docs: add backend sync engine plan

Specifies requirements and architecture for syncing two independent Ontime backends. Validates the CRDT/Automerge suggestion against the codebase and proposes a hybrid: Automerge document sync for project data, replicated playback-intent (recomputed locally) for runtime. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01S1wpN4k8YeCoZcQhVKXafU
fix: send refetch on all rundown edits (#2098 )
2026-08-06 16:03:52 +00:00 · 2026-06-22 15:22:54 +00:00 · 2026-06-20 12:21:11 +02:00 · 2026-06-20 10:46:34 +02:00 · 2026-06-20 09:15:23 +02:00 · 2026-06-20 09:15:23 +02:00
60 changed files with 1966 additions and 992 deletions
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ jobs:
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v6

+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v6
+        with:
+          node-version-file: '.nvmrc'
+
      - name: Setup pnpm
        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v6

@@ -54,6 +58,10 @@ jobs:
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v6

+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v6
+        with:
+          node-version-file: '.nvmrc'
+
      - name: Setup pnpm
        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v6

@@ -81,11 +89,11 @@ jobs:
          key: ${{ runner.os }}-playwright-${{ env.PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION }}
          restore-keys: |
            ${{ runner.os }}-playwright-
-      - run: npx playwright install --with-deps
+      - run: pnpm playwright install --with-deps
        if: steps.playwright-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'

      - name: Install Playwright Browsers
-        run: npx playwright install --with-deps
+        run: pnpm playwright install --with-deps

      - name: Run Playwright tests
        run: pnpm e2e
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v22.22.2
+v22.22.3
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "@getontime/cli",
-  "version": "4.8.0",
+  "version": "4.9.0",
  "author": "Carlos Valente",
  "description": "Time keeping for live events",
  "repository": "https://github.com/cpvalente/ontime",
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 {
  "name": "ontime-ui",
-  "version": "4.8.0",
+  "version": "4.9.0",
  "private": true,
  "type": "module",
  "dependencies": {
-    "@base-ui/react": "1.3.0",
+    "@base-ui/react": "1.6.0",
    "@codemirror/commands": "^6.0.0",
    "@codemirror/lang-css": "^6.0.0",
    "@codemirror/state": "^6.0.0",
@@ -12,27 +12,27 @@
    "@dnd-kit/core": "^6.3.1",
    "@dnd-kit/sortable": "^10.0.0",
    "@dnd-kit/utilities": "^3.2.2",
-    "@fontsource/open-sans": "^5.2.6",
+    "@fontsource/open-sans": "^5.2.7",
    "@mantine/hooks": "^8.3.7",
-    "@sentry/react": "^10.2.0",
+    "@sentry/react": "^10.59.0",
    "@table-nav/react": "^0.0.7",
-    "@tanstack/react-query": "^5.85.9",
-    "@tanstack/react-query-devtools": "^5.85.9",
+    "@tanstack/react-query": "^5.101.0",
+    "@tanstack/react-query-devtools": "^5.101.0",
    "@tanstack/react-table": "^8.21.3",
-    "@uiw/codemirror-theme-vscode": "^4.25.9",
+    "@uiw/codemirror-theme-vscode": "^4.25.10",
    "autosize": "^6.0.1",
-    "axios": "^1.12.2",
+    "axios": "^1.18.0",
    "csv-stringify": "^6.6.0",
    "qrcode": "^1.5.4",
-    "react": "^19.2.3",
-    "react-colorful": "^5.6.1",
-    "react-dom": "^19.2.3",
+    "react": "^19.2.7",
+    "react-colorful": "^5.7.0",
+    "react-dom": "^19.2.7",
    "react-fast-compare": "^3.2.2",
-    "react-hook-form": "^7.72.0",
-    "react-icons": "5.5.0",
-    "react-router": "^7.11.0",
-    "react-virtuoso": "^4.17.0",
-    "zustand": "^5.0.9"
+    "react-hook-form": "^7.80.0",
+    "react-icons": "5.6.0",
+    "react-router": "^8.0.1",
+    "react-virtuoso": "^4.18.7",
+    "zustand": "^5.0.14"
  },
  "scripts": {
    "addversion": "node -p \"'export const ONTIME_VERSION = ' + JSON.stringify(require('../../package.json').version) + ';'\" > src/ONTIME_VERSION.js",
@@ -34,19 +34,17 @@ export async function fetchCurrentRundown(options?: RequestOptions): Promise<Run
    throw new Error('Invalid rundown payload');
  }
  return res.data;
+}

-  function isValidRundown(x: any): x is Rundown {
-    return (
-      x &&
-      typeof x === 'object' &&
-      typeof x.id === 'string' &&
-      Array.isArray(x.order) &&
-      Array.isArray(x.flatOrder) &&
-      x.entries &&
-      typeof x.entries === 'object' &&
-      typeof x.revision === 'number'
-    );
+/**
+ * HTTP request to fetch all entries in the given rundown
+ */
+export async function fetchRundown(rundownId: RundownId, options?: RequestOptions): Promise<Rundown> {
+  const res = await axios.get(`${rundownPath}/${rundownId}`, { signal: options?.signal });
+  if (!isValidRundown(res.data)) {
+    throw new Error('Invalid rundown payload');
  }
+  return res.data;
 }

 /**
@@ -197,3 +195,16 @@ export async function requestDeleteAll(rundownId: RundownId): Promise<AxiosRespo
 }

 // #endregion operations on rundown entries =======================
+
+function isValidRundown(x: any): x is Rundown {
+  return (
+    x &&
+    typeof x === 'object' &&
+    typeof x.id === 'string' &&
+    Array.isArray(x.order) &&
+    Array.isArray(x.flatOrder) &&
+    x.entries &&
+    typeof x.entries === 'object' &&
+    typeof x.revision === 'number'
+  );
+}
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ import { ChangeEvent, KeyboardEvent, RefObject, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo,

 interface UseReactiveTextInputReturn {
  value: string;
-  onChange: (event: ChangeEvent) => void;
-  onBlur: (event: ChangeEvent) => void;
+  onChange: (event: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => void;
+  onBlur: (event: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => void;
  onKeyDown: (event: KeyboardEvent<HTMLElement>) => void;
 }

@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ export default function useReactiveTextInput(
  options?: {
    submitOnEnter?: boolean;
    submitOnCtrlEnter?: boolean;
+    submitOnTab?: boolean;
    onCancelUpdate?: () => void;
+    onTabCancel?: () => void;
    allowSubmitSameValue?: boolean;
    allowKeyboardNavigation?: boolean;
  },
@@ -23,6 +25,10 @@ export default function useReactiveTextInput(
  const [text, setText] = useState<string>(initialText);
  // track whether we are submitting via a submit key (eg enter) and avoid submitting again on blur
  const isKeyboardSubmitting = useRef(false);
+  // track escape to prevent the subsequent blur from submitting
+  const isEscaping = useRef(false);
+  // track tab-out to prevent blur from submitting (used by timer cells)
+  const isTabbing = useRef(false);

  useEffect(() => {
    if (typeof initialText === 'undefined') {
@@ -78,6 +84,7 @@ export default function useReactiveTextInput(
   * @param {string} valueToSubmit
   */
  const handleEscape = useCallback(() => {
+    isEscaping.current = true;
    // No need to update if it hasn't changed
    setText(initialText);
    // force the text to be the initial value
@@ -141,16 +148,30 @@ export default function useReactiveTextInput(
        event.stopPropagation();
      }

+      // for cells that opt out of tab-submit, track tab-out without preventing navigation
+      if (event.key === 'Tab' && options?.submitOnTab === false) {
+        isTabbing.current = true;
+      }
+
      hotKeyHandler(event);
    };
-  }, [handleEscape, handleSubmit, options?.submitOnCtrlEnter, options?.submitOnEnter, text]);
+  }, [handleEscape, handleSubmit, options?.submitOnCtrlEnter, options?.submitOnEnter, options?.submitOnTab, text]);

  return {
    value: text,
-    onChange: (event: ChangeEvent) => handleChange((event.target as HTMLInputElement).value),
-    onBlur: (event: ChangeEvent) => {
+    onChange: (event) => handleChange(event.target.value),
+    onBlur: (event) => {
+      if (isTabbing.current) {
+        isTabbing.current = false;
+        (options?.onTabCancel ?? options?.onCancelUpdate)?.();
+        return;
+      }
+      if (isEscaping.current) {
+        isEscaping.current = false;
+        return;
+      }
      if (!isKeyboardSubmitting.current) {
-        handleSubmit((event.target as HTMLInputElement).value);
+        handleSubmit(event.target.value);
      }
    },
    onKeyDown: keyHandler,
@@ -8,9 +8,12 @@
    padding-top: 10vh;
  }

-  .empty {
-    width: 100%;
-    opacity: 0.8;
+  .inline {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    gap: 1rem;
+    margin-top: 1em;
  }

  .text {
@@ -1,18 +1,33 @@
-import EmptyImage from '../../../assets/images/empty.svg?react';
+import { SupportedEntry } from 'ontime-types';
+import { IoAdd } from 'react-icons/io5';
+
+import { useTranslation } from '../../../translation/TranslationProvider';
+import Button from '../buttons/Button';
+import Empty from './Empty';

 import style from './EmptyTableBody.module.scss';

 interface EmptyTableBodyProps {
-  text: string;
+  handleAddNew?: (type: SupportedEntry) => void;
 }

-export default function EmptyTableBody({ text }: EmptyTableBodyProps) {
+export default function EmptyTableBody({ handleAddNew }: EmptyTableBodyProps) {
+  const { getLocalizedString } = useTranslation();
+  const text = getLocalizedString('common.no_data');
  return (
    <tbody className={style.emptyContainer}>
      <tr>
        <td colSpan={99} className={style.emptyCell}>
-          <EmptyImage className={style.empty} />
-          {text && <span className={style.text}>{text}</span>}
+          <Empty injectedStyles={{ marginTop: '5vh' }} />
+          <span className={style.text}>{text}</span>
+          {handleAddNew && (
+            <div className={style.inline}>
+              <Button onClick={() => handleAddNew(SupportedEntry.Event)} variant='primary' size='large'>
+                <IoAdd />
+                Create Event
+              </Button>
+            </div>
+          )}
        </td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
  renameRundown,
 } from '../api/rundown';

+//TODO: make suspends so we don't have to deal with no value all over
 /**
 * Project rundowns
 */
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';

 import { queryRefetchIntervalSlow } from '../../ontimeConfig';
 import { CURRENT_RUNDOWN_QUERY_KEY, getRundownQueryKey } from '../api/constants';
-import { fetchCurrentRundown } from '../api/rundown';
+import { fetchCurrentRundown, fetchRundown } from '../api/rundown';
 import { useSelectedEventId } from '../hooks/useSocket';
 import { ExtendedEntry, getFlatRundownMetadata, getRundownMetadata } from '../utils/rundownMetadata';
 import { useProjectRundowns } from './useProjectRundowns';
@@ -20,7 +20,11 @@ const cachedRundownPlaceholder: Rundown = {
 };

 /**
- * Normalised rundown data
+ * Normalised rundown data for the currently loaded rundown.
+ *
+ * Bootstraps via the `/current` alias so the first paint is a single round-trip,
+ * independent of the project rundown list. Once the loaded id is known, the
+ * query key swaps to the id-keyed cache that is shared with `useRundownById`.
 */
 export default function useRundown() {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
@@ -34,7 +38,7 @@ export default function useRundown() {
    refetchInterval: queryRefetchIntervalSlow,
  });

-  // Seed the ID-based cache when fetching via the 'current' alias (bootstrap)
+  // Seed the id-keyed cache when fetching via the bootstrap alias
  useEffect(() => {
    if (!data || loadedRundownId) return;
    queryClient.setQueryData(getRundownQueryKey(data.id), data);
@@ -115,3 +119,21 @@ export function useRundownAuxData() {
  }, [data]);
  return { data: filteredData, status };
 }
+
+/**
+ * Provides access to a specific rundown by ID.
+ * When rundownId is null/undefined the query is disabled and returns the placeholder.
+ */
+export function useRundownById(rundownId: string | null | undefined) {
+  const enabled = Boolean(rundownId);
+
+  const { data, status, isError, refetch, isFetching } = useQuery<Rundown>({
+    queryKey: getRundownQueryKey(rundownId ?? ''),
+    queryFn: ({ signal }) => fetchRundown(rundownId!, { signal }),
+    enabled,
+    placeholderData: (previousData, _previousQuery) => previousData,
+    refetchInterval: queryRefetchIntervalSlow,
+  });
+
+  return { data: data ?? cachedRundownPlaceholder, status, isError, refetch, isFetching };
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import { EntryId, Rundown } from 'ontime-types';
+import { useMemo } from 'react';
+
+import { useSelectedEventId } from '../hooks/useSocket';
+import { getFlatRundownMetadata, type ExtendedEntry } from '../utils/rundownMetadata';
+import { useProjectRundowns } from './useProjectRundowns';
+import { useRundownById } from './useRundown';
+
+export type RundownSource = {
+  rundownId: string | null;
+  rundown: Rundown;
+  flatRundown: ExtendedEntry[];
+  status: string;
+  selectedEventId: EntryId | null;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Explicitly scoped rundown data for views that may operate on a non-loaded rundown.
+ */
+export function useScopedRundown(rundownId: string | null): RundownSource {
+  const { data: projectRundowns } = useProjectRundowns();
+  return useRundownSource(rundownId, projectRundowns.loaded || null);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Loaded-rundown source for views that must follow the active runtime rundown.
+ */
+export function useLoadedRundownSource(): RundownSource {
+  const { data: projectRundowns } = useProjectRundowns();
+  const loadedRundownId = projectRundowns.loaded || null;
+  return useRundownSource(loadedRundownId, loadedRundownId);
+}
+
+function useRundownSource(rundownId: string | null, loadedRundownId: string | null): RundownSource {
+  const isLoadedTarget = rundownId !== null && rundownId === loadedRundownId;
+  const runtimeSelectedEventId = useSelectedEventId();
+  const effectiveSelectedEventId = isLoadedTarget ? runtimeSelectedEventId : null;
+  const { data: rundown, status } = useRundownById(rundownId);
+  const flatRundown = useMemo(
+    () => getFlatRundownMetadata(rundown, effectiveSelectedEventId),
+    [effectiveSelectedEventId, rundown],
+  );
+
+  return useMemo(
+    () => ({
+      rundownId,
+      rundown,
+      flatRundown,
+      status,
+      selectedEventId: effectiveSelectedEventId,
+    }),
+    [effectiveSelectedEventId, flatRundown, rundown, rundownId, status],
+  );
+}
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
  TimeStrategy,
  isOntimeEvent,
  isOntimeGroup,
+  isOntimeMilestone,
 } from 'ontime-types';
 import {
  MILLIS_PER_SECOND,
@@ -63,9 +64,16 @@ export type EventOptions = Partial<{
 }>;

 /**
- * Gather utilities for actions on entries
+ * Gather utilities for actions on entries in the loaded rundown.
 */
-export const useEntryActions = () => {
+export const useEntryActions = () => useEntryActionsForRundown(undefined);
+
+/**
+ * Gather utilities for actions on entries in an explicitly selected rundown.
+ */
+export const useScopedEntryActions = (rundownId: string | null) => useEntryActionsForRundown(rundownId ?? '');
+
+function useEntryActionsForRundown(scopedRundownId: string | undefined) {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
  const {
    linkPrevious,
@@ -75,15 +83,16 @@ export const useEntryActions = () => {
    defaultDangerTime,
    defaultTimerType,
    defaultEndAction,
+    inheritGroupColour,
  } = useEditorSettings();

  const resolveCurrentRundownQueryKey = useCallback(() => {
-    const loadedRundownId = queryClient.getQueryData<ProjectRundownsList>(PROJECT_RUNDOWNS)?.loaded;
-    if (loadedRundownId) {
-      return getRundownQueryKey(loadedRundownId);
+    if (scopedRundownId !== undefined) {
+      return getRundownQueryKey(scopedRundownId);
    }
-    return CURRENT_RUNDOWN_QUERY_KEY;
-  }, [queryClient]);
+    const loadedRundownId = queryClient.getQueryData<ProjectRundownsList>(PROJECT_RUNDOWNS)?.loaded;
+    return loadedRundownId ? getRundownQueryKey(loadedRundownId) : CURRENT_RUNDOWN_QUERY_KEY;
+  }, [queryClient, scopedRundownId]);

