No link
Host chooses next
Use this when the room may need a pause, an unscripted discussion, or a producer decision before the next segment is selected.
Current ends -> Host selects the next item
Agenda timers
Build the run of show, then run it from one Host.
Create one Room for the whole session, organize every segment into an agenda, decide how each handoff should work, and keep every shared timing view aligned while one operator stays in control.
Updated August 10, 2026 · About 5 minutes to read
A Room is the session. A timer is one part of the session.
An agenda is the ordered list of timers inside one Room. Host selects and runs the active item; the next item describes the coming handoff. Display, Speaker, Moderator, and Agenda View read that same Room state, so creating extra Rooms for each segment or role usually breaks the workflow rather than helping it.
Agenda workflow
Prepare the sequence before the room goes live.
- STEP 01
Create one Room for the complete session
Use one PresentationTimer Room for the whole run of show instead of opening separate countdowns on separate devices. A conference session might include Welcome, Keynote, Panel, Q and A, and Closing. The Room keeps that sequence, the active timer, and every shared view connected to the same live state.
One Room holds the ordered agenda and the timer currently in control. - STEP 02
Add, name, and order the timer segments
Select Add timer for every part of the session. Give each item a name the Host can recognize at a glance, then use the timer actions to move it up or down, clone a similar segment, or remove a stale one. Put the agenda in the order people will experience it before the room goes live.
Names and order should let the Host find the next live segment without pausing to decode the plan.
- STEP 03
Set the timing rule for each segment
Open a timer's settings from Host and confirm its name, start mode, timing mode, display mode, alert stages, sound, and time zone context. A normal manual-duration timer is the clearest default for a live session. Use a scheduled start only when the segment must be anchored to a planned time of day.
Use the settings drawer to make timing decisions before people depend on the shared clock.
- STEP 04
Choose how the next segment should hand off
Set Linked Start on the upcoming timer, not the timer that is ending. Keep the transition unlinked when the Host needs to decide what happens next, select the next timer when it should be ready but waiting, or start it automatically for a tightly timed sequence. Test the handoff before the session starts.
Linked Start belongs to the timer that will follow, so configure it while reviewing the upcoming agenda item.
- STEP 05
Run the active timer from Host
During the session, Host remains the only control surface. Start or pause the active item, select a different item when the plan changes, and use the live controls to correct remaining time. Display, Speaker, Moderator, and Agenda View all follow the same active timer without needing new links or a separate Room.
When Host changes the active agenda item, shared read-only views follow the same Room state.
Linked Start
Choose the handoff the room actually needs.
Do not automate every transition by default. The right choice is the one that reflects the live session: a deliberate pause, a ready-but-waiting next item, or a continuous sequence.
Select after previous
Ready, not running
When the current timer ends, the next item becomes active. It does not start until the Host starts it.
Current ends -> Next item is selected -> Host starts it
Start after previous
Continuous sequence
When the current timer ends, the next item starts automatically. With a scheduled start, it is selected first and begins at its planned time.
Current ends -> Next item starts automatically
Before the session starts
A fast agenda check.
- Every timer has a recognizable live-session name, not a generic default.
- The item order matches the expected run of show.
- Each Linked Start choice is configured on the upcoming timer and has been tested.
- Host is open on the operator's private device; Display and read-only views use their own links.
- The active item, duration, warning stages, and shared Display all match before the session begins.
Let the room see the timing signal, not the controls.
Keep Host on the device operated by the person responsible for live timing. Put Display on the shared screen, give Speaker View to the presenter, give Moderator View to the producer, and share Agenda View with people who need the full sequence. Those views stay read-only while following the same active timer.
FAQ
Common agenda timer questions
Can I use multiple timers in one PresentationTimer Room?
Yes. A Room can contain an ordered agenda of timer segments for a conference session, webinar, meeting, panel, class, or another live run of show. Host controls which segment is active while every shared view follows it.
What is the difference between No link and Select after previous?
No link leaves the current item in place until Host explicitly selects another timer. Select after previous makes the following timer active when the current timer finishes, but it still waits for Host to start it. Neither option automatically starts the next timer.
Why did the next timer become selected but not start?
That is the expected result of Select after previous. Choose Start after previous on the upcoming timer when the next segment should begin automatically, then test that handoff before the event.
Can I change an agenda while the session is live?
Yes. From Host, you can select another timer, start or pause a segment, and correct the active timer's remaining time. Quick remaining-time adjustments change the live remaining time, not the planned duration saved in the timer settings.
Should every speaker have a separate Room?
Usually no. Put the speakers or segments in one Room when they are part of the same session. Give the presenter Speaker View, put Display on the shared screen, and use Agenda View for people who need the full run of show. Keep Host private with the operator.
Does Agenda View replace Display View?
No. Display View is the large audience-facing timer for a projector, confidence monitor, or screen share. Agenda View is a read-only run of show for people who need the current segment, the next handoff, and the complete sequence.
Next steps
Give each role the right view of the same session.
Host View
Run the live timer, make a correction, and keep control on one private device.
Learn moreAgenda View
Share the current segment, next handoff, and running order without exposing Host controls.
Learn moreAgenda Timer
See the multi-segment timing feature and its role in a live session workflow.
Learn more