Events & Entertainment
200 vendors. One date. Zero margin for error.
Events have a fixed date. Whether the caterer delivers, the tech is set up and the permit is in hand: it all comes down to the weeks before. Merlin Project shows what needs to happen when, and what's blocking.
Event planning in practice
Why spreadsheets fail at events
Setup, Event, Teardown, All Interlocked
The stage must be up before lighting and sound arrive. Catering needs power. In a spreadsheet you see rows, not dependencies.
Last-Minute Changes, Daily
The headliner cancels, the sponsor wants a bigger booth, the authority changes requirements. Every change affects dozens of downstream tasks.
No Internet at the Venue
In the exhibition hall or on the festival grounds there's no stable internet. Your cloud PM tool shows a loading bar instead of your schedule.
Too Many Stakeholders, Too Little Overview
Caterers, security, technicians, decorators, authorities: everyone has their own timeline. You need to coordinate them all, but nobody works in your tool.
Event planning with Merlin Project
Dependencies Between Trades
Link setup phases with dependencies. If stage construction takes a day longer, lighting, sound and seating shift automatically. You instantly see whether the timeline holds.
Offline at the Venue
Merlin Project runs entirely locally. On the iPad you have the complete schedule with you, in the hall, on the festival grounds, backstage. Changes sync as soon as you're back online.
PDF Schedules for Everyone
Export tailored PDFs for each vendor. The caterer sees their tasks, the technician sees theirs. Print-ready, clear, scannable at a glance.
One Template, Every Event
Trade fair, conference, festival, roadshow. Set it up once, reuse it indefinitely. Save proven event structures as templates and adapt them in minutes for the next event instead of starting from scratch. Knowledge loss between events becomes a thing of the past.
Features for event planning
Gantt Chart
Setup, event and teardown as linked phases with precise timing.
Resource Planning
Assign vendors and personnel. Check availability.
iPad App
Full access to the event plan, offline at the venue.
PDF Export
Export individual schedules for each vendor.
File Attachments
Attach contracts, permits and site plans to tasks.
Templates
Save recurring events as templates and reuse them.
MagicSync
Patented synchronization between event management, tech and production, with no conflict files.
Budget Under Control
Assign costs to tasks, monitor the total budget in real time. Before the event, not after.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Merlin Project work when there's no connectivity in the hall?
Merlin Project runs entirely locally on Mac and iPad. You have the complete schedule with you, even without cellular or Wi-Fi. Once you're back online, MagicSync syncs your changes automatically and without conflicts.
Can I provide every vendor with their own schedule?
Yes. Filter your master plan by resource or trade and export as PDF: the caterer sees only their tasks, the technician only theirs, security only their zones. Print-ready, with your logo and brand colors.
What happens if the headliner cancels three days before the event?
You move the task. All dependent items (stage rebuild, sound check, catering timing, security briefing) shift automatically. You see immediately which vendors need to be informed, without the Excel domino effect.
Are there ready-made templates for recurring event formats?
Yes. The templates section includes structures for conferences, trade fairs, corporate events and roadshows. You can turn any existing event into a template with a single click.