  /**
   * Returns the currently loaded rundown
@@ -232,6 +241,14 @@ export const useEntryActions = () => {
        }
      }

+      if (inheritGroupColour && (isOntimeEvent(newEntry) || isOntimeMilestone(newEntry)) && !newEntry.colour) {
+        const parentId = resolveInsertParent(rundownData, newEntry);
+        const maybeParent = parentId ? rundownData.entries[parentId] : null;
+        if (maybeParent && isOntimeGroup(maybeParent)) {
+          newEntry.colour = maybeParent.colour;
+        }
+      }
+
      try {
        await addEntryMutation([rundownId, newEntry]);
      } catch (error) {
@@ -247,6 +264,7 @@ export const useEntryActions = () => {
      defaultTimerType,
      defaultEndAction,
      defaultTimeStrategy,
+      inheritGroupColour,
      addEntryMutation,
    ],
  );
@@ -1004,7 +1022,7 @@ export const useEntryActions = () => {
      updateTimer,
    ],
  );
-};
+}

 /**
 * Utility to optimistically delete entries from client cache
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ type EditorSettingsStore = {
  defaultDangerTime: string;
  defaultTimerType: TimerType;
  defaultEndAction: EndAction;
+  inheritGroupColour: boolean;
  setDefaultDuration: (defaultDuration: string) => void;
  setLinkPrevious: (linkPrevious: boolean) => void;
+  setInheritGroupColour: (inheritGroupColour: boolean) => void;
  setTimeStrategy: (timeStrategy: TimeStrategy) => void;
  setWarnTime: (warnTime: string) => void;
  setDangerTime: (dangerTime: string) => void;
@@ -29,6 +31,7 @@ export const editorSettingsDefaults = {
  dangerTime: '00:01:00', // 60000 same as backend
  timerType: TimerType.CountDown,
  endAction: EndAction.None,
+  inheritGroupColour: false,
 };

 enum EditorSettingsKeys {
@@ -39,6 +42,7 @@ enum EditorSettingsKeys {
  DefaultDangerTime = 'ontime-default-danger-time',
  DefaultTimerType = 'ontime-default-timer-type',
  DefaultEndAction = 'ontime-default-end-action',
+  InheritGroupColour = 'ontime-inherit-group-colour',
 }

 export const useEditorSettings = create<EditorSettingsStore>((set) => {
@@ -59,6 +63,10 @@ export const useEditorSettings = create<EditorSettingsStore>((set) => {
      localStorage.getItem(EditorSettingsKeys.DefaultEndAction),
      editorSettingsDefaults.endAction,
    ),
+    inheritGroupColour: booleanFromLocalStorage(
+      EditorSettingsKeys.InheritGroupColour,
+      editorSettingsDefaults.inheritGroupColour,
+    ),

    setDefaultDuration: (defaultDuration) =>
      set(() => {
@@ -97,5 +105,10 @@ export const useEditorSettings = create<EditorSettingsStore>((set) => {
        localStorage.setItem(EditorSettingsKeys.DefaultEndAction, String(defaultEndAction));
        return { defaultEndAction };
      }),
+    setInheritGroupColour: (inheritGroupColour) =>
+      set(() => {
+        localStorage.setItem(EditorSettingsKeys.InheritGroupColour, String(inheritGroupColour));
+        return { inheritGroupColour };
+      }),
  };
 });
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@ describe('getRouteFromPreset()', () => {
      options: {},
    },
  ];
+  const disabledPresets: URLPreset[] = [
+    {
+      enabled: false,
+      alias: 'demopage',
+      target: OntimeView.Timer,
+      search: 'user=guest',
+      options: {},
+    },
+  ];

  it('checks if the current location matches an enabled preset', () => {
    // we make the current location be the alias
@@ -47,6 +56,16 @@ describe('getRouteFromPreset()', () => {
    expect(getRouteFromPreset(location, presets)).toStrictEqual('timer?user=guest&alias=demopage');
  });

+  it('checks if the current location matches an enabled preset target', () => {
+    const location = resolvePath('/timer');
+    expect(getRouteFromPreset(location, presets)).toStrictEqual('timer?user=guest&alias=demopage');
+  });
+
+  it('does not redirect disabled presets', () => {
+    const location = resolvePath('/demopage');
+    expect(getRouteFromPreset(location, disabledPresets)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
  it('returns null when already on a preset path', () => {
    const location = resolvePath('/preset/demopage');
    expect(getRouteFromPreset(location, presets)).toBeNull();
@@ -86,6 +105,11 @@ describe('getRouteFromPreset()', () => {
      const location = resolvePath('/demopage?n=1&token=123');
      expect(getRouteFromPreset(location, presets)).toBe('timer?user=guest&alias=demopage&n=1&token=123');
    });
+
+    it('redirects stale unwrapped params back to the saved preset params while preserving feature params', () => {
+      const location = resolvePath('/timer?user=admin&alias=demopage&n=1&token=123');
+      expect(getRouteFromPreset(location, presets)).toBe('timer?user=guest&alias=demopage&n=1&token=123');
+    });
  });

  describe('cuesheet presets', () => {
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ import {
  APP_SETTINGS,
  CLIENT_LIST,
  CSS_OVERRIDE,
-  CUSTOM_FIELDS,
  CURRENT_RUNDOWN_QUERY_KEY,
+  CUSTOM_FIELDS,
  PROJECT_DATA,
  REPORT,
  RUNDOWN,
@@ -213,6 +213,9 @@ export const connectSocket = () => {
            case RefetchKey.Settings:
              ontimeQueryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: APP_SETTINGS });
              break;
+            case RefetchKey.ProjectRundowns:
+              ontimeQueryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: PROJECT_RUNDOWNS });
+              break;
            default: {
              target satisfies never;
              break;
@@ -242,7 +245,9 @@ export function maybeInvalidateRundownCache(revision: MaybeNumber, rundownId?: s
  // skip if we dont recognise the ID the revision is lower
  const queryKey = getRundownQueryKey(rundownId);
  const cachedRundown = ontimeQueryClient.getQueryData<{ revision: number }>(queryKey);
-  if (revision !== null && revision === cachedRundown?.revision) {
+
+  if (revision === cachedRundown?.revision) {
+    // we already have the latest change
    return;
  }

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
  IoPencilOutline,
  IoTrash,
 } from 'react-icons/io5';
+import { TbGhost3 } from 'react-icons/tb';

 import { downloadAsExcel } from '../../../../common/api/excel';
 import { maybeAxiosError } from '../../../../common/api/utils';
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ import { DropdownMenu } from '../../../../common/components/dropdown-menu/Dropdo
 import Tag from '../../../../common/components/tag/Tag';
 import { useMutateProjectRundowns, useProjectRundowns } from '../../../../common/hooks-query/useProjectRundowns';
 import { cx } from '../../../../common/utils/styleUtils';
+import { useDirectLinkToBackgroundEdit } from '../../../../views/cuesheet/useCuesheetRundownSelection';
 import * as Panel from '../../panel-utils/PanelUtils';
 import RundownRenameForm from './composite/RundownRenameForm';
 import { ManageRundownForm } from './ManageRundownForm';
@@ -97,6 +99,8 @@ export default function ManageRundowns() {
    await downloadAsExcel(rundownId, title);
  };

+  const navigateToCuesheet = useDirectLinkToBackgroundEdit();
+
  return (
    <>
      <Panel.Section>
@@ -153,7 +157,7 @@ export default function ManageRundowns() {
                      </td>
                      <td>
                        <DropdownMenu
-                          render={<IconButton variant='ghosted-white' />}
+                          render={<IconButton variant='ghosted-white' data-testId='rundown_menu' />}
                          items={[
                            {
                              type: 'item',
@@ -180,6 +184,12 @@ export default function ManageRundowns() {
                              label: 'Duplicate',
                              onClick: () => submitRundownDuplicate(id),
                            },
+                            {
+                              type: 'item',
+                              icon: TbGhost3,
+                              label: 'Edit in cuesheet',
+                              onClick: () => navigateToCuesheet(id),
+                            },
                            { type: 'divider' },
                            {
                              type: 'destructive',
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export default function RundownDefaultSettings() {
    defaultDangerTime,
    defaultTimerType,
    defaultEndAction,
+    inheritGroupColour,
    setDefaultDuration,
    setLinkPrevious,
    setTimeStrategy,
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ export default function RundownDefaultSettings() {
    setDangerTime,
    setDefaultTimerType,
    setDefaultEndAction,
+    setInheritGroupColour,
  } = useEditorSettings((state) => state);

  const durationInMs = parseUserTime(defaultDuration);
@@ -44,6 +46,13 @@ export default function RundownDefaultSettings() {
              />
              <Switch size='large' checked={linkPrevious} onCheckedChange={setLinkPrevious} />
            </Panel.ListItem>
+            <Panel.ListItem>
+              <Panel.Field
+                title='Inherit group colour'
+                description='Whether new events and milestones inherit the colour of their parent group'
+              />
+              <Switch size='large' checked={inheritGroupColour} onCheckedChange={setInheritGroupColour} />
+            </Panel.ListItem>
            <Panel.ListItem>
              <Panel.Field
                title='Timer strategy'
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import ErrorBoundary from '../../common/components/error-boundary/ErrorBoundary'
 import ViewNavigationMenu from '../../common/components/navigation-menu/ViewNavigationMenu';
 import ProtectRoute from '../../common/components/protect-route/ProtectRoute';
 import { EntryActionsProvider } from '../../common/context/EntryActionsContext';
+import { useLoadedRundownSource } from '../../common/hooks-query/useScopedRundown';
 import { useEntryActions } from '../../common/hooks/useEntryAction';
 import { useIsSmallDevice } from '../../common/hooks/useIsSmallDevice';
 import { handleLinks } from '../../common/utils/linkUtils';
@@ -104,6 +105,8 @@ interface RundownRootProps {
 }

 function RundownRoot({ isSmallDevice, isExtracted, viewMode, setViewMode }: RundownRootProps) {
+  const source = useLoadedRundownSource();
+
  return (
    <div className={style.rundownRoot}>
      {isSmallDevice ? (
@@ -112,7 +115,7 @@ function RundownRoot({ isSmallDevice, isExtracted, viewMode, setViewMode }: Rund
        <RundownHeader isExtracted={isExtracted} viewMode={viewMode} setViewMode={setViewMode} />
      )}
      {viewMode === RundownViewMode.List ? <RundownList /> : <RundownTable />}
-      {viewMode === RundownViewMode.Table && <EntryEditModal />}
+      {viewMode === RundownViewMode.Table && <EntryEditModal rundown={source.rundown} />}
      <RenumberCuesDialog />
    </div>
  );
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-import { OntimeEntry, isOntimeEvent, isOntimeGroup, isOntimeMilestone } from 'ontime-types';
+import { OntimeEntry, Rundown, isOntimeEvent, isOntimeGroup, isOntimeMilestone } from 'ontime-types';
 import { useMemo } from 'react';

-import useRundown from '../../../common/hooks-query/useRundown';
 import EventEditor from './EventEditor';
 import GroupEditor from './GroupEditor';
 import MilestoneEditor from './MilestoneEditor';
@@ -10,19 +9,18 @@ import style from './EntryEditor.module.scss';

 interface CuesheetEntryEditorProps {
  entryId: string;
+  rundown: Rundown;
 }

-export default function CuesheetEntryEditor({ entryId }: CuesheetEntryEditorProps) {
-  const { data } = useRundown();
-
+export default function CuesheetEntryEditor({ entryId, rundown }: CuesheetEntryEditorProps) {
  const entry = useMemo<OntimeEntry | null>(() => {
-    if (data.order.length === 0) {
+    if (rundown.order.length === 0) {
      return null;
    }

-    const event = data.entries[entryId];
+    const event = rundown.entries[entryId];
    return event ?? null;
-  }, [entryId, data.order, data.entries]);
+  }, [entryId, rundown.entries, rundown.order.length]);

  if (isOntimeEvent(entry)) {
    return (
@@ -1,39 +0,0 @@
-import { Toolbar } from '@base-ui/react/toolbar';
-import type { Column } from '@tanstack/react-table';
-
-import type { ExtendedEntry } from '../../../common/utils/rundownMetadata';
-import {
-  ColumnSettings,
-  ViewSettings,
-} from '../../../views/cuesheet/cuesheet-table/cuesheet-table-settings/CuesheetTableSettings';
-import { usePersistedRundownOptions } from '../rundown.options';
-
-import style from '../../../views/cuesheet/cuesheet-table/cuesheet-table-settings/CuesheetTableSettings.module.scss';
-
-interface EditorTableSettingsProps {
-  columns: Column<ExtendedEntry, unknown>[];
-  handleResetResizing: () => void;
-  handleResetReordering: () => void;
-  handleClearToggles: () => void;
-}
-
-export default function EditorTableSettings({
-  columns,
-  handleResetResizing,
-  handleResetReordering,
-  handleClearToggles,
-}: EditorTableSettingsProps) {
-  const options = usePersistedRundownOptions();
-
-  return (
-    <Toolbar.Root className={style.tableSettings}>
-      <ViewSettings optionsStore={options} />
-      <ColumnSettings
-        columns={columns}
-        handleResetResizing={handleResetResizing}
-        handleResetReordering={handleResetReordering}
-        handleClearToggles={handleClearToggles}
-      />
-    </Toolbar.Root>
-  );
-}
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import { memo, useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';

 import EmptyPage from '../../../common/components/state/EmptyPage';
+import { EntryActionsProvider } from '../../../common/context/EntryActionsContext';
 import useCustomFields from '../../../common/hooks-query/useCustomFields';
+import { useLoadedRundownSource } from '../../../common/hooks-query/useScopedRundown';
+import { useEntryActions } from '../../../common/hooks/useEntryAction';
 import CuesheetDnd from '../../../views/cuesheet/cuesheet-dnd/CuesheetDnd';
 import CuesheetTable from '../../../views/cuesheet/cuesheet-table/CuesheetTable';
 import { useCuesheetPermissions } from '../../../views/cuesheet/useTablePermissions';
@@ -13,6 +16,8 @@ function RundownTable() {
  const { data: customFields, status: customFieldStatus } = useCustomFields();
  const setPermissions = useCuesheetPermissions((state) => state.setPermissions);
  const { editorMode } = useEditorFollowMode();
+  const source = useLoadedRundownSource();
+  const actions = useEntryActions();

  // Editor always has full permissions
  useEffect(() => {
@@ -30,12 +35,14 @@ function RundownTable() {
  const isLoading = !customFields || customFieldStatus === 'pending';

  return (
-    <CuesheetDnd columns={columns} tableRoot='editor'>
-      {isLoading ? (
-        <EmptyPage text='Loading...' />
-      ) : (
-        <CuesheetTable columns={columns} cuesheetMode={editorMode} tableRoot='editor' />
-      )}
-    </CuesheetDnd>
+    <EntryActionsProvider actions={actions}>
+      <CuesheetDnd columns={columns} tableRoot='editor'>
+        {isLoading ? (
+          <EmptyPage text='Loading...' />
+        ) : (
+          <CuesheetTable columns={columns} source={source} cuesheetMode={editorMode} tableRoot='editor' />
+        )}
+      </CuesheetDnd>
+    </EntryActionsProvider>
  );
 }
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { EntryId, MaybeNumber, ProjectRundownsList, Rundown, isOntimeEvent } fro
 import { MouseEvent } from 'react';
 import { create } from 'zustand';

-import { CURRENT_RUNDOWN_QUERY_KEY, PROJECT_RUNDOWNS, getRundownQueryKey } from '../../common/api/constants';
+import { PROJECT_RUNDOWNS, getRundownQueryKey } from '../../common/api/constants';
 import { ontimeQueryClient } from '../../common/queryClient';
 import { isMacOS } from '../../common/utils/deviceUtils';

