Event Setup Checklist Template: From Load-In to Doors

An event setup checklist records tasks from the confirmed booking through preparation, transport, setup, testing, operation and return. Give each task an owner, a deadline and a clear completion check. Adapt the template below to the actual scope and venue plan.

Why do event setups go wrong without one?

A missing adapter, unconfirmed freight elevator or incompatible connection can delay a setup. The checklist makes those dependencies visible before dispatch. Use it as a working record: include the event and revision, who checked each line, when it was checked and any unresolved issue.

What should a complete event setup checklist include?

Phase 1 — Pre-production (set dates for this event)

• Venue requirements confirmed: access, loading route, lifts, power and rigging information. Have the responsible qualified teams approve the technical arrangements.
• Equipment list checked against the approved scope; availability reviewed and the required quantities and serialized units reserved or assigned as appropriate.
• Crew booked with named roles and call times — not "four techs", but who is crew chief, who owns audio, video, lighting.
• Transport booked; truck size checked against real case volume, not optimism.
• Venue paperwork sorted: insurance certificate, permits, noise curfews, union or house-crew rules.
• Contingency defined: weather plan for outdoor, spare critical items identified (console, main mics, playback), sunset time checked.

Phase 2 — Load-out from the warehouse

• Pick list scanned item by item — every serial checked out to the job, not ticked off a paper list from memory.
• Pack the agreed spares, cables, batteries, adapters and consumables against a list sized to the setup and recovery plan.
• Every case labeled with job, destination and truck position.
• Truck packed in reverse order of use — first thing needed at the venue goes in last.
• Final count of cases against the pack list before the doors close. This is the last cheap moment to find a gap.

Phase 3 — Load-in and setup

• On arrival: confirm dock, elevator and route with the venue contact; walk the path once before rolling the first case.
• The responsible electrical team has checked and approved the supply and distribution before equipment is connected.
• Follow the approved rigging and staging sequence and exclusion areas before placing other equipment.
• Signal chain built in order: sources, then control, then outputs — and labeled at both ends.
• Cable runs dressed, taped and matted before doors, not after the first trip hazard complaint.

Phase 4 — Test and soundcheck

• Full test of every input and output on the patch — not just the ones used at rehearsal.
• Check wireless coordination on site against the actual RF conditions and permitted equipment settings.
• Backup paths physically tested: spare mic on stage, redundant playback rolling, spare cable run in place.
• House systems checked: light states, HVAC noise, recording feed if one was promised.
• Walk the room as a guest: sightlines, projector spill, speaker coverage, trip hazards.

Phase 5 — During the show

• Assign an operator to each required system and decide who can respond to a fault without leaving another critical role uncovered.
• Spares staged side-of-stage, not in the truck in the parking lot.
• Issues logged as they happen — for the debrief, the repair queue and, when relevant, the invoice.

Phase 6 — Teardown

• Lamps and fixtures cooled down before casing; drives and show files backed up before consoles power off.
• Coil, count and check cables and accessories against the packing list before the venue is released.
• Damage photographed and noted at the venue, while cause and witnesses still exist.
• Venue walkthrough with the client or house rep before the truck leaves.

Phase 7 — Return and check-in

• Record returned quantities and serials, identify discrepancies and assign follow-up before the next booking.
• Inspect condition before releasing equipment for another job. In Filmo, returned equipment remains occupied until check-in; create the relevant maintenance incident for damaged items and confirm any availability block.
• Consumables restocked, cases restaged, debrief notes attached to the job record.

Items to double-check before dispatch

• Consumables: confirm batteries, tape and cable ties are on the packing list, whether tracked as stock or as a separate checklist.
• Power adapters and distro odds: the venue's 32A outlet and your 16A plug, discovered at load-in.
• The freight elevator booking — the gear arrives, the elevator is the caterer's until 4 p.m.
• Charging: crew radios, wireless packs and battery plates charged the night before, not on the truck.
• Venue reality vs tech pack: the documented power and rigging points that don't survive contact with the actual room.
• Ladder or lift access for anything mounted high — and who is certified to use it.
• Outdoors: have the responsible teams confirm weather monitoring, operating limits, power and the stop-work decision.
• Feeding the crew. An eight-hour load-in with no meal break shows up in the quality of Phase 4.

How do you assign owners to each phase?

Give every task one accountable owner and each phase a lead who records the handover. The timings below are examples to replace with the agreed access, crew and test windows for the event:

How do you coordinate transport with the checklist?

Confirm vehicle capacity, loading order, arrival windows and the return journey with the driver and crew lead. Include load restraints, access restrictions and required rest in the transport plan. A late strike can affect the next morning booking; check the actual timing before assigning the vehicle again.