Host decides what happens next.
Use it for: Panels, Q and A, live discussion, or any session that may need a pause.
- 01Current timer ends
- 02The current timer remains selected
- 03Host selects and starts the next item
Linked Start
Make each agenda handoff deliberate.
Choose whether the next timer should wait for the Host, become ready without running, or start automatically when the previous segment ends. Linked Start keeps the transition inside one Room, so every shared view follows the same live plan.
Updated August 10, 2026 · About 5 minutes to read
Configure the timer that comes next, not the timer that ends.
Linked Start belongs to an upcoming agenda item. It says how that item should follow the item immediately before it. When you reorder the agenda, recheck the Linked Start setting on the timer that now follows, especially before a live event.
Linked Start workflow
Set, test, and trust the next handoff.
- STEP 01
Put the two adjacent segments in the right order
Linked Start always describes how an upcoming timer follows the timer immediately before it. First make sure the agenda order is correct: for example, Opening followed by Keynote, or Speaker 1 followed by Speaker 2. If the order changes, review the Linked Start setting on the timer that will now follow.
The handoff is attached to the upcoming item in the ordered agenda. - STEP 02
Open settings for the timer that comes next
In Host, select the upcoming timer and open its settings. Under Agenda Flow, set Linked Start for that timer. Do not look for the setting on the timer that is ending: its following timer owns the handoff choice.
This setting is on the upcoming timer. Select after previous makes it active when the prior timer ends, but it still waits for Host to start it. - STEP 03
Choose the handoff that matches the live room
Choose No link for a Host decision, Select after previous to make the next item ready but waiting, or Start after previous for a continuous sequence. The safest default for a room with people, questions, or setup changes is usually a deliberate Host-controlled handoff.
Choose the smallest amount of automation that still supports the live workflow.
- STEP 04
Use Scheduled Start only when the time of day matters
A scheduled timer is anchored to its planned date and time in the Room time zone. When it also uses Start after previous, the previous timer ending selects that item first; it begins at its scheduled time rather than immediately. This is useful when a program has a fixed clock, but it needs a short pre-start check.
Scheduled Start preserves the session's planned clock, even when the previous timer finishes first.
- STEP 05
Test the transition before anyone depends on it
Run the current timer to completion in Host and observe the result. Check which timer becomes active, whether it starts, and whether Display, Speaker, Moderator, and Agenda View follow the same state. Reset or correct the Room before the real session begins if the result is not the plan you intended.
Agenda View shows the handoff context, but only Host configures and runs it.
Handoff outcomes
The difference is what happens after the current timer ends.
The next timer becomes active, but waits for Host.
Use it for: The sequence is known, but the operator needs to confirm the room is ready.
- 01Current timer ends
- 02Next timer becomes active
- 03Host starts the next item
The next timer starts automatically, unless it has a scheduled start.
Use it for: Tightly timed, repeatable sequences with no expected pause between segments.
- 01Current timer ends
- 02Next timer becomes active
- 03Next timer begins automatically
Scheduled Start
A scheduled timer follows the Room clock.
Use Scheduled Start when the timing plan must align to a specific date and time. Check the Room time zone before the session. Linked Start can select the upcoming scheduled timer, but it does not override its planned start time.
Manual start + scheduled time
The timer follows its scheduled time rule; Linked Start is not required to start it.
Select after previous + scheduled time
The next timer is selected when the previous timer ends, but Host still decides when to start it.
Start after previous + scheduled time
The next timer is selected when the previous timer ends, then begins at its scheduled time rather than immediately.
Before the session starts
A handoff rehearsal checklist.
- The upcoming timer has the intended Linked Start setting, not the timer that ends before it.
- The agenda order is final, including breaks, Q and A, and any optional segments.
- The expected result is clear: selected and waiting, or actually running.
- When Scheduled Start is used, the Room time zone, date, and time have been checked.
- Host remains with the operator; shared Display and read-only views are open separately.
Linked Start runs through Host, not the shared views.
Keep Host on the control device. Display, Speaker, Moderator, and Agenda View can show the resulting live state, but they cannot configure Linked Start or change the Room. This keeps one operator responsible for both automation and live overrides.
FAQ
Common Linked Start questions
Where do I configure Linked Start?
Configure it in Host on the timer that will come next. Open that timer's settings and use the Linked Start control in Agenda Flow. The setting describes how that upcoming item follows the item immediately before it.
Why did the next timer become active but not start?
That is Select after previous. It makes the next item active when the previous timer ends, but it deliberately waits for Host to press Start. Use Start after previous only when the next segment should begin automatically.
What happens when Start after previous is combined with Scheduled Start?
The previous timer ending selects the upcoming scheduled timer. The scheduled timer starts at its configured time rather than immediately at the handoff. Check the Room time zone and test this behavior before using it in a live program.
Can I change the handoff during a live session?
Yes. Host can open the upcoming timer's settings and change Linked Start. For a live correction, Host can also select a different item, start or pause the active timer, or adjust remaining time. Shared views remain read-only.
Does Linked Start share a new link with Display or speakers?
No. Linked Start changes the active timer inside the existing Room. Display, Speaker, Moderator, and Agenda View continue following that Room without needing different links.
Should I use automatic handoffs for every agenda item?
No. Use automatic starts only where the real event can safely move on without an operator decision. For sessions with people arriving late, live questions, applause, technical checks, or variable-length discussion, No link or Select after previous is usually more appropriate.
Next steps