Planner guide
Last-minute run-sheet changes: version control and handover.
A practical checklist for tracking confirmed, pending and withdrawn cues when the programme changes after the run sheet is agreed.
When a programme changes, the organiser needs a clear way to tell the emcee and production team which run sheet is current. Use this example change log to record the revision, who approved it and who acknowledged the update.
Why version the run sheet
An unlabelled printout makes it harder to check whether the run sheet is current. If the organiser updates the schedule but the emcee is still reading the morning's printout, the introduction refers to a speaker who has been moved, or the emcee walks to a segment that no longer exists. A version label and a change log solve this by making it clear which version is current and what changed between versions.
This is not about software. A version number on a run sheet means: this is the document we all agreed to at this time, and any change after this gets a new number.
The change log
Each row records one change. The columns are:
Download: Run-Sheet Change Log (CSV)
The CSV includes illustrative example rows. All names, times and changes are placeholders. Replace them with your own confirmed details.
v1.0 for the first agreed run sheet, v1.1 for the first change, v1.2 for the next, and so on. Start a new major version (v2.0) only if the programme is restructured rather than adjusted.
When the change was made and who authorised it. On event day, log the time precisely because changes can happen minutes apart.
What happened, in one sentence. Example: "Speaker 3 withdrawn; slot reallocated to panel extension."
Which part of the run sheet changed, what it said before, and what it says now. This lets the emcee compare the old and new script quickly.
Confirmed (all parties acknowledged), Pending (change requested but not yet agreed by all), or Withdrawn (a previously confirmed segment is cancelled).
Who has confirmed they have received and understood this change. The emcee, show caller and AV operator should all acknowledge. A change is not confirmed until acknowledged.
Handover checklist
When a change is logged, the organiser or show caller works through this checklist:
Add a row to the change log with the version, description, affected segment and status.
Send the updated run sheet (not just the change description) to the emcee, show caller, AV operator and any affected speakers. Use a single channel (group chat, email thread, or printed handout) so there is one source of truth.
Each party confirms they have received the update and understand how it affects their role. Record the acknowledgement in the change log.
If a segment is cancelled or moved, explicitly mark the old cue as withdrawn. Do not rely on the absence of a segment to communicate its removal.
If printed run sheets are in use, replace the old printout. Mark withdrawn pages to prevent someone picking up the wrong version.
On event day
Changes on the day follow the same process, compressed. The show caller or organiser logs the change, verbally confirms with the emcee and AV, and marks the previous cue as withdrawn. If there is no time for a printed update, a verbal confirmation with a follow-up message in the event group chat is the minimum.
Choose a named owner for the change log, such as the organiser or show caller, and agree how the emcee receives and acknowledges updates. Confirm responsibilities for your event rather than assuming them.
Related resources
Use the corporate event planning templates for a blank run sheet. Use the emcee, show caller and AV roles guide to agree who owns which cues. Use the gala awards night timeline for an illustrative programme structure.
Questions
How do I version a run sheet?
What if the change happens on event day?
Should the emcee track changes?
Keep reading
Tell me the date and what the night is.
I reply personally, usually the same day.