Special Event Checklist

So what kind of checklists do event planners use?

I think I've seen every possible checklist used in event planning. From excel spreadsheets, to databases, proprietary software, notebooks, slips of paper, calendars and bar napkins.

What is the best checklist? Great question and I don't think there is one answer. It depends entirely on what the event planner is comfortable with. Event planners have the reputation of being highly organized and detailed, but how we get organized and detailed is via our checklists. The trick here is how we bridge our checklists to effectively communicate details to clients, vendors and event attendees.

Personally, I use two types of checklists. I use an excel spreadsheet and a filemaker database. They serve two different purposes:

1. The excel or spreadsheet style checklist affords a lot of room for detail and serves well as a simple database. I can plug in dates, times, names and math/budget functions. Budget functions are really important in a checklist in my opinion. For me as an event planner, I live and die by the budget. We can train anyone to plan an event, but planning an event within theme and on or below budget is the sign of a pro. Using a spreadsheet allows us to combine budget details with all of the other event details. I see the spreadsheet as my notepad for all details.

2. The database style checklist is great for template style event detail. You can program in a variety of fields and the database functions easily. Most professional event planning software is really just a database with a user friendly interface. The database also works really well for pulling detail from a variety of other electronic sources, such as pdf files, jpg's and word documents. Databases also work really for communicating details to others because of their slick interfaces.

The difference between the two for me is that I put the really excruciatingly detailed info into the spreadsheet file. It is a bit more cumbersome, but I have a lot of freedom to add detail and manage the budget at the same time. The database I use references parts of the spreadsheet and is also linked to email addresses for the event participants. I can pull the data from the spreadsheet, drop it into the database, create a nice interface and communicate with everyone in a few keystrokes. A database style checklist can also do budget functions, but it is more difficult and time consuming to program.

My method is by no means the only way to go. I have a friend that is CEO of a large company and he keeps all of his notes on small tabs of paper. He is very effective at getting his job done and staying on top of details. The downfall is that searching and organizing the information is much more cumbersome and time consuming.

Here are few important things to remember when you build your checklist:

1. The devil is in the details. Include as many details as possible, even if for your own reference.

2. Include an autodate/time stamp function so each time you update the checklist, the file keeps track of when you did it.

3. Incorporate a way to communicate your checklist. Not every event participant needs your level of detail, nor does everyone need to see the budget. But do develop a nice summary style interface that people can scan for information. Spreadsheets do not lend themselves well to this, but something like Bento by filemaker does. Linking spreadsheet detail to your database is simple.

4. Also incorporate a way to quickly and easily communicate checklist details to everyone. In Bento it is very easy to pull email addresses from your contacts and send the information in just a few keystrokes.

5. Finally, don't send lots of updates to your stakeholders. Their heads will swim and it will get very confusing which checklist to follow. Offer updates after a volume of detail has been added or clarified. You may also want to consider posting updated checklists on your website for others to access when they need the info.