@@ -137,12 +137,9 @@ export const useEventSelection = create<EventSelectionStore>()((set, get) => ({
 }));

 function getLoadedRundownData() {
-  const loadedRundownId = ontimeQueryClient.getQueryData<ProjectRundownsList>(PROJECT_RUNDOWNS)?.loaded;
-  if (loadedRundownId) {
-    return ontimeQueryClient.getQueryData<Rundown>(getRundownQueryKey(loadedRundownId));
-  }
-
-  return ontimeQueryClient.getQueryData<Rundown>(CURRENT_RUNDOWN_QUERY_KEY);
+  const rundownId = ontimeQueryClient.getQueryData<ProjectRundownsList>(PROJECT_RUNDOWNS)?.loaded;
+  if (!rundownId) return undefined;
+  return ontimeQueryClient.getQueryData<Rundown>(getRundownQueryKey(rundownId));
 }

 export function getSelectionMode(event: MouseEvent): SelectionMode {
@@ -82,5 +82,5 @@ export const initializeSentry = () => {
    },
  });

-  return Sentry.withSentryReactRouterV6Routing(Routes);
+  return Sentry.withSentryReactRouterV7Routing(Routes);
 };
@@ -14,3 +14,7 @@
    'table';
  color: $ui-white;
 }
+
+.rundownSelect {
+  min-width: min(20rem, calc(100vw - 6rem));
+}
@@ -4,28 +4,34 @@ import { IoApps } from 'react-icons/io5';
 import IconButton from '../../common/components/buttons/IconButton';
 import NavigationMenu from '../../common/components/navigation-menu/NavigationMenu';
 import { EntryActionsProvider } from '../../common/context/EntryActionsContext';
-import { useEntryActions } from '../../common/hooks/useEntryAction';
+import { useScopedRundown } from '../../common/hooks-query/useScopedRundown';
+import { useScopedEntryActions } from '../../common/hooks/useEntryAction';
 import { useWindowTitle } from '../../common/hooks/useWindowTitle';
 import { getIsNavigationLocked } from '../../externals';
 import CuesheetOverview from '../../features/overview/CuesheetOverview';
 import EntryEditModal from './cuesheet-edit-modal/EntryEditModal';
 import CuesheetProgress from './cuesheet-progress/CuesheetProgress';
 import CuesheetTableWrapper from './CuesheetTableWrapper';
+import { FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID, useCuesheetRundownSelection } from './useCuesheetRundownSelection';

 import styles from './CuesheetPage.module.scss';

 export default function CuesheetPage() {
+  'use memo';
  const [isMenuOpen, menuHandler] = useDisclosure();
-  const entryActions = useEntryActions();
+  const { selectedRundownId, loadedRundownId, setSelectedRundownId, projectRundowns } = useCuesheetRundownSelection();
+  const source = useScopedRundown(selectedRundownId === FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID ? loadedRundownId : selectedRundownId);
+
+  const actions = useScopedEntryActions(source.rundownId);

  useWindowTitle('Cuesheet');

  const isLocked = getIsNavigationLocked();

  return (
-    <EntryActionsProvider actions={entryActions}>
+    <EntryActionsProvider actions={actions}>
      <NavigationMenu isOpen={isMenuOpen} onClose={menuHandler.close} />
-      <EntryEditModal />
+      <EntryEditModal rundown={source.rundown} />
      <div className={styles.tableWrapper} data-testid='cuesheet'>
        <CuesheetOverview>
          {!isLocked && (
@@ -35,7 +41,13 @@ export default function CuesheetPage() {
          )}
        </CuesheetOverview>
        <CuesheetProgress />
-        <CuesheetTableWrapper />
+        <CuesheetTableWrapper
+          source={source}
+          selectedRundownId={selectedRundownId}
+          loadedRundownId={loadedRundownId}
+          setSelectedRundownId={setSelectedRundownId}
+          projectRundowns={projectRundowns}
+        />
      </div>
    </EntryActionsProvider>
  );
@@ -1,18 +1,40 @@
+import { MaybeString, ProjectRundown } from 'ontime-types';
 import { memo, use, useMemo } from 'react';

+import Select from '../../common/components/select/Select';
 import EmptyPage from '../../common/components/state/EmptyPage';
 import { PresetContext } from '../../common/context/PresetContext';
 import useCustomFields from '../../common/hooks-query/useCustomFields';
+import type { RundownSource } from '../../common/hooks-query/useScopedRundown';
+import { AppMode } from '../../ontimeConfig';
 import CuesheetDnd from './cuesheet-dnd/CuesheetDnd';
 import { makeCuesheetColumns } from './cuesheet-table/cuesheet-table-elements/cuesheetColsFactory';
 import CuesheetTable from './cuesheet-table/CuesheetTable';
 import { useApplyCuesheetPolicy } from './useApplyCuesheetPolicy';
+import { FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID } from './useCuesheetRundownSelection';
+
+import styles from './CuesheetPage.module.scss';
+
+interface CuesheetTableWrapperProps {
+  source: RundownSource;
+  selectedRundownId: MaybeString;
+  loadedRundownId: string;
+  setSelectedRundownId: (rundownId: string) => void;
+  projectRundowns: ProjectRundown[];
+}

 export default memo(CuesheetTableWrapper);
-function CuesheetTableWrapper() {
-  const { data: customFields, status: customFieldStatus } = useCustomFields();
+function CuesheetTableWrapper({
+  source,
+  selectedRundownId,
+  setSelectedRundownId,
+  loadedRundownId,
+  projectRundowns,
+}: CuesheetTableWrapperProps) {
  const preset = use(PresetContext);
-  const { cuesheetMode, setCuesheetMode } = useApplyCuesheetPolicy(preset);
+  const isCurrentRundown = source.rundownId !== null && source.rundownId === loadedRundownId;
+  const { cuesheetMode, setCuesheetMode } = useApplyCuesheetPolicy(preset, { canRunMode: isCurrentRundown });
+  const { data: customFields, status: customFieldStatus } = useCustomFields();

  const columns = useMemo(
    () => makeCuesheetColumns(customFields, cuesheetMode, preset),
@@ -28,11 +50,66 @@ function CuesheetTableWrapper() {
      ) : (
        <CuesheetTable
          columns={columns}
+          source={source}
          cuesheetMode={cuesheetMode}
          tableRoot='cuesheet'
          setCuesheetMode={setCuesheetMode}
+          isCurrentRundown={isCurrentRundown}
+          insertElement={
+            <>
+              <RundownSelect
+                cuesheetMode={cuesheetMode}
+                selectedRundownId={selectedRundownId}
+                loadedRundownId={loadedRundownId}
+                setSelectedRundownId={setSelectedRundownId}
+                projectRundowns={projectRundowns}
+              />
+            </>
+          }
        />
      )}
    </CuesheetDnd>
  );
 }
+
+interface RundownSelectProps {
+  cuesheetMode: AppMode;
+  selectedRundownId: MaybeString;
+  loadedRundownId: string;
+  setSelectedRundownId: (rundownId: string) => void;
+  projectRundowns: ProjectRundown[];
+}
+
+function RundownSelect({
+  cuesheetMode,
+  projectRundowns,
+  loadedRundownId,
+  selectedRundownId,
+  setSelectedRundownId,
+}: RundownSelectProps) {
+  'use memo';
+  const options = projectRundowns.map(({ id, title }) => ({
+    value: id,
+    label: loadedRundownId === id ? `${title} (loaded)` : title,
+  }));
+  options.unshift({
+    value: FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID,
+    label: 'Follow loaded', // TODO: Better wording and maybe icon? and translation
+  });
+
+  return (
+    <div className={styles.rundownSelect}>
+      <Select
+        value={selectedRundownId ?? undefined}
+        options={options}
+        onValueChange={(value) => {
+          if (value) {
+            setSelectedRundownId(value);
+          }
+        }}
+        disabled={cuesheetMode === AppMode.Run}
+        fluid
+      />
+    </div>
+  );
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { AppMode } from '../../../ontimeConfig';
+import { getEffectiveCuesheetMode } from '../useApplyCuesheetPolicy';
+
+describe('getEffectiveCuesheetMode()', () => {
+  it('honors the stored mode when the user can change mode on the current rundown', () => {
+    const permissions = { canChangeMode: true };
+
+    expect(getEffectiveCuesheetMode(permissions, AppMode.Edit, { canRunMode: true })).toBe(AppMode.Edit);
+    expect(getEffectiveCuesheetMode(permissions, AppMode.Run, { canRunMode: true })).toBe(AppMode.Run);
+  });
+
+  it('forces Run mode when the preset forbids mode changes', () => {
+    const permissions = { canChangeMode: false };
+
+    expect(getEffectiveCuesheetMode(permissions, AppMode.Edit, { canRunMode: true })).toBe(AppMode.Run);
+  });
+
+  it('forces Edit mode for background rundowns without changing the permission policy', () => {
+    const permissions = { canChangeMode: true };
+
+    expect(getEffectiveCuesheetMode(permissions, AppMode.Run, { canRunMode: false })).toBe(AppMode.Edit);
+  });
+});
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import {
+  FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID,
+  getCuesheetRundownStorageKey,
+  resolveSelectedRundownId,
+} from '../useCuesheetRundownSelection';
+
+describe('useCuesheetRundownSelection helpers', () => {
+  it('builds a project-scoped storage key', () => {
+    expect(getCuesheetRundownStorageKey('http://localhost:4001', 'My Project')).toBe(
+      'cuesheet-selected-rundown:http://localhost:4001:My Project',
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to the follow loaded rundown when the stored selection is missing', () => {
+    expect(resolveSelectedRundownId('missing', new Set(['loaded', 'other']))).toBe(FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the stored selection when it still exists in the current project', () => {
+    expect(resolveSelectedRundownId('other', new Set(['loaded', 'other']))).toBe('other');
+  });
+});
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
+import { Rundown } from 'ontime-types';
 import { memo } from 'react';

 import Modal from '../../../common/components/modal/Modal';
 import CuesheetEntryEditor from '../../../features/rundown/entry-editor/CuesheetEventEditor';
 import { useEditModal } from './useEditModal';

+interface EntryEditModalProps {
+  rundown: Rundown;
+}
+
 export default memo(EntryEditModal);
-function EntryEditModal() {
+function EntryEditModal({ rundown }: EntryEditModalProps) {
  const entryId = useEditModal((state) => state.selectedEntryId);
  const closeModal = useEditModal((state) => state.clearSelection);

@@ -19,7 +24,7 @@ function EntryEditModal() {
      onClose={closeModal}
      title='Edit entry'
      showCloseButton
-      bodyElements={<CuesheetEntryEditor entryId={entryId} />}
+      bodyElements={<CuesheetEntryEditor entryId={entryId} rundown={rundown} />}
    />
  );
 }
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useTableNav } from '@table-nav/react';
 import { ColumnDef, Table, getCoreRowModel, useReactTable } from '@tanstack/react-table';
-import { OntimeEntry, TimeField, isOntimeDelay, isOntimeGroup, isOntimeMilestone } from 'ontime-types';
-import { ComponentProps, memo, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
+import { OntimeEntry, SupportedEntry, TimeField, isOntimeDelay, isOntimeGroup, isOntimeMilestone } from 'ontime-types';
+import { ComponentProps, ReactNode, memo, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
 import {
  ContextProp,
  ItemProps,
@@ -14,21 +14,20 @@ import {
 import EmptyPage from '../../../common/components/state/EmptyPage';
 import EmptyTableBody from '../../../common/components/state/EmptyTableBody';
 import { useEntryActionsContext } from '../../../common/context/EntryActionsContext';
-import { useFlatRundownWithMetadata } from '../../../common/hooks-query/useRundown';
-import { useSelectedEventId } from '../../../common/hooks/useSocket';
+import type { RundownSource } from '../../../common/hooks-query/useScopedRundown';
 import type { ExtendedEntry } from '../../../common/utils/rundownMetadata';
-import EditorTableSettings from '../../../features/rundown/rundown-table/EditorTableSettings';
 import { usePersistedRundownOptions } from '../../../features/rundown/rundown.options';
 import { useEventSelection } from '../../../features/rundown/useEventSelection';
 import { AppMode } from '../../../ontimeConfig';
 import { usePersistedCuesheetOptions } from '../cuesheet.options';
+import { useCuesheetPermissions } from '../useTablePermissions';
 import { CuesheetHeader, SortableCuesheetHeader } from './cuesheet-table-elements/CuesheetHeader';
 import DelayRow from './cuesheet-table-elements/DelayRow';
 import EventRow from './cuesheet-table-elements/EventRow';
 import GroupRow from './cuesheet-table-elements/GroupRow';
 import MilestoneRow from './cuesheet-table-elements/MilestoneRow';
 import TableMenu from './cuesheet-table-menu/TableMenu';
-import CuesheetTableSettings from './cuesheet-table-settings/CuesheetTableSettings';
+import CuesheetTableHeaderToolbar from './cuesheet-table-settings/CuesheetTableHeaderToolbar';
 import { useColumnOrder, useColumnSizes, useColumnVisibility } from './useColumnManager';

 import style from './CuesheetTable.module.scss';
@@ -36,30 +35,41 @@ import style from './CuesheetTable.module.scss';
 type CuesheetTableBaseProps = {
  columns: ColumnDef<ExtendedEntry>[];
  cuesheetMode: AppMode;
+  source: RundownSource;
+  insertElement?: ReactNode;
 };

 type EditorCuesheetTableProps = CuesheetTableBaseProps & {
  tableRoot: 'editor';
  setCuesheetMode?: undefined;
+  isCurrentRundown?: undefined;
 };

 type ViewCuesheetTableProps = CuesheetTableBaseProps & {
  tableRoot: 'cuesheet';
  setCuesheetMode: (mode: AppMode) => void;
+  isCurrentRundown?: boolean;
 };

 type CuesheetTableProps = EditorCuesheetTableProps | ViewCuesheetTableProps;

-export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCuesheetMode }: CuesheetTableProps) {
-  const { data, status } = useFlatRundownWithMetadata();
-  const { updateEntry, updateTimer } = useEntryActionsContext();
+export default function CuesheetTable({
+  columns,
+  cuesheetMode,
+  source,
+  tableRoot,
+  setCuesheetMode,
+  isCurrentRundown,
+  insertElement,
+}: CuesheetTableProps) {
+  const { flatRundown, status, selectedEventId } = source;
+  const { updateEntry, updateTimer, addEntry } = useEntryActionsContext();
+  const canCreateEntries = useCuesheetPermissions((state) => state.canCreateEntries) && cuesheetMode === AppMode.Edit;

  const useOptions = tableRoot === 'editor' ? usePersistedRundownOptions : usePersistedCuesheetOptions;
-  const showDelayedTimes = useOptions((state) => state.showDelayedTimes);
-  const hideTableSeconds = useOptions((state) => state.hideTableSeconds);
-  const hideIndexColumn = useOptions((state) => state.hideIndexColumn);
+  const optionsStore = useOptions();
+  const { showDelayedTimes, hideTableSeconds, hideIndexColumn } = optionsStore;

-  const selectedEventId = useSelectedEventId();
  const cursor = useEventSelection((state) => state.cursor);
  const setScrollHandler = useEventSelection((state) => state.setScrollHandler);

@@ -70,7 +80,7 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCue
    () => ({
      handleUpdate: (rowIndex: number, accessor: string, payload: string, isCustom = false) => {
        // check if value is the same
-        const event = data[rowIndex];
+        const event = flatRundown[rowIndex];

        if (!event) {
          return;
@@ -101,7 +111,7 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCue
        hideIndexColumn,
      },
    }),
-    [cuesheetMode, data, hideIndexColumn, hideTableSeconds, showDelayedTimes, updateEntry, updateTimer],
+    [cuesheetMode, flatRundown, hideIndexColumn, hideTableSeconds, showDelayedTimes, updateEntry, updateTimer],
  );

  const { columnOrder, resetColumnOrder } = useColumnOrder(columns, tableRoot);
@@ -109,7 +119,7 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCue
  const { columnVisibility, setColumnVisibility } = useColumnVisibility(tableRoot);

  const table = useReactTable({
-    data,
+    data: flatRundown,
    columns,
    columnResizeMode: 'onChange',
    state: {
@@ -137,13 +147,13 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCue
      return;
    }

