Set Up Stages and Lineup

Create stages, add lineup rows, record availability and production needs, and prepare the event for reliable scheduling.

Article guidance

Stages and lineup records are the bridge between performer information and the running order. Stage setup tells SmartGig where and when performances can happen. Lineup setup tells SmartGig which acts are eligible, available, reviewed, and ready enough to schedule.

Set up stages

Add each stage with a clear name, colour, location, capacity, default changeover, and notes.
Set day windows so SmartGig knows when the stage can be scheduled.
Close days or windows where the stage should not be used.
Add stage specs such as size, PA, lighting, monitors, power, access route, curfew, noise limit, and production contact where they affect planning.
Add stage holds for soundchecks, rehearsals, crew breaks, ceremonies, curfews, maintenance, or other reserved periods.
Assign stage crew or production contacts when the same people will receive packs, links, or updates for that stage.
Review published Site Plan context if the event has a plan with stage, backstage, access, audience, or noise-sensitive areas.

Build the lineup

Choose the act from the directory and set its event status.
Choose eligible stages and event dates.
Record availability, set length, changeover length, repeat-performance count, and repeat buffer.
Add headliner status, colour, guest-pass allocation, accreditation status, and internal notes where useful.
Assign a production owner, due date, review status, and production notes so missing detail has a clear owner.
Record contract status, sent date, signed date, and confirmation-link activity if the booking needs contract follow-up.
Use event-specific technical overrides when this performance differs from the reusable act profile.

Choose the readiness gate

Use Advisory when the schedule team should see missing contact, rider, technical, availability, review, overdue, or contract warnings but still place acts.
Use Required when the event should not place or publish acts until their readiness checks are clear.
When Required is on, manual placement, generated schedule application, and publish all respect the same readiness payload shown on lineup rows and production queues.
The gate is event-specific, so high-pressure productions can be stricter without forcing the same rule onto every Stage Manager event.

Add to the lineup

Open the Stage Manager event: Use the Lineup tab.
Choose Add act: Select an act from the directory.
Set status and eligibility: Choose approved or shortlisted and select allowed stages.
Add timings and availability: Set dates, set length, changeover, repeat count, repeat buffer, and availability windows.
Assign production review, contracts, and accreditation: Set owner, due date, review status, contract state, event-specific technical notes, guest allocation, and accreditation state where needed.
Save and check readiness: The act becomes available for running-order work, with missing details surfaced in readiness checks.

Import or bulk update when the list is large

Use CSV import when a programming or agency sheet already contains the booked act list.
Check act names, emails, dates, stage names, owner emails, and times before importing.
SmartGig skips matching rows rather than creating deliberate duplicates for the same act and event day.
Use bulk update when several rows need the same owner, review state, due date, contract state, accreditation state, pass label, or guest count.
Bulk actions only touch the fields you choose, so blank controls leave existing row values alone.

Track contracts on lineup rows

Use Not required when the booking does not need a contract workflow.
Use Needed or Sent while paperwork is still open; add due and sent dates so the production queue can flag overdue contracts.
Use Signed once the agreement is returned, and record the signed date for later audit.
Use Issue when paperwork is blocked, disputed, or needs organiser attention before the performer can be treated as production-ready.
Create a performer confirmation link when the act should review the booking details and sign a simple SmartGig confirmation without creating an account.
Use Send link, Record send, or Reminder so the production office can see what was sent and what still needs chasing.
Generate a contract pack when production staff need a PDF summary of contract status, contact detail, dates, owners, and next actions.

Use stage holds

Add holds from the Stages tab when a stage is reserved for soundcheck, rehearsal, a crew break, a ceremony, a curfew, maintenance, or another blackout period.
Blocking holds stop overlapping running-order slots and appear on the timeline.
Non-blocking holds can be used as context where the stage is still available but the production team needs the note visible.
Keep hold titles short so they remain readable in the running-order builder.