An event timeline that re-times itself
Set your start time, add each item, and NextShow computes the rest. Move something and the whole timeline shifts. Share one link and the team is always on the current version.
What an event timeline needs
An event timeline maps the whole day in order: each item, when it starts, how long it runs, and the note that makes it make sense. It reaches wider than the show itself, from load-in and soundcheck through doors, program, and strike, so every team can see its own window in the day.
| Time | Item | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5:00 PM | Load-in | 60 min | Crew call |
| 6:00 PM | Soundcheck | 30 min | All talent |
| 6:30 PM | Doors | 30 min | Guests arrive |
| 7:00 PM | Program | 90 min | Main event |
| 8:30 PM | Reception | 60 min | Networking |
| 9:30 PM | Strike | 45 min | Crew |
Timing that updates itself
The math is the worst part of a timeline: move one item and every time after it has to move with it, and the formula column holding that together survives exactly until someone inserts a row. NextShow computes every start and end time from your durations: move something and the whole timeline re-times, lock the fixed points and the day flows around them, and gaps surface as buffer rows instead of hiding.
One live link for the whole event
Vendors, crew, and stakeholders do not need accounts or apps. They need the current plan. Share one View link and every device shows the timeline as it is right now; share the Edit link with the people who build the day with you.
Build it in a sheet, or open it live
The timeline layout is four columns, Time, Item, Duration, and Notes, quick to set up in a spreadsheet if that is what the team expects. Or open the timeline template live in NextShow: durations drive the times, locked items hold, changes land everywhere instantly, and show day runs from the same link the planning did.
Questions
What is an event timeline?
An event timeline is the full schedule of an event day laid out in order, from load-in through strike, with a start time and duration for each item. Teams use it to see how the day fits together and where their part lands.
What is the difference between a timeline and a run of show?
The timeline is the wide view of the whole day, including setup and teardown. The run of show is the minute by minute plan for the show itself. In NextShow both are the same kind of table, at different zoom levels.
How do I keep a timeline current?
Keep it live instead of printed. In NextShow you change the item once, the rest of the day re-times itself, and everyone holding the link sees the new timeline immediately.
Build your run of show in the browser
Free to start. No install, no app, no card. Build it, share one link, and update it live while the show runs.
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