Show Office Checklist for Trade Shows

A show office checklist covers everything the organizer's on-site headquarters needs to run move-in, the show and move-out: supplies, technology (printers, Wi-Fi, badge stock), printed documents (floor plans, exhibitor list, contracts, certificates of insurance, the emergency plan), a staffing schedule, an exhibitor services desk, lost and found, first aid, radio channels and a way to take payments. Pack it from the list below, set it up before the first exhibitor arrives and keep it staffed until the last one leaves. Copy the checklist at the end and adapt it to your show.

What the Show Office Is For

The show office is where problems come to be solved. An exhibitor can't find their booth, a badge is misspelled, a booth is missing a table, an aisle is blocked, someone wants to buy a booth that just opened up, a visitor lost a phone. Each of those is quick to fix if the right person, the right document and the right supply are in one room. The checklist below is built around those jobs. For the planning that comes earlier, see our full trade show checklist.

Location and Layout

• Close to the exhibit hall entrance exhibitors use during move-in, and marked on the floor plan.
• A counter or table at the front for walk-up questions, with work space behind it.
• A door that locks, for cash, laptops and lost property.
• Enough power outlets for printers, laptops and radio chargers, or a power drop ordered in advance.
• Clear signage outside: "Show Office" and the hours.

Office Supplies

Pack these in labeled bins and check them off when you arrive. Quantities depend on the size of the show; the list assumes a mid-size show and is a starting point, not a standard.

• Printer paper, spare toner or ink
• Pens, permanent markers, highlighters
• Clipboards and sticky notes
• Packing tape, masking tape, gaffer tape and double-sided tape
• Scissors, utility knives and spare blades
• Zip ties in several lengths
• Stapler, staples, paper clips and binder clips
• Blank signs and sign holders
• Envelopes and file folders
• Extension cords and power strips
• Phone chargers and cables
• Trash bags and paper towels
• A basic tool kit: screwdrivers, pliers, measuring tape
• Flashlights for move-in and move-out

Technology

• Laptops, at least two, with the exhibitor list, floor plan and orders available offline in case the connection drops.
• A reliable internet connection. Order a hard-wired line or a dedicated network for the office instead of relying on the public Wi-Fi, which slows down when attendees arrive. Bring a mobile hotspot as a backup.
• A document printer for replacement floor plans, notices and receipts.
• A badge printer with spare ribbons, badge stock and holders for exhibitor badges, reprints and walk-ups. Event badge printing software that prints from your registration data saves retyping names at the counter.
• Scanners or phones for checking in exhibitors and staff, if you scan badges.
• Radios and a charging station, covered in the radio section below.
• A card reader or payment link, covered in the payments section below.

Test every device before move-in starts: print a badge on the real stock, print a page, connect to the network and check that the laptops can open every file without the internet.

Documents to Have On Hand

Keep a printed binder and a digital copy of each. Paper still works when the network doesn't.

• The final floor plan, several printed copies with booth numbers, plus a large one on the wall.
• The exhibitor list with booth number, contact name, mobile number and payment status.
• Exhibitor contracts and any special agreements, such as booth relocations or sponsor deliverables.
• Certificates of insurance (COIs) for exhibitors and contractors, with a list of who is still missing one.
• The emergency plan, with evacuation routes, assembly points and contacts. Our event safety plan guide covers what it should include.
• The move-in and move-out schedule, by area or booth range. See the exhibitor move-in schedule guide.
• Venue contacts: event manager, security, engineering, catering, cleaning.
• Contractor contacts: general services contractor, AV, electrical, internet, freight.
• Fire marshal approvals and any permits for special booths.
• The exhibitor manual and rules, so you can point to the rule when someone asks.
• Incident report forms and a log for issues, damage and complaints.

Staffing Schedule

The show office needs someone at the counter every hour it is open. Build a schedule by shift, not by person, so gaps are easy to see. For each shift list:

• A lead who can make decisions for show management.
• Exhibitor services staff for check-in, badges and questions.
• A runner who can go to the floor to look at a problem.
• Radio channel and mobile number for each person.
• Break times, so the counter is never empty.

Post the schedule on the wall and share it with the venue and the general services contractor so they know whom to call.

Exhibitor Services Desk

Most of the show office's traffic is exhibitors. Set up the counter so it can handle the common requests without someone leaving the desk:

• Exhibitor check-in and badge pickup, with a printed list as backup.
• Badge reprints and name corrections.
• Booth location help, with printed floor plans to hand out.
• Late booth sales and upgrades for open spaces.
• Payment of outstanding balances.
• Questions about freight, power, furniture and internet, with the contractor's desk location.
• A sign-in sheet or log for issues reported at the counter.

Lost and Found

• A locked container or cabinet for valuables like phones, wallets and keys.
• A log with item, where found, time, who logged it and who claimed it.
• A rule for ID checks before releasing an item.
• A plan for unclaimed items after the show, agreed with the venue.

First Aid

Many venues provide first aid staff or an EMT station, and the show office should know exactly where it is and how to call it. Keep a basic kit in the office anyway:

• First aid kit with bandages, gauze, tape, gloves and antiseptic wipes
• Cold packs
• Pain relievers, if your venue and insurer allow you to hand them out
• Location of the nearest AED and the venue's first aid station
• The venue's emergency number and the local emergency number posted by the phone
• Incident report forms

Radio Channels

Assign channels before the show and print a channel card for every radio. A simple plan for a mid-size show:

• Channel 1: show management and the show office.
• Channel 2: exhibitor services and floor managers.
• Channel 3: registration and check-in.
• Channel 4: security and venue operations, if the venue shares a channel.
• Emergency: a plain code word for incidents, written on every card.

Bring spare batteries, a charging station, earpieces and a sign-out sheet so every radio comes back.

Cash and Payments

• A card reader or a payment link for late booth sales and balances, so you take as little cash as possible.
• A locked cash box with a starting float, counted and signed for at each shift change.
• A receipt book or emailed receipts.
• A rule for who can accept payments and who can approve refunds or credits.
• A daily reconciliation, with cash dropped in the venue safe or taken to the bank.

Keep the Floor Plan Current

The question the show office hears most is "where is booth X?" and the answer changes during the show: a booth sells late, an exhibitor moves, a no-show leaves a gap. If the office works from a printed plan from last week, it gives wrong answers. A live floor plan that updates when a booth is sold or reassigned keeps the counter, the floor managers and the attendees looking at the same thing. Trade show management software that ties the floor plan to exhibitor records and orders lets the office check payment status and booth assignment in one place.

Show Office Checklist

1. Show office location confirmed, marked on the floor plan and signed
2. Power drop and hard-wired internet ordered
3. Office supplies packed in labeled bins
4. Laptops, document printer and badge printer tested on site
5. Badge stock, ribbons and holders packed with spares
6. Floor plans, exhibitor list, contracts and COIs printed in a binder
7. Emergency plan, venue and contractor contacts posted
8. Move-in and move-out schedule printed
9. Staffing schedule posted with radio channels and phone numbers
10. Exhibitor services desk set up with check-in list and issue log
11. Lost and found container and log ready
12. First aid kit stocked and AED location known
13. Radios charged, channel cards printed and sign-out sheet ready
14. Card reader or payment link tested; cash box and float counted
15. Office staffed from first move-in to last move-out