Event Setup and Pack-Down Run Sheet for Australian Event Suppliers

The event starts at bump-in, not at guest arrival

For a mobile DJ, photographer, caterer, decorator or equipment supplier, the customer-facing start time is only one point in the job. The real sequence includes venue access, unloading, setup, checks, the live service, pack-down and the return trip.

WorkSafe Victoria's major-event guidance separates venue handover, bump-in, event operations, bump-out and final handover. A small wedding supplier is not automatically operating a large-scale event, and the same legal requirements do not apply to every job. The useful operational lesson is simpler: write down each phase, its owner and its time window before the vehicle leaves.

Collect the access details before you confirm the run sheet

The most expensive missing information is often not equipment. It is access. Put these questions into the booking confirmation and do not rely on a venue name alone.

• •Exact loading entrance, loading-zone rules and the contact who can open it
• •Vehicle height, lift dimensions, stairs, trolley distance and parking after unload
• •Earliest access time, hard setup deadline and whether another supplier shares the space
• •Power location and limits, wet-weather alternative, lighting and noise restrictions
• •The on-site decision-maker and a second contact if that person is unavailable
• •What must be removed that night, what may remain, and the final lock-out time

If the answer changes the labour, vehicle, equipment or time required, confirm it in writing before the event. This is a planning checklist, not venue-specific safety or legal advice.

Build the run sheet backwards from ready time

Start with the time your service must be fully ready, then work backwards. A practical small-supplier run sheet can look like this:

• •3:30 pm — arrive at the correct loading entrance and call the venue contact
• •3:40 pm — unload and move the vehicle to approved parking
• •4:00 pm — place equipment and complete setup
• •4:45 pm — power, sound, lighting or service check with the venue
• •5:00 pm — client handover; photograph the agreed setup if appropriate
• •6:00 pm — guest-facing service begins
• •10:30 pm — pack-down starts only after venue clearance
• •11:15 pm — final equipment count, venue sign-off and departure

Add real buffers for lifts, security desks, shared docks and traffic. Do not turn a best-case setup time into a promise.

Give each phase a finish condition

A useful run sheet says what done means. That prevents a rushed handover from hiding unfinished work.

• •Access complete: crew and equipment are inside without blocking the public route
• •Setup complete: equipment is placed, secured and connected as agreed
• •Technical check complete: the responsible venue or client contact has checked the agreed items
• •Service handover complete: changes and exclusions are written down
• •Pack-down complete: hired items are counted, waste is handled as agreed and damage is recorded
• •Departure complete: the venue contact has signed off or the agreed digital confirmation has been sent

Use one job record for the practical details

DayRoute's verified job workflow stores the client, time, duration, location and notes together. For an event supplier, that gives the access contact, loading instruction and ready time a home beside the job rather than across several messages. Its route planner can order multiple venue or collection stops and show travel estimates; it does not replace a venue induction, safety plan or specialist event system.

If you invoice from the completed job, review the actual scope and agreed extras before sending. The value is continuity: the same record that helped you arrive prepared can support a clear handover and invoice.

Copy this five-minute pre-departure check

• •Open the job and read the current access note, not an old screenshot
• •Confirm the venue contact and ready time
• •Check the load list against the vehicle
• •Review the route, parking plan and travel buffer
• •Send the agreed arrival update if the client expects one
• •After pack-down, record missing, damaged or returned items before leaving

The checklist is deliberately short. A run sheet only helps when the crew can read and use it under time pressure.