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The tour manager checklist
Updated October 7, 2026 · 3 min read
Tour managing is a long list of small things done reliably. A checklist keeps them from slipping, especially when you’re tired. Use this one as a starting point and adapt it to your tour.
Free templates for this guide
Download and edit these for your own tour. No sign-up, no email required.
Tour manager checklist
Pre-tour, per-show advance, day of show, settlement night and post-tour tasks in one printable list.
Advance sheet template
Every question to answer before show day: contacts, schedule, production, power, hospitality, parking, settlement and guest list policy.
Day sheet template
A one-page day sheet: venue and address, schedule from access to bus call, hotel, contacts, notes and tomorrow's travel.
See the complete free resource library for budgets, riders, checklists and more.
Pre-tour
- Collect all contracts and confirm every date, deal and set time.
- Build the tour budget and plan the cash float.
- Confirm routing; book hotels, vehicles and flights.
- Collect contact details, IDs, dietary needs and emergency contacts for everyone.
- Update the stage plot, input list, tech rider and hospitality rider.
- Set up a shared calendar and decide who can see and edit what.
- Order merch, set prices and plan how you’ll count it.
- Check insurance and update the gear inventory with serial numbers.
- Plan per diems and how you’ll pay them.
Advance (each show)
- Contacts and schedule confirmed.
- Production, power and backline confirmed.
- Parking and load-in details.
- Hospitality and buyouts confirmed.
- Merch fees and seller confirmed.
- Settlement time, method and person.
- Guest list allowance and deadline.
Day of show
- Send the day sheet the night before.
- Arrive at venue access; meet the venue contact.
- Keep load-in, line check and soundcheck on schedule.
- Send the guest list to the box office by the deadline.
- Count merch in.
- Call doors and set times.
- Settle box office, expenses, deal and merch.
- Count cash with a witness; log it.
- Load out, check the room, and make bus or van call.
After each show
- Record settlement and merch numbers.
- Update the budget actuals.
- Plan tomorrow’s day sheet.
Weekly
- Reconcile cash and deposit it.
- Review the budget versus actual with the band.
- Settle reimbursements.
- Confirm next week’s advances.
After the tour
- Reconcile budget vs actual.
- Deposit all cash and reconcile.
- Pay crew and file receipts.
- Count remaining merch and reorder.
- Thank promoters and venues.
- Write notes for next time.
Daily five-minute routine
Every night before sleep, a TM can run through the same short list:
- Tomorrow’s day sheet is sent and correct.
- Tonight’s settlement and merch are recorded.
- Cash is counted, logged and stored safely.
- Tomorrow’s hotel is confirmed with late arrival if needed.
- Any open questions from the band or crew are answered or scheduled.
What to carry
- A printed copy of the week’s day sheets and the advance notes.
- A calculator (phone batteries die).
- Envelopes, a pen and a receipt book for cash.
- A small first aid kit and painkillers.
- Chargers and a battery pack.
Using the checklist
Copy the checklist for each leg of the tour and tick it as you go. The spreadsheet version below tracks progress automatically.
How TRMNGR helps
Many of these steps live in TRMNGR: the Calendar and Day Sheet for schedules, Advance with an Advanced checkbox per show, Guest List and Tickets Sold on show days, per-show Settlement worksheets with Tour Totals, Cash Deposits, Merch from Square, Gear for insurance lists, and crew permissions so everyone sees only what they need. The checklist below is a printable and spreadsheet version you can tick off.