Planning an event is one of the most complex tasks in event management. Whether it's a congress with 800 participants, a customer event with 150 guests or an association's annual general meeting: without a structured checklist, even an experienced team quickly loses track of things. Deadlines are missed, service providers are booked too late, the location does not have a barrier-free entrance.
This checklist covers all three phases: strategy phase (preliminary process), implementation (event day) and evaluation (follow-up). There is also a block for emergency planning because unforeseen situations at live events are no exception.
Streavent customers use the platform to check off many of these points directly in the software: registration, check-in, badge printing, event app and feedback collection run in one system. According to our own customer data, this saves 4 to 20 hours per event employee.
Phase 1: Strategy phase (6, 12 weeks before the event)
The strategy phase lays the foundation. Errors here can hardly be corrected later.
Clarify basics
- Define type of event (congress, conference, customer event, general meeting, trade fair)
- Determine target group and number of participants (realistic: minimum and maximum)
- Clarify event format: on-site, hybrid or digital
- Formulate the primary goal of the event (networking, knowledge transfer, lead generation, member retention)
- Assign and document responsibilities within the team
- Have the overall budget released
- Create a rough schedule with milestones
Location and infrastructure
- Define location requirements: capacity, technical equipment, accessibility (EAA-compliant events mandatory from 2025)
- Request and compare at least 3 locations
- Check safety requirements (fire protection, emergency exits, first aid)
- Play through weather scenarios for outdoor activities
- Check travel options for participants (public transport, parking spaces, shuttle service)
- Conclude a location contract and record cancellation conditions in writing
Budget and profit expectations
- Create a detailed budget: location, technology, catering, personnel, advertising, software, insurance
- Calculate break-even point (for ticket sales)
- Plan a buffer of 10, 15% for unforeseen events
- Check sponsorship potential and define packages
- Clarify accounting and accounting methods (e-invoicing mandatory for public clients since 2025)
Advertising and registration
- Create event website or registration page (Streavent registration module or your own website with embedded form)
- Set up ticketing or free registration, including confirmation email
- Determine promotion plan: email, LinkedIn, industry media, association channels
- Ensure GDPR-compliant consent for participant data (Streavent hosts data in Germany)
- Set early bird deadlines and capacity limits
- Create participant forecast and update weekly
Contracts and insurance
- Conclude service provider contracts: catering, AV technology, security service, photographer/video
- Check or complete event liability insurance
- Artist or speaker contracts including fees, travel costs, cancellation conditions
- Check GEMA registration (if music is played)
Phase 2: Detailed planning (4, 6 weeks before the event)
Program and content
- Create final program with schedule (including buffer times between sessions)
- Confirm speakers and provide presentation templates
- Clarify moderation and brief
- Fill the event app with the program (session plan, speaker profiles, room plan, documents)
- Plan signage and wayfinding systems
Technology and hardware
- Confirm AV technology: sound, light, projector/LED, streaming (for hybrid)
- Order or rent check-in hardware: scanners, badge printers, check-in stations
- Check WLAN capacity (rule of thumb: 1 MBit/s per 10 active participants)
- Provide backup devices for critical stations
Communication with participants
- Schedule reminder emails (2 weeks before, 3 days before, 1 day before event)
- Send practical information: directions, parking, program, app download
- Communicate queries channel (email, telephone, chat in the event app)
Personnel and service providers
- Finalize staffing requirements: reception, check-in, technology, catering supervision
- Create and communicate shift plans
- Plan the briefing of all helpers (in writing no later than 1 week before the event)
Phase 3: Implementation (event day)
Construction and technical check
- Complete location setup at least 2 hours before entry
- Test all technical systems: sound, light, check-in scanner, badge printer, streaming
- Pre-sort name tags (alphabetically or by table/group)
- Activate check-in system and access real-time dashboard
- Make emergency numbers accessible to everyone responsible
Admission and check-in
- Brief check-in teams: QR code scan, manual search, on-site registration for walk-ins
- Test badge printing workflow (Streavent prints badges directly at check-in)
- Minimize waiting times: open several entry points if there are more than 200 participants
- Ensure barrier-free access
Implementation and coordination
- Name the person primarily responsible as event manager (single point of contact)
- Monitor schedule with 15 minute buffers
- Coordinate catering timings with the kitchen
- Security briefings, especially for emergency scenarios
- Continuously check streaming quality for hybrid events
Dismantling and completion
- Coordinate dismantling and clarify responsibilities in advance
- Secure lost items and set up a lost and found box
- Start billing with the location and service providers on site
- Check and return equipment (for rented hardware)
Phase 4: Evaluation and follow-up (1, 2 weeks after the event)
Get feedback
- Obtain participant feedback via digital survey (can be integrated directly into Streavent)
- Collect feedback from speakers, sponsors and your own team
- Document response rate (benchmark: 20, 30% for well-placed surveys)
Analysis and reporting
- Evaluate check-in data: actual vs. registered participants, arrival times
- Evaluate program usage from the event app (which sessions, which downloads)
- Complete cost accounting and compare with budget
- Create sponsorship report
- Write a lessons learned document for the team
Follow-up with participants
- Send a thank you email with presentations, recordings or next appointment
- Issue and send certificates (Streavent generates certificates of participation automatically)
- Transfer contacts to CRM and qualify leads (HubSpot/Salesforce integration)
Emergency planning: play through scenarios
Emergency planning is not pessimism, but rather professional event management. Go through these scenarios before you get to event day.