-    const eventIndex = data.findIndex((event) => event.id === selectedEventId);
+    const eventIndex = flatRundown.findIndex((event) => event.id === selectedEventId);
    if (eventIndex === -1) {
      return;
    }

    virtuosoRef.current.scrollToIndex({ index: eventIndex, behavior: 'auto', align: 'start', offset: -50 });
-  }, [cuesheetMode, data, selectedEventId]);
+  }, [cuesheetMode, flatRundown, selectedEventId]);

  // Provide an imperative scroll handler for explicit jumps (finder/keyboard)
  useEffect(() => {
@@ -152,7 +162,7 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCue
        return;
      }

-      const eventIndex = data.findIndex((event) => event.id === entryId);
+      const eventIndex = flatRundown.findIndex((event) => event.id === entryId);
      if (eventIndex === -1) {
        return;
      }
@@ -165,7 +175,7 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCue
    return () => {
      setScrollHandler(null);
    };
-  }, [data, setScrollHandler]);
+  }, [flatRundown, setScrollHandler]);

  /**
   * To improve performance on resizing, we memoise the column sizes
@@ -194,8 +204,9 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCue
      listeners,
      rows,
      table,
+      handleAddNew: canCreateEntries ? (type: SupportedEntry) => addEntry({ type }) : undefined,
    }),
-    [columnSizeVars, cursor, listeners, rows, table],
+    [columnSizeVars, cursor, listeners, rows, table, addEntry, canCreateEntries],
  );

  const computeItemKey = useCallback((_: number, item: ExtendedEntry) => item.id, []);
@@ -217,7 +228,7 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCue
    });
  }, [cuesheetMode, hideIndexColumn, table]);

-  const isLoading = !data || status === 'pending';
+  const isLoading = !flatRundown || status === 'pending';

  if (isLoading) {
    return <EmptyPage text='Loading...' />;
@@ -225,26 +236,27 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({ columns, cuesheetMode, tableRoot, setCue

  return (
    <>
-      {tableRoot === 'editor' ? (
-        <EditorTableSettings
-          columns={allLeafColumns}
-          handleResetResizing={resetColumnResizing}
-          handleResetReordering={resetColumnOrder}
-          handleClearToggles={setAllVisible}
-        />
-      ) : (
-        <CuesheetTableSettings
-          columns={allLeafColumns}
-          cuesheetMode={cuesheetMode}
-          setCuesheetMode={setCuesheetMode}
-          handleResetResizing={resetColumnResizing}
-          handleResetReordering={resetColumnOrder}
-          handleClearToggles={setAllVisible}
-        />
-      )}
+      <CuesheetTableHeaderToolbar
+        columns={allLeafColumns}
+        optionsStore={optionsStore}
+        handleResetResizing={resetColumnResizing}
+        handleResetReordering={resetColumnOrder}
+        handleClearToggles={setAllVisible}
+        insertElement={insertElement}
+        modeControls={
+          tableRoot === 'cuesheet'
+            ? {
+                cuesheetMode,
+                setCuesheetMode,
+                isCurrentRundown,
+              }
+            : undefined
+        }
+        showShare={tableRoot === 'cuesheet'}
+      />
      <TableVirtuoso
        ref={virtuosoRef}
-        data={data}
+        data={flatRundown}
        context={virtuosoContext}
        style={tableRoot === 'editor' ? { paddingLeft: '1rem' } : undefined}
        computeItemKey={computeItemKey}
@@ -264,10 +276,13 @@ interface CuesheetVirtuosoContext {
  listeners: ReturnType<typeof useTableNav>['listeners'];
  rows: ReturnType<Table<ExtendedEntry>['getRowModel']>['rows'];
  table: Table<ExtendedEntry>;
+  handleAddNew?: (type: SupportedEntry) => void;
 }

-const EmptyPlaceholder = memo(function EmptyPlaceholder() {
-  return <EmptyTableBody text='No data in rundown' />;
+const EmptyPlaceholder = memo(function EmptyPlaceholder({
+  context,
+}: TableProps & ContextProp<CuesheetVirtuosoContext>) {
+  return <EmptyTableBody handleAddNew={context.handleAddNew} />;
 });

 const CuesheetTableElement = memo(function CuesheetTableElement({
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ function DurationInput({
    setIsEditing(false);
    setTimeout(() => textRef.current?.focusParentElement()); // Immediate timeout to ensure state change takes place first
  };
+  const handleTabOut = useCallback(() => {
+    setIsEditing(false);
+    // Tab moves focus naturally; do not steal it back to parent
+  }, []);

  const handleUpdate = useCallback(
    (newValue: string) => {
@@ -95,8 +99,10 @@ function DurationInput({
      ref={inputRef}
      initialValue={timeString}
      allowSubmitSameValue={!lockedValue} // if the value is not locked, submitting will lock the value
+      submitOnTab={false}
      handleUpdate={handleUpdate}
      handleCancelUpdate={handleFakeBlur}
+      handleTabCancel={handleTabOut}
    />
  ) : (
    <TextLikeInput
@@ -30,15 +30,16 @@ function EditableImage({ initialValue, readOnly, updateValue }: EditableImagePro
    }
  };

+  if (!initialValue && readOnly) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
  if (!initialValue) {
    return (
      <Input
        variant='ghosted'
        className={style.imageInput}
        fluid
-        readOnly={readOnly}
-        // we disable the field to prevent receiving focus
-        disabled={readOnly}
        placeholder='Paste image URL'
        onBlur={(event) => handleUpdate(event.currentTarget.value)}
        onKeyDown={(event) => {
@@ -8,13 +8,24 @@ interface SingleLineCellProps {
  fieldId?: string;
  fieldLabel?: string;
  allowSubmitSameValue?: boolean;
+  submitOnTab?: boolean;
  handleUpdate: (newValue: string) => void;
  handleCancelUpdate?: () => void;
+  handleTabCancel?: () => void;
 }

 const SingleLineCell = forwardRef(
  (
-    { initialValue, fieldId, fieldLabel, allowSubmitSameValue, handleUpdate, handleCancelUpdate }: SingleLineCellProps,
+    {
+      initialValue,
+      fieldId,
+      fieldLabel,
+      allowSubmitSameValue,
+      submitOnTab,
+      handleUpdate,
+      handleCancelUpdate,
+      handleTabCancel,
+    }: SingleLineCellProps,
    inputRef,
  ) => {
    const ref = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
@@ -25,7 +36,9 @@ const SingleLineCell = forwardRef(
      allowKeyboardNavigation: true,
      submitOnEnter: true, // single line should submit on enter
      submitOnCtrlEnter: true,
+      submitOnTab,
      onCancelUpdate: handleCancelUpdate,
+      onTabCancel: handleTabCancel,
    });

    // expose a subset of the methods to the parent
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ function TimeInputDuration({
    setIsEditing(false);
    setTimeout(() => textRef.current?.focusParentElement()); // Immediate timeout to ensure state change takes place first
  };
+  const handleTabOut = useCallback(() => {
+    setIsEditing(false);
+    // Tab moves focus naturally; do not steal it back to parent
+  }, []);

  const handleUpdate = useCallback(
    (newValue: string) => {
@@ -96,8 +100,10 @@ function TimeInputDuration({
      ref={inputRef}
      initialValue={timeString}
      allowSubmitSameValue={!lockedValue} // if the value is not locked, submitting will lock the value
+      submitOnTab={false}
      handleUpdate={handleUpdate}
      handleCancelUpdate={handleFakeBlur}
+      handleTabCancel={handleTabOut}
    />
  ) : (
    <TextLikeInput
@@ -11,78 +11,92 @@ import Checkbox from '../../../../common/components/checkbox/Checkbox';
 import * as Editor from '../../../../common/components/editor-utils/EditorUtils';
 import PopoverContents from '../../../../common/components/popover/Popover';
 import type { ExtendedEntry } from '../../../../common/utils/rundownMetadata';
-import { cx } from '../../../../common/utils/styleUtils';
 import { AppMode } from '../../../../ontimeConfig';
-import { CuesheetOptions, usePersistedCuesheetOptions } from '../../cuesheet.options';
 import { useCuesheetPermissions } from '../../useTablePermissions';
 import CuesheetShareModal from './CuesheetShareModal';

 import style from './CuesheetTableSettings.module.scss';

-interface CuesheetTableSettingsProps {
-  columns: Column<ExtendedEntry, unknown>[];
+type TableHeaderOptionsStore = {
+  hideTableSeconds: boolean;
+  hideIndexColumn: boolean;
+  showDelayedTimes: boolean;
+  hideDelays: boolean;
+  setOption: <K extends keyof TableHeaderOptionValues>(key: K, value: TableHeaderOptionValues[K]) => void;
+};
+
+type TableHeaderOptionValues = Pick<
+  TableHeaderOptionsStore,
+  'hideTableSeconds' | 'hideIndexColumn' | 'showDelayedTimes' | 'hideDelays'
+>;
+
+type TableModeControls = {
  cuesheetMode: AppMode;
  setCuesheetMode: (mode: AppMode) => void;
-  handleResetResizing: () => void;
-  handleResetReordering: () => void;
-  handleClearToggles: () => void;
-}
+  isCurrentRundown?: boolean;
+};

-export interface ViewSettingsProps {
-  optionsStore: CuesheetOptions;
-}
-
-export interface ColumnSettingsProps {
+interface CuesheetTableHeaderToolbarProps {
  columns: Column<ExtendedEntry, unknown>[];
+  optionsStore: TableHeaderOptionsStore;
  handleResetResizing: () => void;
  handleResetReordering: () => void;
  handleClearToggles: () => void;
+  insertElement?: ReactNode;
+  modeControls?: TableModeControls;
+  showShare?: boolean;
 }

-export default function CuesheetTableSettings({
+export default function CuesheetTableHeaderToolbar({
  columns,
-  cuesheetMode,
-  setCuesheetMode,
+  optionsStore,
  handleResetResizing,
  handleResetReordering,
  handleClearToggles,
-}: CuesheetTableSettingsProps) {
+  insertElement,
+  modeControls,
+  showShare = false,
+}: CuesheetTableHeaderToolbarProps) {
  const canChangeMode = useCuesheetPermissions((state) => state.canChangeMode);
  const canShare = useCuesheetPermissions((state) => state.canShare);
-  const options = usePersistedCuesheetOptions();

  const toggleCuesheetMode = (mode: AppMode[]) => {
-    // we need to stop user from deselecting a mode
    const newValue = mode.at(0);
-    if (!newValue) return;
-    setCuesheetMode(newValue);
+    if (!newValue || !modeControls) return;
+    modeControls.setCuesheetMode(newValue);
  };

+  const isBackground = !(modeControls?.isCurrentRundown ?? true);
+
  return (
-    <Toolbar.Root className={style.tableSettings}>
-      <ViewSettings optionsStore={options} />
+    <Toolbar.Root className={style.tableSettings} data-background-rundown={isBackground}>
+      <ViewSettings optionsStore={optionsStore} />
      <ColumnSettings
        columns={columns}
        handleResetResizing={handleResetResizing}
        handleResetReordering={handleResetReordering}
        handleClearToggles={handleClearToggles}
      />
-      {canChangeMode && (
-        <ToggleGroup
-          value={[cuesheetMode]}
-          onValueChange={toggleCuesheetMode}
-          className={cx([style.group, style.apart])}
-        >
-          <Toolbar.Button render={<Toggle />} value={AppMode.Run} className={style.radioButton}>
-            Run
-          </Toolbar.Button>
-          <Toolbar.Button render={<Toggle />} value={AppMode.Edit} className={style.radioButton}>
-            Edit
-          </Toolbar.Button>
-        </ToggleGroup>
+      {modeControls && canChangeMode && (
+        <div className={style.apart}>
+          {insertElement}
+          <ToggleGroup
+            value={[modeControls.cuesheetMode]}
+            onValueChange={toggleCuesheetMode}
+            className={style.group}
+            disabled={!modeControls.isCurrentRundown}
+          >
+            <Toolbar.Button render={<Toggle />} value={AppMode.Run} className={style.radioButton}>
+              Run
+            </Toolbar.Button>
+            <Toolbar.Button render={<Toggle />} value={AppMode.Edit} className={style.radioButton}>
+              Edit
+            </Toolbar.Button>
+          </ToggleGroup>
+        </div>
      )}

-      {canShare && (
+      {showShare && canShare && (
        <>
          <Editor.Separator orientation='vertical' />
          <CuesheetShareModal />
@@ -92,9 +106,18 @@ export default function CuesheetTableSettings({
  );
 }

-export function ViewSettings({ optionsStore }: ViewSettingsProps) {
-  const options = optionsStore;
+interface ViewSettingsProps {
+  optionsStore: TableHeaderOptionsStore;
+}

+interface ColumnSettingsProps {
+  columns: Column<ExtendedEntry, unknown>[];
+  handleResetResizing: () => void;
+  handleResetReordering: () => void;
+  handleClearToggles: () => void;
+}
+
+function ViewSettings({ optionsStore }: ViewSettingsProps) {
  return (
    <Popover.Root>
      <Popover.Trigger
@@ -115,15 +138,15 @@ export function ViewSettings({ optionsStore }: ViewSettingsProps) {
          <Editor.Label className={style.sectionTitle}>Element visibility</Editor.Label>
          <Editor.Label className={style.option}>
            <Checkbox
-              defaultChecked={options.hideTableSeconds}
-              onCheckedChange={(checked) => options.setOption('hideTableSeconds', checked)}
+              defaultChecked={optionsStore.hideTableSeconds}
+              onCheckedChange={(checked) => optionsStore.setOption('hideTableSeconds', checked)}
            />
            Hide seconds in table
          </Editor.Label>
          <Editor.Label className={style.option}>
            <Checkbox
-              defaultChecked={options.hideIndexColumn}
-              onCheckedChange={(checked) => options.setOption('hideIndexColumn', checked)}
+              defaultChecked={optionsStore.hideIndexColumn}
+              onCheckedChange={(checked) => optionsStore.setOption('hideIndexColumn', checked)}
            />
            Hide index column
          </Editor.Label>
@@ -133,15 +156,15 @@ export function ViewSettings({ optionsStore }: ViewSettingsProps) {
          <Editor.Label className={style.sectionTitle}>Table Behaviour</Editor.Label>
          <Editor.Label className={style.option}>
            <Checkbox
-              defaultChecked={options.showDelayedTimes}
-              onCheckedChange={(checked) => options.setOption('showDelayedTimes', checked)}
+              defaultChecked={optionsStore.showDelayedTimes}
+              onCheckedChange={(checked) => optionsStore.setOption('showDelayedTimes', checked)}
            />
            Show delayed times
          </Editor.Label>
          <Editor.Label className={style.option}>
            <Checkbox
-              defaultChecked={options.hideDelays}
-              onCheckedChange={(checked) => options.setOption('hideDelays', checked)}
+              defaultChecked={optionsStore.hideDelays}
+              onCheckedChange={(checked) => optionsStore.setOption('hideDelays', checked)}
            />
            Hide delay entries
          </Editor.Label>
@@ -151,7 +174,7 @@ export function ViewSettings({ optionsStore }: ViewSettingsProps) {
  );
 }

-export function ColumnSettings({
+function ColumnSettings({
  columns,
  handleResetResizing,
  handleResetReordering,
@@ -177,6 +200,7 @@ export function ColumnSettings({
          {columns.map((column) => {
            const columnHeader = column.columnDef.header;
            const visible = column.getIsVisible();
+
            return (
              <Editor.Label key={`${column.id}-${visible}`} className={style.option}>
                <Checkbox defaultChecked={visible} onCheckedChange={column.toggleVisibility} />
@@ -8,6 +8,24 @@
  gap: 1rem;
  font-size: $inner-section-text-size;
  border-radius: 3px 3px 0 0;
+
+  transition: background-color 0.2s ease-in-out;
+
+  &[data-background-rundown='true'] {
+    background-color: rgba($ontime-color, 0.5);
+
+    .apart::before {
+      content: 'BACKGROUND EDIT';
+      color: $ui-white;
+      animation: blinker 2s ease-in-out infinite;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+@keyframes blinker {
+  50% {
+    color: transparent;
+  }
 }

