Programme and delivery tools
Event stage cue sheet builder
The show depends on a dozen cues, and nobody has yet written down who starts each one, from which file, or what happens if it fails.
Opens WhatsApp with a draft you can edit before sending. Nothing is sent automatically.
…
The short answer
The builder lays out each stage cue with its trigger, operator role, asset and asset version, fallback instruction and technical owner. Any detail left blank stays unresolved and is listed by name against its cue.
Each cue has a technical owner confirmation field that you tick when you hold that confirmation. The tick records your confirmation only: it is not a technical check, a rehearsal result or a safety sign-off.
What to enter
- The cue and, if you know it, its planned time, in the order it runs.
- The trigger: what starts the cue, such as an announcement ending or a speaker stepping to the lectern.
- The operator role who runs it, the asset (file or item) and its version. Tick No asset needed for a cue that plays nothing, such as lights only.
- A fallback instruction for when the cue fails, the technical owner role, and a short note of when and how they confirmed.
What counts as unresolved
A cue is unresolved when its trigger, operator, asset, asset version, fallback or technical owner is blank. The sheet names each missing item, so the list of what to chase is on the page.
A missing asset version matters because two files with the same name can differ. The tool never fills in a version, a person or an instruction.
Technical owner confirmation
When every detail is present and the technical owner has confirmed, tick the confirmation. The cue then shows that the confirmation is recorded by you. Without the tick, a complete cue shows as awaiting the technical owner.
If you tick the confirmation while a detail is still missing, the sheet flags it and does not count the tick. A confirmation is only meaningful for a cue whose details are all in place.
Operator clashes and duplicates
Two cues for the same operator role at the same planned time are flagged. The tool does not know whether one operator can handle both, so you decide. Two cues with the same name are flagged in case one is a duplicate.
Limits
The cue sheet records what you entered. It does not test cues, check equipment or judge whether a fallback is adequate. Safety, rigging and electrical matters belong with the venue and qualified technical staff. Use the run-of-show builder for the wider timeline and the programme duration checker for session timings.
Worked example · Fictional example
A fictional conference opening
Fictional cues and details, to show every status.
A fictional opening has four cues. House lights down has every detail and a recorded confirmation. The opening video has every detail but is awaiting the technical owner.
The welcome slides are ticked as confirmed, but the operator, asset version and fallback are blank, so the tick is flagged and not counted. Walk-on music has no technical owner. In all, two cues are unresolved, one is awaiting and one has a confirmation recorded.
| Cue | Status |
|---|---|
| House lights down | Details complete, confirmation recorded by you |
| Opening video | Details complete, awaiting technical owner |
| Welcome slides | Ticked but unresolved: operator, asset version, fallback |
| Walk-on music | Unresolved: technical owner |
Use this yourself
Stage cue sheet
Write one line per cue in running order. Mark anything unknown as open instead of guessing.
| # | Time | Cue | Trigger | Operator role | Asset and version | Fallback | Technical owner | Confirmed (date and how) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||
| Open items to chase |
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- A short show with a few cues, one technical contact and one person who runs the sheet.
- Assets are final and versions are controlled.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several suppliers supply assets and operators, and nobody holds the full sheet.
- Assets keep changing close to the event and versions must be chased and confirmed.
- The sheet must match the run-of-show, the rehearsal plan and the speaker and moderator briefs.
Need the cue sheet kept complete and current?
A project lead can hold the cue sheet with your technical contact, chase each unresolved item and keep it aligned with the programme and rehearsals. Technical decisions and sign-off stay with the qualified people on your event.
Questions organisers ask
Does the tick mean the cue is safe or ready?
No. It records that you hold the technical owner's confirmation. It is not a technical check or a safety sign-off.
What if a cue has no asset?
Tick No asset needed. Asset and version are then not required, but the trigger, operator, fallback and owner still are.
Can the tool choose a fallback?
No. A fallback is the instruction you enter. If it is blank, the cue stays unresolved.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.