Complete guide to creating an event runsheet
The Star Grand Brisbane. Photo by Chris Jack.
I have shot 800 events and weddings since 2015, and every time (with a few exceptions) the event organiser has provided me with their own bespoke runsheet.
Sometimes that is just some text in an email with times and activity names, but it’s normally either a Microsoft Word document, Microsoft Excel document or Adobe PDF document (although I highly recommend PDF format for the final runsheet document).
I have a big, thick ring binder in my office that contains every single printed runsheet I have been exposed to since 2015.
That has given me a pretty unique insight into what makes for the perfect event runsheet. I have seen all the mistakes people make, and I want to share my tips to make sure your event is successful as possible.
But that’s not all… in September 2022 during the blackhole that was COVID I founded a new application WorkZerk that allows Australian event planners to create live, digital runsheets together with compliance. Check it out if you in the professional event planning space.
Whether you are planning a micro wedding with 30 guests or a 3 day conference at BCEC, a runsheet will be a vital tool from the very first planning stages right through to the final bump-out the next day.
The single source of truth
The event runsheet should be single source of truth for your event planning, which simply means that no other document should replicate the same information (ideally!).
Rather than create a separate Agenda and Runsheet, combine the two into one document.
Maintain your database of key contacts (email addresses, mobile number and roles) within the runsheet, and use this as the ‘database’ to send out the latest version of the runsheet.
Create the runsheet from the very early stages of event planning, and use it in draft form to collaborate and liaise with key suppliers, stakeholders and partners.
The event runsheet is a working document, it has a purpose from the concept stage right through to planning and execution on the day.
What is an event runsheet?
Well, thankfully runsheet is an autological word, that is … the word describes itself. Incidentally, so does the word ‘autological’! Run is short for ‘Rundown’ and ‘Sheet’ or course means a document.
So here is my definition of an event runsheet:
“An event runsheet is a chronological timeline of event activities assigned to and distributed to key participants, and other important details.”
Now let’s breakdown the components of this definition by providing examples for clarity:
Key CONTACTS
Key Contacts should appear at the top of the runsheet under the main details.
Anyone that plays an active role in preparing, delivering, assisting or supporting the event for example suppliers, presenters, speakers, performers, VIP’s, management, assistants, venues etc. should be listed with their contact details especially email adress and mobile phone number, and their role/s for the event:
Speakers
Presenters
Performers
Assistants (Greeters, Ushers etc)
Suppliers (Photographers, Caterers, AV Team, Decorators etc)
Locations & Venues (with instructions on how to find that room).
This list of Key Contacts is also likely to be who you will want to email a copy of the runsheet at various times e.g. a draft version a few weeks out, and the very latest version perhaps the night before the event.
It makes sense to send the runsheet to every ‘Key Contact’, even if they only play a small role at the event, to give them the complete context. Don’t second guess whether a Key Contact might need the runsheet - assume they will. Then you won’t be bombarded with requests for printed copies of the runsheet on the day of the event.
Activities
Pre-event preparations or tasks.
Setup and tear down -or- bump-in/bump-out of the event spaces.
Expected arrival time of guests and key persons or cohorts such as ‘Melbourne Team’.
Stages or sessions.
Speeches or presentations.
Key activities.
Other Details
In addition to the chronological order of events, the runsheet could contain other sections such as:
Number of invited or expected guests (often abbreviated to PAX) e.g. 100 PAX.
Key locations and area details, including specifics such as sector, floor, room etc. and any helpful instructions e.g. ‘Room is located at the end of the corridor’. This reduces anxiety for everyone and helps ensure people arrive on time.
Sponsors logos or company logos.
Wet weather contingency plans, or even the actual weather forecast if the runsheet is updated a few days before.
The version number (or simply date & time last updated).
What does a runsheet have to include?
There are no hard and fast rules for what must be included in a runsheet, providing it meets the definition above.
In other words, so long as the activities in the runsheet are chronological (each activity appears one after the other in terms of timing) that meets the basic definition.
Everything else you add will depend on your situation, the scale and type of event etc.
What COULD a PROFESSIONAL runsheet include then?
General Information
Event Name @ Main Event Location + Address.
Event Date, Start & Finish Time according to the invitation.
PAX (Number of guests expected) e.g. ‘100 PAX’ means ‘100 PEOPLE’.
Main Locations, areas & addresses with helpful directions to each space.
Parking options both paid and street (always suggest more than one as paid parking often gets full). Include the estimated cost of the parking option and it’s distance from the main location.
Key Contacts List (Email, Mobile)
It’s useful to order Key Contacts by importance, starting with the event organiser and venue main contact. If there are more than twenty ‘Key Contacts’ it may be better to order the remaining key participants by their abbreviated initials to act as a lookup table.
For each Key Contact, include:
Their main role e.g. ‘AV TEAM LEAD’ or ‘USHER’ etc. You may know that ‘Sue’ is the Florist is, but other Key Participants won’t!
Their abbreviated initials (which may appear next to assigned activity on the runsheet).
Mobile phone number.
Email address.
Full name.
Activity Grouped By Day
Time either 24 hour format or include AM/PM
Duration (if relevant) in minutes or hours e.g. ‘30 MINS’
Activity Name.
Details or Checklist (under the Activity Name).
Assigned To / Responsibility (often abbreviated to their initials e.g. JKK).
The number of persons involved in that activity e.g. ‘#'s'.
Expert Tips
Use Roboto font or Arial for the best legibility and compatibility.
Use a larger font size than you would normally use. I recommend Roboto Size 16 or higher if possible. Yes this will mean more pages, but not everyone has perfect vision, especially in dark event environments! Consider making the Activity names BOLD and in CAPS as well. A runsheet is all about communicating information as quickly as possible.
Resist the temptation to make the runsheet landscape orientation. Portrait orientation is just easier to handle and fold and will make the document shorter.
Remember to schedule sufficient time for technical checks before the event. Whether it’s microphones, projectors or music systems these devices all need preparation. Allow plenty of extra time for these devices to be setup and checked well before the event starts, by liaising with the event venue staff where required.
Include buffer time between key activities and stages, especially those which may drag on (like speeches).
Do not use confusing times like ‘9.00AM - 9.30AM’. Does this mean it starts BETWEEN 9.00AM and 9.30AM or does it mean it has a 30 minute duration? This can be avoided by including a DURATION column and always specifying a start time.
Always version the runsheet in the footer of each page with the last updated time and date e.g. ‘VERSION: 9.00AM 24th Sept 2024’.
Create an email group or mailing list with all Key Contacts who will benefit from being able to print the runsheet before the event. This would be anyone who has tasks assigned to them, speakers, assistants, executives or managers, ALL suppliers etc.
Do not send the runsheet as a Microsoft Word or Excel document, always create a PDF because it’s a universal document format. This is easy to do in Google Documents for example by selecting FILE / DOWNLOAD PDF or within Microsoft Word or Excel. You can prepare the runsheet Word, Google Docs or Excel but the the final ‘consumed’ runsheet should always be in PDF format.
The easiest well software to create runsheets is going to be a spreadsheet, because it’s easier to insert Activities where required, move stuff around, or create simple calculations. Microsoft Word or Google Docs can be great too in which case consider using tables.
Finally, set a calendar reminder before the event starts to remind you to email the very latest version of the runsheet to your key contacts. Then everyone will be on the same page!
As close to the event as possible, print multiple copies of the runsheet - and have them on hand for people who have not, or were not able to print them (e.g. guests out of town staying at hotels the night before).