 .sectionTitle {
@@ -43,6 +61,9 @@

 .apart {
  margin-left: auto;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 1rem;
 }

 /** styles should match RundownHeader.module.scss */
@@ -70,12 +91,17 @@
  font-size: calc(1rem - 2px);
  font-weight: 600;

+  &[data-disabled] {
+    cursor: not-allowed;
+    opacity: 0.4;
+  }
+
  &:focus-visible {
    background: transparent;
    outline: 1px solid $blue-500;
  }

-  &:hover:not(:disabled):not(:active) {
+  &:hover:not([data-disabled]):not(:active) {
    background: $gray-1000;
  }

@@ -87,7 +113,7 @@
    background: $blue-700;
    color: $ui-white;

-    &:hover:not(:disabled):not(:active) {
+    &:hover:not([data-disabled]):not(:active) {
      background: $blue-600;
    }
  }
@@ -5,12 +5,33 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';
 import { sessionScope } from '../../externals';
 import { AppMode, sessionKeys } from '../../ontimeConfig';
 import { getCuesheetPermissionsPolicy } from './cuesheet.policies';
+import type { CuesheetPermissions } from './useTablePermissions';
 import { useCuesheetPermissions } from './useTablePermissions';

+type CuesheetPolicyOptions = {
+  // Run mode is only meaningful for the loaded rundown — background rundowns force Edit.
+  canRunMode: boolean;
+};
+
+export function getEffectiveCuesheetMode(
+  permissions: Pick<CuesheetPermissions, 'canChangeMode'>,
+  storedMode: AppMode,
+  { canRunMode }: CuesheetPolicyOptions,
+) {
+  if (!permissions.canChangeMode) {
+    return AppMode.Run;
+  }
+
+  return canRunMode ? storedMode : AppMode.Edit;
+}
+
 /**
 * Applies cuesheet permissions to shared state and exposes the effective mode for the UI.
 */
-export function useApplyCuesheetPolicy(preset: URLPreset | undefined): {
+export function useApplyCuesheetPolicy(
+  preset: URLPreset | undefined,
+  { canRunMode }: CuesheetPolicyOptions,
+): {
  cuesheetMode: AppMode;
  setCuesheetMode: (mode: AppMode) => void;
 } {
@@ -26,16 +47,14 @@ export function useApplyCuesheetPolicy(preset: URLPreset | undefined): {
    defaultValue: preset ? AppMode.Run : AppMode.Edit,
  });

-  const cuesheetMode = permissions.canChangeMode ? storedCuesheetMode : AppMode.Run;
+  const cuesheetMode = getEffectiveCuesheetMode(permissions, storedCuesheetMode, { canRunMode });
+
  const setCuesheetMode = useCallback(
    (mode: AppMode) => {
-      if (!permissions.canChangeMode) {
-        return;
-      }
-
+      if (!permissions.canChangeMode || !canRunMode) return;
      setStoredCuesheetMode(mode);
    },
-    [permissions.canChangeMode, setStoredCuesheetMode],
+    [canRunMode, permissions.canChangeMode, setStoredCuesheetMode],
  );

  // Keep the shared permissions store aligned with the active preset policy.
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import { useSessionStorage } from '@mantine/hooks';
+import { startTransition, useCallback, useMemo } from 'react';
+import { useNavigate } from 'react-router';
+
+import { useOrderedProjectList } from '../../common/hooks-query/useProjectList';
+import { useProjectRundowns } from '../../common/hooks-query/useProjectRundowns';
+import { serverURL } from '../../externals';
+
+export const FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID = '__follow-loaded__' as const;
+
+export function getCuesheetRundownStorageKey(server: string, projectFilename: string) {
+  return `cuesheet-selected-rundown:${server}:${projectFilename}`;
+}
+
+export function resolveSelectedRundownId(storedSelectedRundownId: string | null, availableRundownIds: Set<string>) {
+  if (storedSelectedRundownId && availableRundownIds.has(storedSelectedRundownId)) return storedSelectedRundownId;
+  return FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID;
+}
+
+export function useCuesheetRundownSelection() {
+  'use memo';
+
+  const { data: projectRundowns } = useProjectRundowns();
+  const {
+    data: { lastLoadedProject },
+  } = useOrderedProjectList();
+  const storageKey = useMemo(() => getCuesheetRundownStorageKey(serverURL, lastLoadedProject), [lastLoadedProject]);
+  const [storedSelectedRundownId, setStoredSelectedRundownId] = useSessionStorage<string | null>({
+    key: storageKey,
+    defaultValue: FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID,
+  });
+
+  const availableRundownIds = new Set(projectRundowns.rundowns.map(({ id }) => id)).add(FOLLOW_LOADED_RUNDOWN_ID);
+  const { loaded: loadedRundownId } = projectRundowns;
+
+  const selectedRundownId = resolveSelectedRundownId(storedSelectedRundownId, availableRundownIds);
+
+  return {
+    loadedRundownId,
+    selectedRundownId,
+    projectRundowns: projectRundowns.rundowns,
+    setSelectedRundownId: (rundownId: string) => {
+      startTransition(() => {
+        setStoredSelectedRundownId(rundownId);
+      });
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+export function useDirectLinkToBackgroundEdit() {
+  const {
+    data: { lastLoadedProject },
+  } = useOrderedProjectList();
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const storageKey = getCuesheetRundownStorageKey(serverURL, lastLoadedProject);
+  const [_, setStoredSelectedRundownId] = useSessionStorage<string | null>({ key: storageKey, defaultValue: null });
+
+  return useCallback(
+    async (rundownId: string) => {
+      await navigate('/cuesheet');
+      startTransition(() => setStoredSelectedRundownId(rundownId));
+    },
+    [setStoredSelectedRundownId, navigate],
+  );
+}
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "ontime-electron",
-  "version": "4.8.0",
+  "version": "4.9.0",
  "author": "Carlos Valente",
  "description": "Time keeping for live events",
  "repository": "https://github.com/cpvalente/ontime",
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "@getontime/resolver",
-  "version": "4.8.0",
+  "version": "4.9.0",
  "type": "module",
  "repository": "https://github.com/cpvalente/ontime",
  "types": "./dist/main.d.ts",
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@ export { TimerPhase, Playback, runtimeStorePlaceholder, OffsetMode } from 'ontim
 export type { SimpleTimerState } from 'ontime-types';
 export { SimplePlayback, SimpleDirection } from 'ontime-types';

-// Client
-export type { ClientList, Client } from 'ontime-types';
-
 // entries
 export type {
  OntimeEntry,
@@ -2,21 +2,21 @@
  "name": "ontime-server",
  "type": "module",
  "main": "src/index.ts",
-  "version": "4.8.0",
+  "version": "4.9.0",
  "exports": "./src/index.js",
  "dependencies": {
    "@googleapis/sheets": "^5.0.5",
    "cookie": "1.0.2",
    "cookie-parser": "1.4.7",
-    "cors": "2.8.5",
+    "cors": "2.8.6",
    "dotenv": "^16.0.1",
-    "express": "5.1.0",
-    "express-static-gzip": "3.0.0",
-    "express-validator": "7.2.1",
-    "fast-equals": "^5.0.1",
+    "express": "5.2.1",
+    "express-static-gzip": "3.0.1",
+    "express-validator": "7.3.2",
+    "fast-equals": "^6.0.0",
    "google-auth-library": "^9.4.2",
    "lowdb": "^7.0.1",
-    "multer": "2.1.0",
+    "multer": "2.2.0",
    "ontime-utils": "workspace:*",
    "osc-min": "2.1.2",
    "sanitize-filename": "^1.6.3",
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@
    "xlsx": "^0.18.5"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
-    "@types/cookie-parser": "1.4.9",
+    "@types/cookie-parser": "1.4.10",
    "@types/cors": "2.8.19",
-    "@types/express": "5.0.3",
+    "@types/express": "5.0.6",
    "@types/multer": "2.1.0",
    "@types/node": "catalog:",
    "@types/ws": "^8.5.10",
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import {
  CustomField,
+  EntryId,
  OntimeDelay,
  OntimeEvent,
  OntimeGroup,
  OntimeMilestone,
  Rundown,
  SupportedEntry,
+  isOntimeGroup,
 } from 'ontime-types';

 import { makeNewRundown } from '../../../models/dataModel.js';
@@ -59,13 +61,24 @@ export function makeOntimeMilestone(patch: Partial<OntimeMilestone>): OntimeMile
 }

 /**
- * Utility to create a rundown object
+ * Utility to create a rundown object.
+ * Derives flatOrder from order/entries when the patch does not provide one,
+ * so test fixtures match the shape of a processed rundown.
 */
 export function makeRundown(patch: Partial<Rundown>): Rundown {
-  return {
-    ...makeNewRundown(),
-    ...patch,
-  };
+  const rundown = { ...makeNewRundown(), ...patch };
+  if (!patch.flatOrder) {
+    const flatOrder: EntryId[] = [];
+    for (const id of rundown.order) {
+      flatOrder.push(id);
+      const entry = rundown.entries[id];
+      if (isOntimeGroup(entry)) {
+        flatOrder.push(...entry.entries);
+      }
+    }
+    rundown.flatOrder = flatOrder;
+  }
+  return rundown;
 }

 export function makeCustomField(patch: Partial<CustomField>): CustomField {
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ describe('createTransaction', () => {
    expect(typeof commit).toBe('function');
  });

-  it('should return the updated data after commit is called and writes are scheduled', () => {
+  it('should return the updated data after commit is called and writes are scheduled', async () => {
    const { rundown, customFields, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: true });
    rundown.title = 'Another Title';
    customFields['newField'] = {
@@ -72,8 +72,7 @@ describe('createTransaction', () => {
      colour: 'blue',
    };

-    const updated = commit();
-    vi.runAllTimers();
+    const updated = await commit();

    expect(updated.rundown.title).toBe('Another Title');
    expect(updated.customFields).toHaveProperty('newField');
@@ -132,6 +131,23 @@ describe('processRundown()', () => {
    expect(initResult.entries['3'].type).toBe(SupportedEntry.Delay);
  });

+  it('produces order, flatOrder and applies delays to following events', () => {
+    const rundown = makeRundown({
+      order: ['1', 'delay', '2'],
+      entries: {
+        '1': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '1', timeStart: 0, timeEnd: 1000, duration: 1000 }),
+        delay: makeOntimeDelay({ id: 'delay', duration: 250 }),
+        '2': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '2', timeStart: 1000, timeEnd: 2000, duration: 1000 }),
+      },
+    });
+
+    const processed = processRundown(rundown, {});
+
+    expect(processed.order).toEqual(['1', 'delay', '2']);
+    expect(processed.flatEntryOrder).toEqual(['1', 'delay', '2']);
+    expect((processed.entries['2'] as OntimeEvent).delay).toBe(250);
+  });
+
  it('calculates delays versions of a given rundown', () => {
    const rundown = makeRundown({
      order: ['1', '2'],
@@ -1622,6 +1638,34 @@ describe('rundownMutation.applyDelay()', () => {
      },
    });
  });
+
+  it('uses the passed rundown own order, not the loaded rundown metadata', () => {
+    // The loaded rundown has completely different events
+    const loadedRundown = makeRundown({
+      order: ['loaded-delay', 'loaded-ev'],
+      entries: {
+        'loaded-delay': makeOntimeDelay({ id: 'loaded-delay', duration: 9999 }),
+        'loaded-ev': makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'loaded-ev', timeStart: 0, timeEnd: 100, duration: 100 }),
+      },
+    });
+    rundownCache.init(loadedRundown, {});
+
+    // Background rundown is independent of the loaded one
+    const bgRundown = makeRundown({
+      order: ['bg-delay', 'bg-ev'],
+      entries: {
+        'bg-delay': makeOntimeDelay({ id: 'bg-delay', duration: 500 }),
+        'bg-ev': makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'bg-ev', timeStart: 0, timeEnd: 200, duration: 200 }),
+      },
+    });
+
+    rundownMutation.applyDelay(bgRundown, bgRundown.entries['bg-delay'] as OntimeDelay);
+
+    // bg-ev must be shifted by its own delay (500), not influenced by the loaded rundown
+    expect((bgRundown.entries['bg-ev'] as OntimeEvent).timeStart).toBe(500);
+    // loaded-ev must be untouched
+    expect((loadedRundown.entries['loaded-ev'] as OntimeEvent).timeStart).toBe(0);
+  });
 });

 describe('rundownMutation.swap()', () => {
@@ -2,13 +2,11 @@ import { EndAction, OntimeEvent, TimeStrategy, TimerType } from 'ontime-types';
 import { MILLIS_PER_HOUR, createEvent } from 'ontime-utils';
 import { assertType } from 'vitest';

-import { demoDb } from '../../../models/demoProject.js';
 import { makeOntimeEvent, makeOntimeGroup, makeRundown } from '../__mocks__/rundown.mocks.js';
 import {
  calculateDayOffset,
  deleteById,
  doesInvalidateMetadata,
-  duplicateRundown,
  getIntegerAndFraction,
  hasChanges,
  makeDeepClone,
@@ -223,25 +221,6 @@ describe('calculateDayOffset()', () => {
  });
 });

-describe('duplicateRundown', () => {
-  it('duplicates a given rundown', () => {
-    const demoRundown = demoDb.rundowns['default'];
-    const title = 'Duplicated Rundown';
-    const duplicatedRundown = duplicateRundown(demoRundown, title);
-
-    expect(duplicatedRundown).toMatchObject({
-      title: title,
-      entries: expect.any(Object),
-      order: expect.any(Array),
-      flatOrder: expect.any(Array),
-    });
-    expect(demoRundown.id).not.toEqual(duplicatedRundown.id);
-    expect(duplicatedRundown.order.length).toEqual(demoRundown.order.length);
-    expect(duplicatedRundown.flatOrder.length).toEqual(demoRundown.flatOrder.length);
-    expect(Object.keys(duplicatedRundown.entries).length).toEqual(Object.keys(demoRundown.entries).length);
-  });
-});
-
 describe('makeDeepClone()', () => {
  it('deep clones a group along with its nested entries', () => {
    const group1 = makeOntimeGroup({ id: 'group1', title: 'Group 1', entries: ['event1', 'event2'] });
@@ -82,56 +82,85 @@ export const getEntryWithId = (entryId: EntryId): OntimeEntry | undefined => cac
 type Transaction = {
  customFields: CustomFields;
  rundown: Rundown;
-  rundownMetadata: Readonly<RundownMetadata>;

-  commit: (shouldProcess?: boolean) => {
+  commit: (shouldProcess?: boolean) => Promise<{
    rundown: Readonly<Rundown>;
-    rundownMetadata: Readonly<RundownMetadata>;
+    rundownMetadata: Readonly<RundownMetadata> | null;
    customFields: Readonly<CustomFields>;
    revision: Readonly<number>;
-  };
+  }>;
 };

 type TransactionOptions = {
  mutableRundown?: boolean;
  mutableCustomFields?: boolean;
+  /**
+   * Target rundown ID. Defaults to the loaded rundown.
+   * When targeting a non-loaded ("background") rundown, the cache and runtime
+   * metadata are bypassed — the rundown is read from disk and persisted directly.
+   */
+  rundownId?: string;
 };

 export function createTransaction(options: TransactionOptions): Transaction {
-  const rundown = options.mutableRundown ? structuredClone(cachedRundown) : cachedRundown;
+  const targetId = options.rundownId ?? cachedRundown.id;
+  const isLoaded = targetId === cachedRundown.id;
+  const sourceRundown: Rundown = isLoaded ? cachedRundown : (getDataProvider().getRundown(targetId) as Rundown);
+  const rundown = options.mutableRundown ? structuredClone(sourceRundown) : sourceRundown;
  const customFields = options.mutableCustomFields ? structuredClone(projectCustomFields) : projectCustomFields;

  /**
-   * Applies a mutated rundown to the cache
+   * Applies a mutated rundown to its persistence target
   * @param shouldProcess - whether the rundown should be processed after the commit
   *                        Some edit mutations, and custom field changes do not require processing
   */
-  function commit(shouldProcess: boolean = true) {
+  async function commit(shouldProcess: boolean = true) {
+    let committedRundown: Readonly<Rundown> = isLoaded ? cachedRundown : rundown;
+    let committedMetadata: RundownMetadata | null = isLoaded ? rundownMetadata : null;
+    let committedRevision: number = sourceRundown.revision;
+
    // if the rundown is mutable we persist the changes
    if (options.mutableRundown) {
-      // update fields which are agnostic of whether the rundown is processed
-      cachedRundown.revision = cachedRundown.revision + 1;
-      cachedRundown.title = rundown.title;
+      if (isLoaded) {
+        // update fields which are agnostic of whether the rundown is processed
+        cachedRundown.revision = cachedRundown.revision + 1;
+        cachedRundown.title = rundown.title;

-      if (!shouldProcess) {
-        // if we dont need to process, we just reassign the commit data to the cache
-        cachedRundown.entries = rundown.entries;
-        cachedRundown.order = rundown.order;
-        cachedRundown.flatOrder = rundown.flatOrder;
+        if (!shouldProcess) {
+          // if we dont need to process, we just reassign the commit data to the cache
+          cachedRundown.entries = rundown.entries;
+          cachedRundown.order = rundown.order;
+          cachedRundown.flatOrder = rundown.flatOrder;
+        } else {
+          const processedData = processRundown(rundown, projectCustomFields, { mutate: true });
+          // update the cache values
+          // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars -- we are not interested in the iteration data
+          const { previousEvent, latestEvent, previousEntry, entries, order, ...metadata } = processedData;
+
+          cachedRundown.entries = entries;
+          cachedRundown.order = order;
+          cachedRundown.flatOrder = metadata.flatEntryOrder;
+          rundownMetadata = metadata;
+        }
+
+        // persist after all mutations are applied
+        await getDataProvider().setRundown(cachedRundown.id, cachedRundown);
+        committedRundown = cachedRundown;
+        committedMetadata = rundownMetadata;
+        committedRevision = cachedRundown.revision;
      } else {
-        const processedData = processRundown(rundown, projectCustomFields);
-        // update the cache values
-        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars -- we are not interested in the iteration data
-        const { previousEvent, latestEvent, previousEntry, entries, order, ...metadata } = processedData;
-
-        cachedRundown.entries = entries;
-        cachedRundown.order = order;
-        cachedRundown.flatOrder = metadata.flatEntryOrder;
-        rundownMetadata = metadata;
+        // background rundown: process if requested, persist directly, no runtime metadata
+        rundown.revision = rundown.revision + 1;
+        if (shouldProcess) {
+          const processedData = processRundown(rundown, projectCustomFields, { mutate: true });
+          rundown.entries = processedData.entries;
+          rundown.order = processedData.order;
+          rundown.flatOrder = processedData.flatEntryOrder;
+        }
+        await getDataProvider().setRundown(targetId, rundown);
+        committedRundown = rundown;
+        committedRevision = rundown.revision;
      }
-
-      // persist after all mutations are applied
-      getDataProvider().setRundown(cachedRundown.id, cachedRundown);
    }

    // if the customFields are mutable we persist the changes
@@ -139,21 +168,20 @@ export function createTransaction(options: TransactionOptions): Transaction {
      projectCustomFields = customFields;

      // persist after reassignment
-      getDataProvider().setCustomFields(projectCustomFields);
+      await getDataProvider().setCustomFields(projectCustomFields);
    }

    return {
-      rundown: cachedRundown,
-      rundownMetadata,
+      rundown: committedRundown,
+      rundownMetadata: committedMetadata,
      customFields: projectCustomFields,
-      revision: cachedRundown.revision,
+      revision: committedRevision,
    };
  }

  return {
    customFields,
    rundown,
-    rundownMetadata,
    commit,
  };
 }
@@ -288,11 +316,11 @@ function reorder(rundown: Rundown, eventFrom: OntimeEntry, eventTo: OntimeEntry,
 * Mutates the given rundown
 */
 function applyDelay(rundown: Rundown, delay: OntimeDelay) {
-  const delayIndex = rundownMetadata.flatEntryOrder.indexOf(delay.id);
+  const delayIndex = rundown.flatOrder.indexOf(delay.id);

  // if the delay is empty, or the last element
  // there is nothing do apply
-  if (delay.duration === 0 || delayIndex === rundownMetadata.flatEntryOrder.length - 1) {
+  if (delay.duration === 0 || delayIndex === rundown.flatOrder.length - 1) {
    return;
  }

@@ -305,8 +333,8 @@ function applyDelay(rundown: Rundown, delay: OntimeDelay) {
  let lastEntry: OntimeEvent | null = null;
  let isFirstEvent = true;

-  for (let i = delayIndex + 1; i < rundownMetadata.flatEntryOrder.length; i++) {
-    const currentId = rundownMetadata.flatEntryOrder[i];
+  for (let i = delayIndex + 1; i < rundown.flatOrder.length; i++) {
+    const currentId = rundown.flatOrder[i];
    const currentEntry = rundown.entries[currentId];

    // we don't do operation on other event types
@@ -588,6 +616,23 @@ export async function updateBackgroundRundown(rundownId: string, rundown: Rundow
  await getDataProvider().setRundown(rundownId, rundown);
 }

+/**
+ * Reads a rundown from disk and returns it in the processed shape used by clients.
+ * Used for non-loaded rundowns — the loaded rundown is served directly from cache.
+ */
+export function getProcessedRundown(rundownId: string): Rundown {
+  const stored = getDataProvider().getRundown(rundownId);
+  const processed = processRundown(stored, getDataProvider().getCustomFields());
+  return {
+    id: stored.id,
+    title: stored.title,
+    entries: processed.entries,
+    order: processed.order,
+    flatOrder: processed.flatEntryOrder,
+    revision: stored.revision,
+  };
+}
+
 /**
 * Adds a new custom field to the object and returns it
 */
@@ -666,7 +711,7 @@ export const customFieldMutation = {
 export function init(initialRundown: Readonly<Rundown>, initialCustomFields: Readonly<CustomFields>) {
  const rundown = structuredClone(initialRundown);
  const customFields = structuredClone(initialCustomFields);
-  const processedData = processRundown(rundown, customFields);
+  const processedData = processRundown(rundown, customFields, { mutate: true });

  // update the cache values
  cachedRundown.id = rundown.id;
@@ -699,72 +744,57 @@ export const rundownCache = {
 };

 /**
- * Utility updates cache after a mutation
- * Handles calculating the rundown metadata
+ * Computes derived rundown metadata (delays, gaps, group times, ordered lists).
+ * By default the input rundown is not mutated — entries are cloned as they are processed.
+ * Callers that own a writable rundown can pass `{ mutate: true }` to skip the per-entry clone.
 * @private should not be called outside of `rundown.dao.ts`, exported for testing
 */
 export function processRundown(
  initialRundown: Readonly<Rundown>,
  customFields: Readonly<CustomFields>,
+  options?: { mutate?: boolean },
 ): ProcessedRundownMetadata {
-  const { process, getMetadata } = makeRundownMetadata(customFields);
+  const { process, getMetadata } = makeRundownMetadata(customFields, options);

  for (let i = 0; i < initialRundown.order.length; i++) {
-    // we assign a reference to the current entry, this will be mutated in place
-    const currentEntryId = initialRundown.order[i];
-    const currentEntry = initialRundown.entries[currentEntryId];
-    if (!currentEntry) {
-      continue;
-    }
-    const { processedEntry } = process(currentEntry, null);
+    const currentEntry = initialRundown.entries[initialRundown.order[i]];
+    if (!currentEntry) continue;

-    // if the event is a group, we process the nested entries
-    // the code here is a copy of the processing of top level events
-    if (isOntimeGroup(processedEntry)) {
-      let groupStartTime = null;
-      let groupEndTime = null;
-      let isFirstLinked = false;
-      const groupEvents: EntryId[] = [];
-      processedEntry.duration = 0;
+    const processedEntry = process(currentEntry, null);
+    if (!isOntimeGroup(processedEntry)) continue;

-      // check if the group contains nested entries
-      for (let j = 0; j < processedEntry.entries.length; j++) {
-        const nestedEntryId = processedEntry.entries[j];
-        const nestedEntry = initialRundown.entries[nestedEntryId];
+    // process nested entries and recompute aggregate group fields
+    let groupStartTime: number | null = null;
+    let groupEndTime: number | null = null;
+    let isFirstLinked = false;
+    const groupEvents: EntryId[] = [];
+    processedEntry.duration = 0;

-        if (!nestedEntry) {
-          continue;
-        }
+    for (let j = 0; j < processedEntry.entries.length; j++) {
+      const nestedEntry = initialRundown.entries[processedEntry.entries[j]];
+      if (!nestedEntry) continue;

-        groupEvents.push(nestedEntry.id);
-        const { processedEntry: processedNestedEntry } = process(nestedEntry, processedEntry.id);
+      groupEvents.push(nestedEntry.id);
+      const processedNestedEntry = process(nestedEntry, processedEntry.id);

-        // we dont extract metadata of skipped events,
-        // if this is not a playable event there is nothing else to do
-        if (!isOntimeEvent(processedNestedEntry) || !isPlayableEvent(processedNestedEntry)) {
-          continue;
-        }
+      // skip metadata aggregation for non-playable nested entries
+      if (!isOntimeEvent(processedNestedEntry) || !isPlayableEvent(processedNestedEntry)) continue;

-        // first start is always the first event
-        if (groupStartTime === null) {
-          groupStartTime = processedNestedEntry.timeStart;
-          isFirstLinked = Boolean(processedNestedEntry.linkStart);
-        }
-
-        // lastEntry is the event with the latest end time
-        groupEndTime = processedNestedEntry.timeEnd;
-        if (j > 0) {
-          processedEntry.duration += processedNestedEntry.gap;
-        }
-        processedEntry.duration = processedEntry.duration + processedNestedEntry.duration;
+      if (groupStartTime === null) {
+        groupStartTime = processedNestedEntry.timeStart;
+        isFirstLinked = Boolean(processedNestedEntry.linkStart);
      }
-
-      // update group metadata
-      processedEntry.timeStart = groupStartTime;
-      processedEntry.timeEnd = groupEndTime;
-      processedEntry.isFirstLinked = isFirstLinked;
-      processedEntry.entries = groupEvents;
+      groupEndTime = processedNestedEntry.timeEnd;
+      if (j > 0) {
+        processedEntry.duration += processedNestedEntry.gap;
+      }
+      processedEntry.duration += processedNestedEntry.duration;
    }
+
+    processedEntry.timeStart = groupStartTime;
+    processedEntry.timeEnd = groupEndTime;
+    processedEntry.isFirstLinked = isFirstLinked;
+    processedEntry.entries = groupEvents;
  }

  return getMetadata();
@@ -205,10 +205,15 @@ export type ProcessedRundownMetadata = RundownMetadata & {

 /**
 * Factory function to create a rundown metadata processor
- * @returns {process, getMetadata} process() - processes entries in order | getMetadata() -> returns the current metadata
+ *
+ * @param customFields project custom fields used to sanitise entries
+ * @param options.mutate when true, entries are mutated in place rather than cloned.
+ *                      Callers must own (or have already cloned) the input rundown.
+ * @returns process() - processes entries in order | getMetadata() returns the accumulated metadata
 */
-export function makeRundownMetadata(customFields: CustomFields) {
-  let rundownMeta: ProcessedRundownMetadata = {
+export function makeRundownMetadata(customFields: CustomFields, options?: { mutate?: boolean }) {
+  const mutate = options?.mutate ?? false;
+  const rundownMeta: ProcessedRundownMetadata = {
    totalDelay: 0,
    totalDuration: 0,
    totalDays: 0,
@@ -228,13 +233,8 @@ export function makeRundownMetadata(customFields: CustomFields) {
    previousEntry: null,
  };

-  function process<T extends OntimeEntry>(
-    entry: T,
-    childOfGroup: EntryId | null,
-  ): { processedData: ProcessedRundownMetadata; processedEntry: T } {
-    const data = processEntry(rundownMeta, customFields, entry, childOfGroup);
-    rundownMeta = data.processedData;
-    return data;
+  function process<T extends OntimeEntry>(entry: T, childOfGroup: EntryId | null): T {
+    return processEntry(rundownMeta, customFields, mutate ? entry : structuredClone(entry), childOfGroup);
  }

  function getMetadata(): ProcessedRundownMetadata {
@@ -245,20 +245,19 @@ export function makeRundownMetadata(customFields: CustomFields) {
 }

 /**
- * Processes a single entry and updates the rundown metadata
+ * Processes a single entry, mutating both `entry` and `rundownMetadata` in place.
+ * Returns the same `entry` reference for caller convenience.
 */
 function processEntry<T extends OntimeEntry>(
  rundownMetadata: ProcessedRundownMetadata,
  customFields: CustomFields,
  entry: T,
  childOfGroup: EntryId | null,
-): { processedData: ProcessedRundownMetadata; processedEntry: T } {
-  const processedData = { ...rundownMetadata };
-  const currentEntry = structuredClone(entry);
-  processedData.flatEntryOrder.push(currentEntry.id);
+): T {
+  rundownMetadata.flatEntryOrder.push(entry.id);

-  if (isOntimeEvent(currentEntry)) {
-    processedData.timedEventOrder.push(currentEntry.id);
+  if (isOntimeEvent(entry)) {
+    rundownMetadata.timedEventOrder.push(entry.id);

    /**
     * 1.Checks that link can be established (ie, events exist and are valid)
@@ -266,91 +265,91 @@ function processEntry<T extends OntimeEntry>(
     * The linked event is always the previous playable event
     * If no previous event exists, the link is removed
     */
-    if (currentEntry.linkStart) {
-      if (processedData.previousEvent) {
-        const timePatch = getLinkedTimes(currentEntry, processedData.previousEvent);
-        currentEntry.timeStart = timePatch.timeStart;
-        currentEntry.timeEnd = timePatch.timeEnd;
-        currentEntry.duration = timePatch.duration;
+    if (entry.linkStart) {
+      if (rundownMetadata.previousEvent) {
+        const timePatch = getLinkedTimes(entry, rundownMetadata.previousEvent);
+        entry.timeStart = timePatch.timeStart;
+        entry.timeEnd = timePatch.timeEnd;
+        entry.duration = timePatch.duration;
      } else {
-        currentEntry.linkStart = false;
+        entry.linkStart = false;
      }
    }

-    // 2. handle custom fields - mutates currentEntry
-    sanitiseCustomFields(customFields, currentEntry);
+    // 2. handle custom fields - mutates entry
+    sanitiseCustomFields(customFields, entry);

-    processedData.totalDays += calculateDayOffset(currentEntry, processedData.previousEvent);
-    currentEntry.dayOffset = processedData.totalDays as Day;
-    currentEntry.delay = 0; // this means we dont calculate delays or gaps for skipped events
-    currentEntry.gap = 0; // this means we dont calculate delays or gaps for skipped events
-    currentEntry.parent = childOfGroup;
+    rundownMetadata.totalDays += calculateDayOffset(entry, rundownMetadata.previousEvent);
+    entry.dayOffset = rundownMetadata.totalDays as Day;
+    entry.delay = 0; // this means we dont calculate delays or gaps for skipped events
+    entry.gap = 0; // this means we dont calculate delays or gaps for skipped events
+    entry.parent = childOfGroup;

    // update rundown metadata, it only concerns playable events
-    if (isPlayableEvent(currentEntry)) {
-      processedData.playableEventOrder.push(currentEntry.id);
+    if (isPlayableEvent(entry)) {
+      rundownMetadata.playableEventOrder.push(entry.id);

      // first start is always the first event
-      if (processedData.firstStart === null) {
-        processedData.firstStart = currentEntry.timeStart;
+      if (rundownMetadata.firstStart === null) {
+        rundownMetadata.firstStart = entry.timeStart;
      }

      // check if event is flagged
-      if (currentEntry.flag) {
-        processedData.flags.push(currentEntry.id);
+      if (entry.flag) {
+        rundownMetadata.flags.push(entry.id);
      }

-      currentEntry.gap = getTimeFrom(currentEntry, processedData.latestEvent);
+      entry.gap = getTimeFrom(entry, rundownMetadata.latestEvent);

-      if (currentEntry.gap === 0) {
+      if (entry.gap === 0) {
        // event starts on previous finish, we add its duration
-        processedData.totalDuration += currentEntry.duration;
-      } else if (currentEntry.gap > 0) {
+        rundownMetadata.totalDuration += entry.duration;
+      } else if (entry.gap > 0) {
        // event has a gap, we add the gap and the duration
-        processedData.totalDuration += currentEntry.gap + currentEntry.duration;
-      } else if (currentEntry.gap < 0) {
+        rundownMetadata.totalDuration += entry.gap + entry.duration;
+      } else {
        // there is an overlap, we remove the overlap from the duration
        // ensuring that the sum is not negative (ie: fully overlapped events)
        // NOTE: we add the gap since it is a negative number
-        processedData.totalDuration += Math.max(currentEntry.duration + currentEntry.gap, 0);
+        rundownMetadata.totalDuration += Math.max(entry.duration + entry.gap, 0);
      }

      // remove eventual gaps from the accumulated delay
      // we only affect positive delays (time forwards)
-      if (processedData.totalDelay > 0 && currentEntry.gap > 0) {
+      if (rundownMetadata.totalDelay > 0 && entry.gap > 0) {
        let correctedDelay = 0;
        // we need to separate the delay that is accumulated from one that may exist after the gap
-        if (isOntimeDelay(processedData.previousEntry)) {
-          correctedDelay = processedData.previousEntry.duration;
-          processedData.totalDelay -= correctedDelay;
+        if (isOntimeDelay(rundownMetadata.previousEntry)) {
+          correctedDelay = rundownMetadata.previousEntry.duration;
+          rundownMetadata.totalDelay -= correctedDelay;
        }
-        processedData.totalDelay = Math.max(processedData.totalDelay - currentEntry.gap, 0);
-        processedData.totalDelay += correctedDelay;
+        rundownMetadata.totalDelay = Math.max(rundownMetadata.totalDelay - entry.gap, 0);
+        rundownMetadata.totalDelay += correctedDelay;
      }

      // current event delay is the current accumulated delay
-      currentEntry.delay = processedData.totalDelay;
+      entry.delay = rundownMetadata.totalDelay;

      // assign data for next iteration
-      processedData.previousEvent = currentEntry;
+      rundownMetadata.previousEvent = entry;

      // lastEntry is the event with the latest end time
-      if (isNewLatest(currentEntry, processedData.latestEvent)) {
-        processedData.latestEvent = currentEntry;
-        processedData.lastEnd = currentEntry.timeEnd;
+      if (isNewLatest(entry, rundownMetadata.latestEvent)) {
+        rundownMetadata.latestEvent = entry;
+        rundownMetadata.lastEnd = entry.timeEnd;
      }
    }
-  } else if (isOntimeDelay(currentEntry)) {
+  } else if (isOntimeDelay(entry)) {
    // !!! this must happen after handling the links
-    processedData.totalDelay += currentEntry.duration;
-    currentEntry.parent = childOfGroup;
+    rundownMetadata.totalDelay += entry.duration;
+    entry.parent = childOfGroup;
  }

  if (!childOfGroup) {
-    processedData.order.push(currentEntry.id);
+    rundownMetadata.order.push(entry.id);
  }
-  processedData.entries[currentEntry.id] = currentEntry;
-  processedData.previousEntry = currentEntry;
+  rundownMetadata.entries[entry.id] = entry;
+  rundownMetadata.previousEntry = entry;

-  return { processedData, processedEntry: currentEntry };
+  return entry;
 }
@@ -5,26 +5,28 @@ import { ErrorResponse, OntimeEntry, ProjectRundownsList, RenumberCues, Rundown
 import { getErrorMessage } from 'ontime-utils';

 import { getDataProvider } from '../../classes/data-provider/DataProvider.js';
-import { makeNewRundown } from '../../models/dataModel.js';
 import { paramsWithId } from '../validation-utils/validationFunction.js';
-import { getCurrentRundown } from './rundown.dao.js';
+import { getCurrentRundown, getProcessedRundown } from './rundown.dao.js';
 import {
  addEntry,
  applyDelay,
  batchEditEntries,
  cloneEntry,
+  createNewRundown,
  deleteAllEntries,
  deleteEntries,
+  deleteRundown,
+  duplicateRundown,
  editEntry,
  groupEntries,
-  initRundown,
  loadRundown,
+  renameRundown,
  renumberEntries,
  reorderEntry,
  swapEvents,
  ungroupEntries,
 } from './rundown.service.js';
-import { duplicateRundown, normalisedToRundownArray } from './rundown.utils.js';
+import { normalisedToRundownArray } from './rundown.utils.js';
 import {
  clonePostValidator,
  entryBatchPutValidator,
@@ -34,8 +36,8 @@ import {
  entryReorderValidator,
  entrySwapValidator,
  rundownArrayOfIds,
+  rundownPatchValidator,
  rundownPostValidator,
-  validateRundownMutation,
 } from './rundown.validation.js';

 export const router: Router = express.Router();
@@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ export const router: Router = express.Router();
 /**
 * Returns all rundowns in the project
 */
-router.get('/', async (_req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRundownsList>) => {
+router.get('/', (_req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRundownsList>) => {
  const projectRundowns = getDataProvider().getProjectRundowns();
  res.json({ loaded: getCurrentRundown().id, rundowns: normalisedToRundownArray(projectRundowns) });
 });
@@ -53,11 +55,24 @@ router.get('/', async (_req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRundownsList>) => {
 /**
 * Returns the current rundown
 */
-router.get('/current', async (_req: Request, res: Response<Rundown>) => {
+router.get('/current', (_req: Request, res: Response<Rundown>) => {
  const rundown = getCurrentRundown();
  res.json(rundown);
 });

+/**
+ * Returns a given rundown in its normalised client shape
+ */
+router.get('/:id', paramsWithId, (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
+  try {
+    const rundown = getProcessedRundown(req.params.id);
+    res.json(rundown);
+  } catch (error) {
+    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+    res.status(404).send({ message });
+  }
+});
+
 /**
 * Loads a given rundown
 */
@@ -76,11 +91,7 @@ router.post('/:id/load', paramsWithId, async (req: Request, res: Response<Projec
 */
 router.post('/', rundownPostValidator, async (req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRundownsList | ErrorResponse>) => {
  try {
-    const emptyRundown = makeNewRundown();
-    emptyRundown.title = req.body.title;
-    await getDataProvider().setRundown(emptyRundown.id, emptyRundown);
-
-    const projectRundowns = getDataProvider().getProjectRundowns();
+    const projectRundowns = await createNewRundown(req.body.title);
    res.status(201).json({ loaded: getCurrentRundown().id, rundowns: normalisedToRundownArray(projectRundowns) });
  } catch (error) {
    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
@@ -96,13 +107,7 @@ router.post(
  paramsWithId,
  async (req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRundownsList | ErrorResponse>) => {
    try {
-      const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
-      const rundown = dataProvider.getRundown(req.params.id);
-
-      const duplicatedRundown: Rundown = duplicateRundown(rundown, `Copy of ${rundown.title}`);
-      await dataProvider.setRundown(duplicatedRundown.id, duplicatedRundown);
-
-      const projectRundowns = getDataProvider().getProjectRundowns();
+      const projectRundowns = await duplicateRundown(req.params.id);
      res.status(201).json({ loaded: getCurrentRundown().id, rundowns: normalisedToRundownArray(projectRundowns) });
    } catch (error) {
      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
@@ -115,54 +120,26 @@ router.post(
 * Patches the data of an existing rundown
 * Currently only the title can be changed
 */
-router.patch('/:id', paramsWithId, async (req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRundownsList | ErrorResponse>) => {
-  try {
-    const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
-    const rundown = dataProvider.getRundown(req.params.id);
-    if (!rundown) throw new Error(`Rundown with ID ${req.params.id} not found`);
-    if (!req.body.title) throw new Error('No title provided');
-
-    await dataProvider.setRundown(rundown.id, { ...rundown, title: req.body.title });
-
-    /**
-     * If loaded we re-init the rundown
-     * This is likely over-kill but the simplest way to ensure state consistency
-     */
-    if (req.params.id === getCurrentRundown().id) {
-      const rundown = dataProvider.getRundown(req.params.id);
-      const customField = dataProvider.getCustomFields();
-      await initRundown(rundown, customField);
+router.patch(
+  '/:id',
+  rundownPatchValidator,
+  async (req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRundownsList | ErrorResponse>) => {
+    try {
+      const projectRundowns = await renameRundown(req.params.id, req.body.title);
+      res.status(200).json({ loaded: getCurrentRundown().id, rundowns: normalisedToRundownArray(projectRundowns) });
+    } catch (error) {
+      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+      res.status(400).send({ message });
    }
-
-    const projectRundowns = getDataProvider().getProjectRundowns();
-    res.status(201).json({ loaded: getCurrentRundown().id, rundowns: normalisedToRundownArray(projectRundowns) });
-  } catch (error) {
-    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-    res.status(400).send({ message });
-  }
-});
+  },
+);

 /**
 * Deletes a rundown if not loaded
 */
 router.delete('/:id', paramsWithId, async (req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRundownsList | ErrorResponse>) => {
  try {
-    if (req.params.id === getCurrentRundown().id) {
-      res.status(400).send({ message: 'Cannot delete loaded rundown' });
-      return;
-    }
-
-    const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
-    const projectRundowns = dataProvider.getProjectRundowns();
-
-    if (Object.keys(projectRundowns).length <= 1) {
-      // might never hit this as it is likely covered by the case of trying to delete the loaded rundown
-      res.status(400).send({ message: 'Cannot delete the last rundown' });
-      return;
-    }
-
-    await dataProvider.deleteRundown(req.params.id);
-    const newProjectRundowns = getDataProvider().getProjectRundowns();
+    const newProjectRundowns = await deleteRundown(req.params.id);
    res.status(200).json({ loaded: getCurrentRundown().id, rundowns: normalisedToRundownArray(newProjectRundowns) });
  } catch (error) {
    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
@@ -180,10 +157,9 @@ router.delete('/:id', paramsWithId, async (req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRu
 router.post(
  '/:rundownId/entry',
  entryPostValidator,
-  validateRundownMutation,
  async (req: Request, res: Response<OntimeEntry | ErrorResponse>) => {
    try {
-      const newEvent = await addEntry(req.body);
+      const newEvent = await addEntry(req.params.rundownId, req.body);
      res.status(201).send(newEvent);
    } catch (error) {
      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
@@ -195,20 +171,15 @@ router.post(
 /**
 * Edits an entry in a given rundown
 */
-router.put(
-  '/:rundownId/entry',
-  entryPutValidator,
-  validateRundownMutation,
-  async (req: Request, res: Response<OntimeEntry | ErrorResponse>) => {
-    try {
-      const event = await editEntry(req.body);
-      res.status(200).send(event);
-    } catch (error) {
-      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-      res.status(400).send({ message });
-    }
-  },
-);
+router.put('/:rundownId/entry', entryPutValidator, async (req: Request, res: Response<OntimeEntry | ErrorResponse>) => {
+  try {
+    const event = await editEntry(req.params.rundownId, req.body);
+    res.status(200).send(event);
+  } catch (error) {
+    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+    res.status(400).send({ message });
+  }
+});

 /**
 * Edits an entry in a given rundown
@@ -216,10 +187,9 @@ router.put(
 router.put(
  '/:rundownId/batch',
  entryBatchPutValidator,
-  validateRundownMutation,
  async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
    try {
-      const rundown = await batchEditEntries(req.body.ids, req.body.data);
+      const rundown = await batchEditEntries(req.params.rundownId, req.body.ids, req.body.data);
      res.status(200).send(rundown);
    } catch (error) {
      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
@@ -234,11 +204,10 @@ router.put(
 router.patch(
  '/:rundownId/reorder',
  entryReorderValidator,
-  validateRundownMutation,
  async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
    try {
      const { entryId, destinationId, order } = req.body;
-      const rundown = await reorderEntry(entryId, destinationId, order);
+      const rundown = await reorderEntry(req.params.rundownId, entryId, destinationId, order);
      res.status(200).send(rundown);
    } catch (error) {
      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
@@ -253,10 +222,9 @@ router.patch(
 router.patch(
  '/:rundownId/applydelay/:id',
  paramsWithId,
-  validateRundownMutation,
  async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
    try {
-      const rundown = await applyDelay(req.params.id);
+      const rundown = await applyDelay(req.params.rundownId, req.params.id);
      res.status(200).send(rundown);
    } catch (error) {
      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
@@ -268,20 +236,15 @@ router.patch(
 /**
 * Swaps data between two Ontime events
 */
-router.patch(
-  '/:rundownId/swap',
-  entrySwapValidator,
-  validateRundownMutation,
-  async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
-    try {
-      const rundown = await swapEvents(req.body.from, req.body.to);
-      res.status(200).send(rundown);
-    } catch (error) {
-      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-      res.status(400).send({ message });
-    }
-  },
-);
+router.patch('/:rundownId/swap', entrySwapValidator, async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
+  try {
+    const rundown = await swapEvents(req.params.rundownId, req.body.from, req.body.to);
+    res.status(200).send(rundown);
+  } catch (error) {
+    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+    res.status(400).send({ message });
+  }
+});

 /**
 * Clones the contents of an entry into a new one
@@ -290,10 +253,9 @@ router.post(
  '/:rundownId/clone/:id',
  paramsWithId,
  clonePostValidator,
-  validateRundownMutation,
  async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
    try {
-      const rundown = await cloneEntry(req.params.id, {
+      const rundown = await cloneEntry(req.params.rundownId, req.params.id, {
        before: req.body?.before,
        after: req.body?.after,
      });
@@ -308,38 +270,28 @@ router.post(
 /**
 * Creates a group out of a list of entries
 */
-router.post(
-  '/:rundownId/group',
-  rundownArrayOfIds,
-  validateRundownMutation,
-  async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
-    try {
-      const rundown = await groupEntries(req.body.ids);
-      res.status(200).send(rundown);
-    } catch (error) {
-      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-      res.status(400).send({ message });
-    }
-  },
-);
+router.post('/:rundownId/group', rundownArrayOfIds, async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
+  try {
+    const rundown = await groupEntries(req.params.rundownId, req.body.ids);
+    res.status(200).send(rundown);
+  } catch (error) {
+    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+    res.status(400).send({ message });
+  }
+});

 /**
 * Dissolves a group by moving its children to the main rundown
 */
-router.post(
-  '/:rundownId/ungroup/:id',
-  paramsWithId,
-  validateRundownMutation,
-  async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
-    try {
-      const rundown = await ungroupEntries(req.params.id);
-      res.status(200).send(rundown);
-    } catch (error) {
-      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-      res.status(400).send({ message });
-    }
-  },
-);
+router.post('/:rundownId/ungroup/:id', paramsWithId, async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
+  try {
+    const rundown = await ungroupEntries(req.params.rundownId, req.params.id);
+    res.status(200).send(rundown);
+  } catch (error) {
+    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+    res.status(400).send({ message });
+  }
+});

 /**
 * Deletes a list of entries by their ID
@@ -347,10 +299,9 @@ router.post(
 router.delete(
  '/:rundownId/entries',
  rundownArrayOfIds,
-  validateRundownMutation,
  async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
    try {
-      const rundown = await deleteEntries(req.body.ids);
+      const rundown = await deleteEntries(req.params.rundownId, req.body.ids);
      res.status(200).send(rundown);
    } catch (error) {
      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
@@ -362,19 +313,15 @@ router.delete(
 /**
 * Deletes all entries in a given rundown
 */
-router.delete(
-  '/:rundownId/all',
-  validateRundownMutation,
-  async (_req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
-    try {
-      const rundown = await deleteAllEntries();
-      res.status(200).send(rundown);
-    } catch (error) {
-      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-      res.status(400).send({ message });
-    }
-  },
-);
+router.delete('/:rundownId/all', async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
+  try {
+    const rundown = await deleteAllEntries(req.params.rundownId);
+    res.status(200).send(rundown);
+  } catch (error) {
+    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+    res.status(400).send({ message });
+  }
+});

