diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/import-map/__test__/importMapUtils.test.ts b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/import-map/__test__/importMapUtils.test.ts
index 1f1c07b72..6e3be1907 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/import-map/__test__/importMapUtils.test.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/import-map/__test__/importMapUtils.test.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import { ImportCustom } from 'ontime-utils';
 
-import { convertToImportMap } from '../importMapUtils';
+import { convertToImportMap, NamedImportMap } from '../importMapUtils';
 
 describe('convertToImportMap', () => {
   it('converts a namedImportMap to a importMap', () => {
     const defaultNamedImporMap = {
       Worksheet: 'event schedule',
       Start: 'time start',
+      'Link start': 'link start',
       End: 'time end',
       Duration: 'duration',
       Cue: 'cue',
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ describe('convertToImportMap', () => {
         { ontimeName: 'EmptyImportName', importName: '' },
         { ontimeName: '', importName: 'EmptyOntimeName' },
       ] as ImportCustom[],
-    };
+    } as NamedImportMap;
 
     const importMap = convertToImportMap(defaultNamedImporMap);
     expect(importMap.custom).toStrictEqual({
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/import-map/importMapUtils.ts b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/import-map/importMapUtils.ts
index e287596e1..a3fb75715 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/import-map/importMapUtils.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/import-map/importMapUtils.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export type NamedImportMap = typeof namedImportMap;
 export const namedImportMap = {
   Worksheet: 'event schedule',
   Start: 'time start',
+  'Link start': 'link start',
   End: 'time end',
   Duration: 'duration',
   Cue: 'cue',
@@ -21,6 +22,15 @@ export const namedImportMap = {
   custom: [] as ImportCustom[],
 };
 
+function isNamedImportMap(obj: unknown): obj is NamedImportMap {
+  if (typeof obj !== 'object' || obj === null) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const keys = Object.keys(namedImportMap);
+  return keys.every((key) => Object.hasOwn(obj, key));
+}
+
 export function convertToImportMap(namedImportMap: NamedImportMap): ImportMap {
   const custom = namedImportMap.custom.reduce((accumulator, { ontimeName, importName }) => {
     if (ontimeName && importName) {
@@ -32,6 +42,7 @@ export function convertToImportMap(namedImportMap: NamedImportMap): ImportMap {
   return {
     worksheet: namedImportMap.Worksheet,
     timeStart: namedImportMap.Start,
+    linkStart: namedImportMap['Link start'],
     timeEnd: namedImportMap.End,
     duration: namedImportMap.Duration,
     cue: namedImportMap.Cue,
@@ -52,10 +63,22 @@ export function persistImportMap(options: NamedImportMap) {
   localStorage.setItem('ontime-import-options', JSON.stringify(options));
 }
 
-export function getPersistedOptions(): NamedImportMap {
+function getPersistImportMap(): unknown {
   const options = localStorage.getItem('ontime-import-options');
   if (!options) {
-    return namedImportMap;
+    throw new Error('no import options found');
   }
   return JSON.parse(options);
 }
+
+export function getPersistedOptions(): NamedImportMap {
+  try {
+    const options = getPersistImportMap();
+    if (!isNamedImportMap(options)) {
+      return namedImportMap;
+    }
+    return options;
+  } catch {
+    return namedImportMap;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/preview/PreviewRundown.module.scss b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/preview/PreviewRundown.module.scss
index 4f494f378..51364e155 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/preview/PreviewRundown.module.scss
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/preview/PreviewRundown.module.scss
@@ -1,12 +1,27 @@
-  .center {
-    text-align: center;
-  }
+.center {
+  text-align: center;
+}
 
-  .nowrap {
-    white-space: nowrap;
-  }
+.nowrap {
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
 
