Run of Show Template (Free, With Examples)
A run of show is the minute-by-minute plan your team runs the event from: what happens, when, and who is responsible. This page gives you the template itself, a filled example, and a short note on each column, so you can copy it and have a working version in about ten minutes.
If you want the deeper background first, the why and the how, read the full guide on how to build a run of show. If you already know what you need, the template is right below. The hardest part is usually not the document anyway, it is getting the slides and AV files in on time to fill it, which is what Submitto handles for you.
The run of show template
Copy this into a spreadsheet or a doc. Each row is one segment or cue, in order, from doors open to the final thank-you.
| Clock | Running | Duration | Segment / cue | Owner | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 | T-0:30 | 30 min | Doors open, music up | AV1 | Main Stage | Playlist A, lights at 60% |
| 9:00 | T+0:00 | 2 min | Emcee welcome | Emcee | Main Stage | Spot up on emcee walk-on |
| 9:02 | T+0:02 | 25 min | Keynote: Dr. Lee | Speaker | Main Stage | Slides loaded, clicker tested |
| 9:27 | T+0:27 | 3 min | Q&A | Emcee | Main Stage | Two roving mics, AV2 |
| 9:30 | T+0:30 | 5 min | Transition to panel | Stage Mgr | Main Stage | Reset four chairs, lower lights |
What goes in each column
- Clock. The real time of day, so everyone is synced to the same reality.
- Running. Time from the start (T+0:00). If you start late, every running time still holds, so you do not rewrite the sheet, you just shift the clock.
- Duration. How long the segment runs. Adding these up shows whether the day actually fits.
- Segment / cue. What happens, in plain words. "CEO keynote begins" beats "John talks."
- Owner. One named person or role for every line: Emcee, AV1, Stage Mgr. When something goes wrong, a named owner means a faster fix.
- Location. Main Stage, Front of House, Backstage. Useful the moment you have more than one room.
- Notes. The cue detail: which playlist, when the spot comes up, which mic, the contingency ("if the speaker runs long, cut the video").
How to use it
A few habits make the template hold up on the day:
- Break big blocks down. A "30-minute keynote" is really a walk-on, the talk, Q&A, and a transition. Splitting it surfaces the time you did not know you needed.
- Build in buffer. Add 10 to 15 percent slack where overruns cluster: after Q&A, before VIP segments, at meal transitions.
- Add a contact row. Put phone numbers for the event lead, production, AV, and venue at the top of the sheet.
- Distribute it early and rehearse. Share it well before the day so crew can flag problems, then walk it through once.
A note on keeping it current
A run of show changes right up until showtime, so keep it as one live shared document that everyone works from, rather than emailing versions around. And make sure the inputs that feed it, the final slides and AV files, are actually in hand before you build the cues. That collection step is the part that quietly eats your week. You can collect every speaker deck and bio through one link instead of chasing them, with no sales call and no setup fee.
Frequently asked questions
What should a run of show template include? At minimum: clock time, running time, duration, the segment or cue, and a named owner for each line. A location column and a notes field for cue detail make it far more useful once you have multiple rooms or a real AV team.
Is a run of show the same as an agenda? No. An agenda is the attendee-facing schedule of sessions and breaks. A run of show is the internal, minute-by-minute document your team uses to execute the day, with cues, transitions, and owners.
Sources
Built from the best run-of-show resources, including: