A booking timeline keeps the day’s events, locations, travel, and team coverage in one ordered plan. Start with a reusable template or build a timeline for one booking from scratch.
Create a reusable timeline template
- Open Planning.
- Choose Event timelines.
- Create a template and enter a clear name and optional description.
- Add each event’s time, optional duration, title, location, notes, and Visible to client setting.
- Save the template.
Events are arranged chronologically when their times change. Events with the same start time stay separate so you can represent parallel coverage. You can also use the arrow controls to create a deliberate custom order; Vignette marks an event Out of sequence when that order no longer follows its start time.
Leave Duration empty for a point in time. Good examples are “Family arrives” and “Sunset portraits begin.” The summary, preview, and client run sheet will show only the start time. Add a duration when the end time matters. Entering 0 clears the duration.
Use location search when an event has a street address. When two non-overlapping events have recognized addresses, Vignette can show an estimated drive time and suggested departure time. A freeform label such as “bride’s house” remains valid, but it will not produce travel guidance unless you choose a recognized address.
Templates can be edited, duplicated, archived, and recovered. Updating a template never changes timelines already attached to bookings.
Archive or recover a timeline template
Archive a template when you no longer want it in your active list.
- Open Planning, then choose Event timelines.
- Open the template's … menu.
- Select Archive.
- Read the confirmation, then select Archive again.
The template moves out of the active list. Timelines already added to bookings do not change.
To bring the template back:
- Select View archived templates.
- Open the archived template's … menu.
- Select Recover.
- Select Back to active templates when you are done.
Vignette returns the template to the active list. You do not need to rebuild it.
Add a timeline to a booking
- Open a full-session booking.
- Find the Planning card and add a timeline.
- Choose an active template or start blank.
- Tailor the events for this booking, then save.
Vignette creates an independent booking copy. Later template changes will not rewrite the booking’s names, times, locations, notes, visibility choices, or assignments.
Use View timeline for the read-only plan and Edit when details change. Removing a booking timeline deletes only that booking copy; it does not remove the reusable template.
Plan travel between locations
Give each event a verified address and Vignette tells you when to leave. When two back-to-back events that don’t overlap both have a verified address, the earlier event shows:
- Drive time, such as 11 min drive, estimated with Google Maps.
- Leave by, the latest time to leave so you arrive when the next event starts.
For example, a wedding might start at a hotel, move to a garden for the first look, go to a church for the ceremony, and end at the reception venue. Each move shows its own drive time and leave-by time. You and your team can see them in the timeline, on the shared run sheet, and from team calendar events.
To get travel guidance:
- Open the event in Edit.
- Type in Location and choose a suggested address. Vignette shows Verified address · Travel estimates available.
- Do the same for the next event, then save.
Travel is only estimated between events that don’t overlap, so parallel coverage doesn’t produce a drive time. Consecutive events at the same address show a 0 minute drive. Drive times are estimates, so leave a buffer for parking, traffic, and gathering people.
Assign team coverage
When the booking has team members, expand an event and choose the people covering it. Assignments stay with this booking timeline and are not copied back into the template.
Team members with Vignette accounts can open the current timeline from their calendar event. They can review event notes, addresses, drive guidance, departure times, and who is assigned beside them without seeing the booking’s client, payments, contracts, gallery, or private notes.
Timeline and booking logistics changes are grouped into one team update scheduled for 5:00 AM in the studio’s time zone. Choose Send update now from the timeline view when the team should receive the combined update immediately.
Share the timeline
New booking timelines are private. To publish one:
- Mark at least one event Visible to client.
- Make sure the booking has already been sent and has an active client link.
- Select Share with client.
The selected events appear in the client’s existing booking page, and Vignette creates a stable, mobile-friendly day-of run sheet. Use Open public page to review it or Copy link to share it with clients, team members, family, or event staff.
Each event still has its own visibility setting. Private events and internal planning details never appear on either client page.
Select Stop sharing to make the public run sheet unavailable without deleting the timeline. Sharing it again restores the same link.
Understand automatic delivery
While the timeline is shared, Vignette sends the branded run sheet at 6:00 PM on the night before the shoot. It uses the event's time zone. Current clients and active team members each get a copy. If you share it later that night, the next reminder check sends it before the event starts.
Linked team accounts also receive an in-app reminder. A team invitation includes the public run sheet only when you shared the timeline before sending the invitation; inviting a team member never publishes a private timeline.
Save a booking timeline as a template
Use the save-as-template action when a booking timeline would be useful again. Vignette creates a new template with a non-conflicting name and clears booking-specific team assignments.
Select Save as template at the top of the timeline view, shown above in Add a timeline to a booking.
Review the saved template before using it for another client. The new template is a reusable starting point, not a live connection to the original booking.
Before sharing: Review every Visible to client choice, address, note, and team assignment. Anyone with the active run-sheet link can see the published event details.