-  tr .secondaryRow {
-    background-color: $white-7;
-    padding-left: 2em;
-  }
+tr .secondaryRow {
+  background-color: $white-7;
+  padding-left: 2em;
+}
+
+.linkStartActive {
+  color: $active-indicator;
+  transform: rotate(-45deg);
+}
+
+.flex {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+}
+
+.subdued {
+  opacity: $opacity-disabled;
+}
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/preview/PreviewRundown.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/preview/PreviewRundown.tsx
index 88d63de0a..0a53989cf 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/preview/PreviewRundown.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/sources-panel/preview/PreviewRundown.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { Fragment } from 'react';
+import { IoLink } from '@react-icons/all-files/io5/IoLink';
 import { CustomFields, isOntimeBlock, isOntimeEvent, OntimeRundown } from 'ontime-types';
 import { millisToString } from 'ontime-utils';
 
@@ -83,7 +84,10 @@ export default function PreviewRundown(props: PreviewRundownProps) {
                 </td>
                 <td className={style.nowrap}>{event.cue}</td>
                 <td>{event.title}</td>
-                <td>{millisToString(event.timeStart)}</td>
+                <td className={style.flex}>
+                  <span className={event.linkStart ? style.subdued : undefined}>{millisToString(event.timeStart)}</span>
+                  {event.linkStart && <IoLink className={style.linkStartActive} />}
+                </td>
                 <td>{millisToString(event.timeEnd)}</td>
                 <td>{millisToString(event.duration)}</td>
                 <td>{millisToString(event.timeWarning)}</td>
diff --git a/apps/server/src/utils/__tests__/parser.test.ts b/apps/server/src/utils/__tests__/parser.test.ts
index caf58ea00..809226c94 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/utils/__tests__/parser.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/utils/__tests__/parser.test.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ import { dbModel } from '../../models/dataModel.js';
 import { createEvent, getCustomFieldData, parseExcel, parseJson } from '../parser.js';
 import { makeString } from '../parserUtils.js';
 import { parseRundown, parseUrlPresets, parseViewSettings } from '../parserFunctions.js';
+import { ImportMap } from 'ontime-utils';
+import * as cache from '../../services/rundown-service/rundownCache.js';
 
 describe('test json parser with valid def', () => {
   const testData: Partial<DatabaseModel> = {
@@ -734,6 +736,7 @@ describe('getCustomFieldData()', () => {
     const importMap = {
       worksheet: 'event schedule',
       timeStart: 'time start',
+      linkStart: 'link start',
       timeEnd: 'time end',
       duration: 'duration',
       cue: 'cue',
@@ -751,7 +754,7 @@ describe('getCustomFieldData()', () => {
         sound: 'sound',
         video: 'av',
       },
-    };
+    } as ImportMap;
 