- Speaker cancels at short notice· Measure: Prepare a replacement lecture or restructure the session into a discussion group
- Technology failure (sound, projector)· Measure: Backup device on site, technician contact can be reached directly
- Significantly more walk-ins than expected· Measure: Use flexible check-in system, activate on-site registration
- Weather change for outdoor shares· Measure: Reserve indoor location as a fallback
- GDPR request during the event· Measure: Contact data protection officer, keep process documented
- Security incident· Measure: Enter emergency number for security service + rescue service in the programAlso check: Your event insurance and service provider contracts for cancellation conditions and liability regulations for emergency scenarios.
This is how Streavent helps you tick off this checklist
Many items on this checklist can be done directly from one platform with Streavent instead of juggling 5 different tools.
The modules that contribute most directly to this checklist:
Registration and ticketing: Registration page, confirmation emails, ticket sales and capacity management in one system.More about the registration module
Check-in and badge printing: QR code scanning, manual search, walk-in registration and instant badge printing directly upon entry. No separate tool, no external hardware required.Check-in management at Streavent
Mobile event app: Program, speaker profiles, room plan, documents and live feedback in an app that you fill out yourself without an agency.Mobile event app
Feedback and certificates: Surveys and certificate generation directly from the platform, no extra tools.
Streavent customers report 4 to 20 hours saved per employee, depending on the size of the event. The time saved flows into the concept and event atmosphere instead of into data maintenance and tool coordination.
Try Streavent for freeorBook a demoif you would like to discuss your setup.
FAQ: Event planning checklist
How far in advance should I start planning the event?
For B2B events with 100 to 500 participants, we recommend a lead time of at least 12 weeks. Larger congresses or association events with 500 or more participants require 6 to 12 months' notice, especially for location bookings and speaker acquisition. Smaller corporate events with fewer than 100 people can be planned in 6 to 8 weeks if the location and technology are available.
What belongs in an event planning checklist?
A complete checklist covers at least four areas: strategy phase (goal, budget, location, registration), detailed planning (program, technology, communication), implementation (setup, check-in, coordination, dismantling) and evaluation (feedback, reporting, follow-up). In addition, every checklist should contain an emergency block that addresses at least technology failure, speaker failure and security scenarios.
How many helpers do I need for an event with 200 participants?
The rule of thumb is: 1 check-in person per 50 participants for smooth entry. So with 200 people you need at least 4 check-in stations, plus one person as coordination and one as backup. There is also technical support, catering supervision and a security person. With digital check-in and badge printing directly at the entrance, the personnel requirement is noticeably reduced compared to manual processes.
Which software helps with event planning?
For professional B2B events with 200 to 5,000 participants, there are all-in-one platforms such as Streavent that cover registration, ticketing, check-in, badge printing, event app and reporting in one system. Compared to piecing together different tools, this not only saves time, but also ensures consistent data across all phases. For smaller, informal events, simpler tools are sufficient; For professional events with sponsors, certificates or compliance requirements, a specialized solution is worthwhile.
As an organizer, do I have to meet the EAA requirements?
Since June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) applies to digital products and services offered to consumers. This also applies to digital event registrations and event apps. Streavent is designed for EAA compliance. If you're planning public or semi-private events, make sure your registration page and app meet accessibility standards.
What is the difference between an event checklist and a schedule?
The checklist records all tasks that need to be completed before, during and after the event. She is task-oriented. The schedule is time-bound and shows what happens on the day of the event and at what time (entrance 9:00 a.m., keynote 9:30 a.m., coffee break 11:00 a.m., etc.). Both documents complement each other: the checklist ensures that nothing is forgotten; the schedule ensures that everything happens at the right time.
