live Countdown Per Segment
Each item in your rundown has an associated countdown timer. When a segment starts, the timer begins. The crew can see exactly how much time remains without checking a spreadsheet.
Automatic Time Recalculation
When a segment runs long or short, all subsequent times automatically adjust. No manual recalculation, no cascading errors. The rundown always shows accurate, real-time information.
Multi-Display Output
Send the countdown to confidence monitors, backstage displays, and speaker tablets. All connected displays show the same timer, sourced from the rundown itself.
Shared Access for All Crew
Every crew member accesses the same live rundown via a URL. Changes made by the stage manager are instantly visible to everyone. No version confusion, ever.
How to Build Your Event Rundown
Whether you start in a spreadsheet and migrate to a digital tool or build directly in TimedFlow, follow these steps to create a production-ready show flow template:
- 1
Define Your Event Structure
Map out the major blocks of your event: opening, main content, breaks, transitions, and closing. This gives you the high-level skeleton before adding details.
- 2
Assign Durations to Each Segment
Be realistic about timing. Include buffer time between segments (typically 3-5 minutes for transitions). The total should add up to your event window with a small margin.
- 3
Add Speaker and Personnel Details
Assign names to every segment. Even breaks and transitions should have a responsible person (stage manager, AV lead). If no one owns a time slot, things get missed.
- 4
Include Technical Cues
Note every AV change: lighting shifts, video rolls, microphone switches, slide advances, and music cues. The technical team relies on these cues to deliver a polished production.
- 5
Review and Distribute
Walk through the rundown with all department leads. Get sign-off from speakers on their time allocations. Then distribute the final version to everyone who needs it.
- 6
Connect to Live Timers
Import or recreate your rundown in TimedFlow to connect it with live countdown timers. Each segment becomes a clickable timer that drives your confidence monitors and stage displays.
Rundown Best Practices from Event Professionals
Build in Buffer Time
Never schedule segments back-to-back without transition time. A 3-5 minute buffer between sessions accounts for stage changeovers, speaker setup, and the inevitable small delays.
Rule of thumb: 10% of total event time should be buffer.
Plan for Overtime and Undertime
Have a plan for when speakers run long AND when they finish early. Identify segments that can be shortened (reduce Q&A) or extended (add a networking activity) to keep the event on schedule.
Mark flexible segments in your rundown with a special indicator.
Color-Code Your Segments
Use colors to distinguish segment types at a glance: green for content, blue for breaks, yellow for transitions, red for hard deadlines. This lets crew members quickly scan the rundown and find relevant information.
Color coding is especially helpful in printed versions for backstage use.
Include Contact Information
Add phone numbers or radio channels for key personnel. When issues arise during the event, the stage manager should not need to look up how to reach the AV lead or speaker green room.
Add a contact sheet as a header or appendix to your rundown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a rundown and an agenda?
An agenda is a participant-facing document that shows session titles and times. A rundown is an internal production document that includes technical cues, personnel assignments, transition details, and all the behind-the-scenes information needed to execute the event. The agenda is what attendees see; the rundown is what the crew uses.
How detailed should my rundown be?
As detailed as your production complexity requires. A simple corporate meeting might only need time, segment, and speaker columns. A broadcast event needs camera assignments, graphics cues, audio levels, and lighting states for every transition. When in doubt, add more detail -- your crew will thank you.
When should I finalize the rundown?
Have a draft ready at least one week before the event for review. Finalize 48 hours before for crew distribution. But expect changes up to and during the event itself. This is exactly why digital rundowns are superior -- changes propagate instantly to everyone.
Can I use TimedFlow as my rundown tool?
Yes. TimedFlow allows you to create a sequence of timed segments that function as both your rundown and your live timing system. Each segment has a name, duration, and countdown timer. The stage manager advances through the rundown, and connected displays show the active timer.
Conclusion
A well-crafted event rundown template is the foundation of every successful live event. It transforms chaos into order, gives every crew member clarity on what happens next, and provides the timing backbone that keeps your event running smoothly from opening remarks to final applause.
While spreadsheet-based rundowns have served the industry for decades, the shift to digital, timer-connected show flow template tools represents a significant upgrade in production quality. When your rundown drives your timers, and your timers drive your confidence monitors, and your confidence monitors keep your speakers on track -- that is when you have a truly integrated event production workflow.
Start with the template structure outlined in this guide. Build it in a spreadsheet if that feels comfortable, then migrate to a digital tool like TimedFlow to bring it to life with real-time countdowns. Your events will run smoother, your crew will be more confident, and your audiences will experience the polished, professional event they deserve.
Build Your Live Event Rundown
Create a digital rundown with integrated countdown timers. Plan your event schedule and execute it in real time with TimedFlow.