     const result = getCustomFieldData(importMap);
     expect(result.customFields).toStrictEqual({
@@ -1440,4 +1443,69 @@ describe('parseExcel()', () => {
     expect(events.at(0).title).toEqual('A song from the hearth'); //<--leading white space in Excel data
     expect(events.at(0).colour).toEqual('#F00'); //<--trailing white space in Excel data
   });
+
+  it('link start', () => {
+    const testData = [
+      [
+        'Time Start',
+        'Time End',
+        'Title',
+        'End Action',
+        'Public',
+        'Skip',
+        'Notes',
+        'Colour',
+        'cue',
+        'Link Start',
+        'Timer type',
+      ],
+      ['4:30:00', '9:45:00', 'A', 'load-next', '', '', 'Rainbow chase', '#F00', 102, '', 'count-down'],
+      ['9:45:00', '10:56:00', 'C', 'load-next', 'x', '', 'Rainbow chase', '#0F0', 103, 'x', 'count-down'],
+      ['10:00:00', '16:36:00', 'D', 'load-next', 'x', '', 'Rainbow chase', '#F00', 102, 'x', 'count-down'], //<-- incorrect start times are overridden
+      ['21:45:00', '22:56:00', 'E', 'load-next', 'x', '', 'Rainbow chase', '#0F0', 103, '', 'count-down'],
+      ['', '', 'BLOCK', '', '', '', '', '', '', '', 'block'],
+      ['00:0:00', '23:56:00', 'G', 'load-next', 'x', '', 'Rainbow chase', '#0F0', 103, 'x', 'count-down'], //<-- link past blocks
+      [],
+    ];
+
+    const importMap = {
+      worksheet: 'event schedule',
+      timeStart: 'time start',
+      linkStart: 'link start',
+      timeEnd: 'time end',
+      duration: 'duration',
+      cue: 'cue',
+      title: 'title',
+      isPublic: 'public',
+      skip: 'skip',
+      note: 'notes',
+      colour: 'colour',
+      endAction: 'end action',
+      timerType: 'timer type',
+      timeWarning: 'warning time',
+      timeDanger: 'danger time',
+      custom: {},
+    };
+
+    const result = parseExcel(testData, importMap);
+    const rundown = parseRundown(result);
+
+    cache.init(rundown, {});
+    const cachedRundown = cache.get().rundown;
+
+    const events = Object.values(cachedRundown).filter((e) => e.type === SupportedEvent.Event) as OntimeEvent[];
+
+    expect(events.at(0).timeStart).toEqual(16200000);
+
+    expect(events.at(1).timeStart).toEqual(events.at(0).timeEnd);
+    expect(events.at(1).linkStart).toEqual(events.at(0).id);
+
+    expect(events.at(2).timeStart).toEqual(events.at(1).timeEnd);
+    expect(events.at(2).linkStart).toEqual(events.at(1).id);
+
+    expect(events.at(3).timeStart).toEqual(78300000);
+
+    expect(events.at(4).timeStart).toEqual(events.at(3).timeEnd);
+    expect(events.at(4).linkStart).toEqual(events.at(3).id);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/apps/server/src/utils/parser.ts b/apps/server/src/utils/parser.ts
index 64e2c5f92..d142531a6 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/utils/parser.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/utils/parser.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ import {
   parseViewSettings,
 } from './parserFunctions.js';
 import { parseExcelDate } from './time.js';
-import { coerceBoolean } from './coerceType.js';
 
 export const EXCEL_MIME = 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet';
 export const JSON_MIME = 'application/json';
@@ -43,6 +42,14 @@ type ExcelData = Pick<DatabaseModel, 'rundown' | 'customFields'> & {
   rundownMetadata: Record<string, { row: number; col: number }>;
 };
 
+function parseBooleanString(value: unknown): boolean {
+  // falsy values would be nullish or empty string
+  if (!value || typeof value !== 'string') {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return value.toLowerCase() !== 'false';
+}
+
 export function getCustomFieldData(importMap: ImportMap): {
   customFields: CustomFields;
   customFieldImportKeys: Record<keyof CustomFields, string>;
@@ -91,6 +98,8 @@ export const parseExcel = (excelData: unknown[][], options?: Partial<ImportMap>)
   let isPublicIndex: number | null = null;
   let skipIndex: number | null = null;
 
+  let linkStartIndex: number | null = null;
+
   // times: numbers
   let timeStartIndex: number | null = null;
   let timeEndIndex: number | null = null;
@@ -116,6 +125,10 @@ export const parseExcel = (excelData: unknown[][], options?: Partial<ImportMap>)
         timeStartIndex = col;
         rundownMetadata['timeStart'] = { row, col };
       },
+      [importMap.linkStart]: (row: number, col: number) => {
+        linkStartIndex = col;
+        rundownMetadata['linkStart'] = { row, col };
+      },
       [importMap.timeEnd]: (row: number, col: number) => {
         timeEndIndex = col;
         rundownMetadata['timeEnd'] = { row, col };
@@ -191,6 +204,8 @@ export const parseExcel = (excelData: unknown[][], options?: Partial<ImportMap>)
         event.title = makeString(column, '');
       } else if (j === timeStartIndex) {
         event.timeStart = parseExcelDate(column);
+      } else if (j === linkStartIndex) {
+        event.linkStart = parseBooleanString(column);
       } else if (j === timeEndIndex) {
         event.timeEnd = parseExcelDate(column);
       } else if (j === durationIndex) {
@@ -198,9 +213,9 @@ export const parseExcel = (excelData: unknown[][], options?: Partial<ImportMap>)
       } else if (j === cueIndex) {
         event.cue = makeString(column, '');
       } else if (j === isPublicIndex) {
-        event.isPublic = column == 'x' ? true : coerceBoolean(column);
+        event.isPublic = parseBooleanString(column);
       } else if (j === skipIndex) {
-        event.skip = column == 'x' ? true : coerceBoolean(column);
+        event.skip = parseBooleanString(column);
       } else if (j === notesIndex) {
         event.note = makeString(column, '');
       } else if (j === endActionIndex) {
diff --git a/apps/server/src/utils/parserFunctions.ts b/apps/server/src/utils/parserFunctions.ts
index d50bcbe20..bff730f56 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/utils/parserFunctions.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/utils/parserFunctions.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import {
   isOntimeDelay,
   isOntimeEvent,
 } from 'ontime-types';
-import { generateId } from 'ontime-utils';
+import { generateId, getLastEvent } from 'ontime-utils';
 
