Article
Published by Ternwheel · Reviewed September 16, 2026
Use the copyable checklist sections below as a working template for your team’s tour plan.
This tour manager checklist organizes repeatable operational checks from accepting a tour through closeout. Duties vary by tour size, contract, jurisdiction, and team structure, so use it as a planning aid rather than a substitute for professional advice.
Before Accepting the Tour
Confirm scope, reporting lines, decision authority, dates, route, deal information, travel expectations, and the contacts who own legal, tax, payroll, insurance, safety, and immigration questions.
Four or More Weeks Before Departure
Collect contracts, contacts, travel, hotels, venue advances, production information, credentials, guest-list processes, budget assumptions, and a shared document structure.
Final Week Before Departure
Confirm the itinerary, day sheets, rooming, transport, access, emergency contacts, payment process, files, and the first-day handoff.
Travel Day
Check departure timing, passenger list, documents, local contact, lodging, route updates, and the next confirmed call time.
Show-Day Morning
Distribute the current day sheet, review schedule changes, confirm venue and promoter contacts, and align the team on priority decisions.
Load-In Through Doors
Confirm access, production schedule, credentials, guests, hospitality, local transport, and how questions will be routed.
During the Show
Keep communication focused, document material changes, support approved guest processes, and capture expense records within the team’s workflow.
Settlement and Load-Out
Gather settlement and receipt records, confirm load-out and travel handoff, then log open items and payment confirmation.
Day Off and End of Tour
Use downtime to update records and prepare upcoming details. At closeout, reconcile agreed records, archive final files, share team notes, and document repeatable improvements.
Emergency, Delegation, and Handoff
Use the agreed response plan, avoid improvising legal or safety guidance, and escalate to the appropriate owner. Record decisions, assign follow-up, and leave the next person a clear handoff.
Sources and Methodology
Reviewed September 1, 2026. This guide is educational and uses the sources below for general touring context. Confirm responsibilities and consult qualified professionals for legal, tax, accounting, insurance, health, safety, visa, immigration, and financial topics.
Berklee Online: Tour Management Advice
Berklee: Tour Manager Career Profile
Berklee Online: Music Industry Forms
FAQs
What is a tour manager checklist?
A tour manager checklist is a repeatable list of operational checks for planning, travel, show days, settlement, and closeout. It should identify the task, owner, due point, and completion record.
When should a tour manager start planning?
For every show, confirm the venue contact, artist and crew call times, local transport, rooms, production requirements, guest list deadline, settlement contact, and who receives schedule changes.
What happens on a travel day?
Confirm departure timing, passenger list, travel documents, local contact, lodging, route updates, and the next confirmed call time. Record changes in the current shared itinerary.
What belongs on a show-day checklist?
Confirm a change with the venue and production first. Update the day sheet, notify the relevant crew, and confirm acknowledgement before treating the change as final.
Who handles settlement?
The people authorized by the event agreement handle settlement. The touring side may include the tour manager, artist manager, or business manager; confirm authority before the review begins.
How should teams handle disruptions?
Use the agreed response plan, verify material changes with the responsible venue or production contact, document the decision, and assign follow-up. Escalate legal, safety, medical, or financial matters to qualified owners.
What should happen at the end of a tour?
At closeout, reconcile agreed records, archive final files, record open items and owners, and capture practical improvements for the next tour leg or future run.
Can software help with a checklist?
Yes. A shared touring workspace can keep schedules, travel, contacts, guest-list details, budgets, expenses, settlement records, and follow-ups organized. It does not replace contracts, venue policies, or professional advice.
Plan the Next Tour With a Connected Workflow
Ternwheel helps teams keep schedules, travel, hotels, communication, guest lists, budgets, settlements, reporting, permissions, mobile access, and eligible banking and cards connected. Review current product details directly with Ternwheel.
Explore tour management software
Explore tour management software for artists