 import { dbModel } from '../models/dataModel.js';
 import { block as blockDef, delay as delayDef } from '../models/eventsDefinition.js';
@@ -48,11 +48,16 @@ export const parseRundown = (data: Partial<DatabaseModel>): OntimeRundown => {
     let newEvent: OntimeEvent | OntimeDelay | OntimeBlock | null;
 
     if (isOntimeEvent(event)) {
+      if (event.linkStart) {
+        const prevEvent = getLastEvent(rundown).lastEvent;
+        event.linkStart = prevEvent.id;
+      }
       newEvent = createEvent(event, eventIndex.toString());
       // skip if event is invalid
       if (newEvent == null) {
         continue;
       }
+
       eventIndex += 1;
     } else if (isOntimeDelay(event)) {
       newEvent = { ...delayDef, duration: event.duration, id };
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/feature/spreadsheet-import/__tests__/spreadsheetImport.test.ts b/packages/utils/src/feature/spreadsheet-import/__tests__/spreadsheetImport.test.ts
index 157fd989a..2ef3c5005 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/feature/spreadsheet-import/__tests__/spreadsheetImport.test.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/src/feature/spreadsheet-import/__tests__/spreadsheetImport.test.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import type { ImportMap } from '../spreadsheetImport';
 import { isImportMap } from '../spreadsheetImport';
 
 describe('isImportMap()', () => {
@@ -5,6 +6,7 @@ describe('isImportMap()', () => {
     const v3ImportMap = {
       worksheet: 'event schedule',
       timeStart: 'time start',
+      linkStart: 'link start',
       timeEnd: 'time end',
       duration: 'duration',
       cue: 'cue',
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ describe('isImportMap()', () => {
       timeWarning: 'warning time',
       timeDanger: 'danger time',
       custom: {},
-    };
+    } as ImportMap;
 
     expect(isImportMap(v3ImportMap)).toBe(true);
   });
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ describe('isImportMap()', () => {
     const v3ImportMap = {
       worksheet: 'event schedule',
       timeStart: 'time start',
+      linkStart: 'link start',
       timeEnd: 'time end',
       duration: 'duration',
       cue: 'cue',
@@ -43,7 +46,7 @@ describe('isImportMap()', () => {
         userDefined: 'userDefined',
         anotherOne: 'anotherOne',
       },
-    };
+    } as ImportMap;
 
     expect(isImportMap(v3ImportMap)).toBe(true);
   });
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/feature/spreadsheet-import/spreadsheetImport.ts b/packages/utils/src/feature/spreadsheet-import/spreadsheetImport.ts
index 8b6394f31..c8ec35a34 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/feature/spreadsheet-import/spreadsheetImport.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/src/feature/spreadsheet-import/spreadsheetImport.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export type ImportMap = typeof defaultImportMap & { custom: ImportCustom };
 export const defaultImportMap = {
   worksheet: 'event schedule',
   timeStart: 'time start',
+  linkStart: 'link start',
   timeEnd: 'time end',
   duration: 'duration',
   cue: 'cue',