 /**
 * Reorders two entries in a rundown
@@ -382,11 +329,10 @@ router.delete(
 router.patch(
  '/:rundownId/renumber',
  entryRenumberValidator,
-  validateRundownMutation,
-  (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
+  async (req: Request, res: Response<Rundown | ErrorResponse>) => {
    try {
      const { ids, prefix, start, increment } = matchedData<RenumberCues>(req);
-      const rundown = renumberEntries(ids, prefix, start, increment);
+      const rundown = await renumberEntries(req.params.rundownId, ids, prefix, start, increment);
      res.status(200).send(rundown);
    } catch (error) {
      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
@@ -16,11 +16,12 @@ import {
  isOntimeEvent,
  isOntimeGroup,
 } from 'ontime-types';
-import { customFieldLabelToKey, getInsertAfterId, resolveInsertParent } from 'ontime-utils';
+import { customFieldLabelToKey, generateId, getInsertAfterId, resolveInsertParent } from 'ontime-utils';

 import { sendRefetch } from '../../adapters/WebsocketAdapter.js';
 import { getDataProvider } from '../../classes/data-provider/DataProvider.js';
 import { logger } from '../../classes/Logger.js';
+import { makeNewRundown } from '../../models/dataModel.js';
 import { setLastLoadedRundown } from '../../services/app-state-service/AppStateService.js';
 import { runtimeService } from '../../services/runtime-service/runtime.service.js';
 import { updateRundownData } from '../../stores/runtimeState.js';
@@ -38,8 +39,8 @@ import { generateEvent, getIntegerAndFraction, hasChanges } from './rundown.util
 /**
 * creates a new entry with given data
 */
-export async function addEntry(eventData: EventPostPayload): Promise<OntimeEntry> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function addEntry(rundownId: string, eventData: EventPostPayload): Promise<OntimeEntry> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });

  // we allow the user to provide an ID, but make sure it is unique
  if (eventData?.id && Object.hasOwn(rundown.entries, eventData.id)) {
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ export async function addEntry(eventData: EventPostPayload): Promise<OntimeEntry
  // make mutations to rundown
  rundownMutation.add(rundown, newEntry, afterId, parent);

-  const { rundownMetadata, revision } = commit();
+  const { rundown: responseRundown, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit();

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -77,14 +78,14 @@ export async function addEntry(eventData: EventPostPayload): Promise<OntimeEntry
    notifyChanges(rundown.id, rundownMetadata, revision, { timer: [newEntry.id], external: true });
  });

-  return newEntry;
+  return responseRundown.entries[newEntry.id] ?? newEntry;
 }

 /**
 * Applies a patch to an entry in the rundown
 */
-export async function editEntry(patch: PatchWithId): Promise<OntimeEntry> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function editEntry(rundownId: string, patch: PatchWithId): Promise<OntimeEntry> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });
  const currentEntry = rundown.entries[patch.id];

  /**
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ export async function editEntry(patch: PatchWithId): Promise<OntimeEntry> {
  }

  const { entry, didInvalidate } = rundownMutation.edit(rundown, patch);
-  const { rundownMetadata, revision } = commit(didInvalidate);
+  const { rundown: responseRundown, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit(didInvalidate);

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -124,14 +125,18 @@ export async function editEntry(patch: PatchWithId): Promise<OntimeEntry> {
    });
  });

-  return entry;
+  return responseRundown.entries[entry.id] ?? entry;
 }

 /**
 * Applies a patch to several entries in the rundown
 */
-export async function batchEditEntries(ids: EntryId[], patch: Partial<OntimeEntry>): Promise<Rundown> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function batchEditEntries(
+  rundownId: string,
+  ids: EntryId[],
+  patch: Partial<OntimeEntry>,
+): Promise<Rundown> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });

  /**
   * We can do some validation globally, but mostly we will validate each entry individually
@@ -176,7 +181,7 @@ export async function batchEditEntries(ids: EntryId[], patch: Partial<OntimeEntr
      batchDidInvalidate = true;
    }
  }
-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit(batchDidInvalidate);
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit(batchDidInvalidate);

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -196,8 +201,8 @@ export async function batchEditEntries(ids: EntryId[], patch: Partial<OntimeEntr
 /**
 * Deletes a known entry from the current rundown
 */
-export async function deleteEntries(entryIds: EntryId[]): Promise<Rundown> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function deleteEntries(rundownId: string, entryIds: EntryId[]): Promise<Rundown> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });

  for (let i = 0; i < entryIds.length; i++) {
    const entry = rundown.entries[entryIds[i]];
@@ -207,7 +212,7 @@ export async function deleteEntries(entryIds: EntryId[]): Promise<Rundown> {
    rundownMutation.remove(rundown, entry);
  }

-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit();
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit();

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -224,12 +229,12 @@ export async function deleteEntries(entryIds: EntryId[]): Promise<Rundown> {
 /**
 * Deletes all entries from the current rundown
 */
-export async function deleteAllEntries(): Promise<Rundown> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function deleteAllEntries(rundownId: string): Promise<Rundown> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });

  rundownMutation.removeAll(rundown);

-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit();
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit();

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -248,8 +253,13 @@ export async function deleteAllEntries(): Promise<Rundown> {
 * Handles moving across root orders (a group order and top level order)
 * @throws if entryId or destinationId not found
 */
-export async function reorderEntry(entryId: EntryId, destinationId: EntryId, order: 'before' | 'after' | 'insert') {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function reorderEntry(
+  rundownId: string,
+  entryId: EntryId,
+  destinationId: EntryId,
+  order: 'before' | 'after' | 'insert',
+) {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });

  // check that both entries exist
  const eventFrom = rundown.entries[entryId];
@@ -261,7 +271,7 @@ export async function reorderEntry(entryId: EntryId, destinationId: EntryId, ord

  rundownMutation.reorder(rundown, eventFrom, eventTo, order);

-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit();
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit();

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -278,18 +288,24 @@ export async function reorderEntry(entryId: EntryId, destinationId: EntryId, ord
 /**
 * @throws if an id is missing or not an Ontime event
 */
-export function renumberEntries(ids: EntryId[], prefix: string, start: string, increment: string): Rundown {
+export async function renumberEntries(
+  rundownId: string,
+  ids: EntryId[],
+  prefix: string,
+  start: string,
+  increment: string,
+): Promise<Rundown> {
  const startNumber = getIntegerAndFraction(start);
  const incrementNumber = getIntegerAndFraction(increment);

  // if the prefix doesn't already include a separator or is empty, then insert a separator
  if (prefix !== '' && !prefix.endsWith('-') && !prefix.endsWith(' ')) prefix += ' ';

-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });

  rundownMutation.renumber(rundown, ids, prefix, startNumber, incrementNumber);

-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit(false);
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit(false);

  setImmediate(() => {
    updateRuntimeOnChange(rundownMetadata);
@@ -303,8 +319,8 @@ export function renumberEntries(ids: EntryId[], prefix: string, start: string, i
 * Applies a delay into the rundown effectively changing the schedule
 * The applied delay is deleted
 */
-export async function applyDelay(delayId: EntryId): Promise<Rundown> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function applyDelay(rundownId: string, delayId: EntryId): Promise<Rundown> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });

  // check that delay exists
  const delay = rundown.entries[delayId];
@@ -316,7 +332,7 @@ export async function applyDelay(delayId: EntryId): Promise<Rundown> {
  rundownMutation.applyDelay(rundown, delay);
  rundownMutation.remove(rundown, delay);

-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit();
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit();

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -333,8 +349,8 @@ export async function applyDelay(delayId: EntryId): Promise<Rundown> {
 /**
 * Swaps the data between two events in the rundown
 */
-export async function swapEvents(fromId: EntryId, toId: EntryId): Promise<Rundown> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function swapEvents(rundownId: string, fromId: EntryId, toId: EntryId): Promise<Rundown> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });
  const eventFrom = rundown.entries[fromId];
  const eventTo = rundown.entries[toId];

@@ -349,7 +365,7 @@ export async function swapEvents(fromId: EntryId, toId: EntryId): Promise<Rundow
  }

  rundownMutation.swap(rundown, eventFrom, eventTo);
-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit();
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit();

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -368,8 +384,8 @@ export async function swapEvents(fromId: EntryId, toId: EntryId): Promise<Rundow
 * Handles cloning children if the entry is a group
 * @throws if the entry to clone does not exist
 */
-export async function cloneEntry(entryId: EntryId, options: InsertOptions): Promise<Rundown> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function cloneEntry(rundownId: string, entryId: EntryId, options: InsertOptions): Promise<Rundown> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });
  const originalEntry = rundown.entries[entryId];

  if (!originalEntry) {
@@ -377,7 +393,7 @@ export async function cloneEntry(entryId: EntryId, options: InsertOptions): Prom
  }

  const newEntry = rundownMutation.clone(rundown, originalEntry, options);
-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit();
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit();

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -400,11 +416,11 @@ export async function cloneEntry(entryId: EntryId, options: InsertOptions): Prom
 /**
 * Groups a list of entries into a new group
 */
-export async function groupEntries(entryIds: EntryId[]): Promise<Rundown> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function groupEntries(rundownId: string, entryIds: EntryId[]): Promise<Rundown> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });

  rundownMutation.group(rundown, entryIds);
-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit();
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit();

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -421,8 +437,8 @@ export async function groupEntries(entryIds: EntryId[]): Promise<Rundown> {
 /**
 * Deletes a group and moves all its children to the top level
 */
-export async function ungroupEntries(groupId: EntryId): Promise<Rundown> {
-  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ mutableRundown: true, mutableCustomFields: false });
+export async function ungroupEntries(rundownId: string, groupId: EntryId): Promise<Rundown> {
+  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });

  const group = rundown.entries[groupId];
  if (!group || !isOntimeGroup(group)) {
@@ -430,7 +446,7 @@ export async function ungroupEntries(groupId: EntryId): Promise<Rundown> {
  }

  rundownMutation.ungroup(rundown, group);
-  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = commit();
+  const { rundown: rundownResult, rundownMetadata, revision } = await commit();

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -465,7 +481,7 @@ export async function createCustomField(customField: CustomField): Promise<Custo
  customFieldMutation.add(customFields, key, customField);

  // Adding a custom field has no immediate implications on the rundown
-  const { customFields: resultCustomFields } = commit(false);
+  const { customFields: resultCustomFields } = await commit(false);

  setImmediate(() => {
    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.CustomFields);
@@ -523,7 +539,7 @@ export async function editCustomField(
  }

  // the custom fields have been removed and there is no processing to be done
-  const { rundownMetadata, revision, customFields: resultCustomFields } = commit(false);
+  const { rundownMetadata, revision, customFields: resultCustomFields } = await commit(false);

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -562,7 +578,7 @@ export async function deleteCustomField(key: CustomFieldKey, projectRundowns: Pr
  customFieldMutation.remove(customFields, key);

  // the custom fields have been removed and there is no processing to be done
-  const { rundownMetadata, revision, customFields: resultCustomFields } = commit(false);
+  const { rundownMetadata, revision, customFields: resultCustomFields } = await commit(false);

  // schedule the side effects
  setImmediate(() => {
@@ -579,7 +595,8 @@ export async function deleteCustomField(key: CustomFieldKey, projectRundowns: Pr
 *
 * @private - exported for testing
 */
-export function updateRuntimeOnChange(rundownMetadata: RundownMetadata) {
+export function updateRuntimeOnChange(rundownMetadata: RundownMetadata | null) {
+  if (!rundownMetadata) return;
  // we only declare the amount of playable events
  const numEvents = rundownMetadata.timedEventOrder.length;

@@ -603,16 +620,15 @@ type NotifyChangesOptions = {
 */
 function notifyChanges(
  rundownId: string | undefined,
-  rundownMetadata: RundownMetadata,
+  rundownMetadata: RundownMetadata | null,
  revision: number,
  options: NotifyChangesOptions,
 ) {
  // notify timer service of changed event
-  if (options.timer && rundownId && isCurrentRundown(rundownId)) {
+  if (rundownMetadata && options.timer && rundownId && isCurrentRundown(rundownId)) {
    runtimeService.notifyOfChangedEvents(rundownMetadata);
  }

-  // notify external services of changes
  if (options.reload) {
    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.All);
  } else if (options.external) {
@@ -627,7 +643,7 @@ export function isCurrentRundown(id: string) {
 /**
 * @throws if the provided id does not exist
 */
-export async function loadRundown(id: string) {
+export function loadRundown(id: string) {
  const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
  if (isCurrentRundown(id)) {
    return dataProvider.getProjectRundowns();
@@ -635,7 +651,7 @@ export async function loadRundown(id: string) {

  const rundown = dataProvider.getRundown(id);
  const customField = dataProvider.getCustomFields();
-  await initRundown(rundown, customField);
+  initRundown(rundown, customField);
  return dataProvider.getProjectRundowns();
 }

@@ -643,11 +659,7 @@ export async function loadRundown(id: string) {
 * Sets a new rundown in the cache
 * and marks it as the currently loaded one
 */
-export async function initRundown(
-  rundown: Readonly<Rundown>,
-  customFields: Readonly<CustomFields>,
-  reload: boolean = false,
-) {
+export function initRundown(rundown: Readonly<Rundown>, customFields: Readonly<CustomFields>, reload: boolean = false) {
  runtimeService.stop();
  const { rundownMetadata, revision } = rundownCache.init(rundown, customFields);
  logger.info(LogOrigin.Server, `Switch to rundown: ${rundown.id}`);
@@ -656,8 +668,93 @@ export async function initRundown(

  setImmediate(() => {
    notifyChanges(rundown.id, rundownMetadata, revision, { timer: true, external: true, reload });
+    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.ProjectRundowns);
    setLastLoadedRundown(rundown.id).catch((error) => {
      logger.error(LogOrigin.Server, `Failed to persist last loaded rundown: ${error}`);
    });
  });
 }
+
+export async function createNewRundown(title: string) {
+  const emptyRundown = makeNewRundown();
+  emptyRundown.title = title;
+  await getDataProvider().setRundown(emptyRundown.id, emptyRundown);
+
+  const projectRundowns = getDataProvider().getProjectRundowns();
+
+  setImmediate(() => {
+    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.ProjectRundowns);
+  });
+
+  return projectRundowns;
+}
+
+/**
+ * duplicate a rundown
+ * @throws
+ */
+export async function duplicateRundown(id: string) {
+  const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
+  const rundown = dataProvider.getRundown(id);
+
+  const newRundownId = generateId();
+  const newRundown: Rundown = structuredClone(rundown);
+  newRundown.id = newRundownId;
+  newRundown.title = `Copy of ${rundown.title}`;
+  newRundown.revision = 0;
+
+  const newProjectRundowns = await dataProvider.setRundown(newRundownId, newRundown);
+
+  setImmediate(() => {
+    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.ProjectRundowns);
+  });
+
+  return newProjectRundowns;
+}
+
+/**
+ * rename a rundown
+ * @throws
+ */
+export async function renameRundown(id: string, title: string) {
+  const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
+  const rundown = dataProvider.getRundown(id);
+  const newProjectRundowns = await dataProvider.setRundown(rundown.id, { ...rundown, title });
+
+  /**
+   * If we are modifying the loaded rundown we re-init it
+   * This is likely over-kill but the simplest way to ensure state consistency
+   */
+  if (isCurrentRundown(id)) {
+    const rundown = dataProvider.getRundown(id);
+    const customField = dataProvider.getCustomFields();
+    initRundown(rundown, customField);
+  } else {
+    setImmediate(() => {
+      sendRefetch(RefetchKey.ProjectRundowns);
+    });
+  }
+
+  return newProjectRundowns;
+}
+
+/**
+ * delete a rundown
+ * @throws
+ */
+export async function deleteRundown(id: string) {
+  if (isCurrentRundown(id)) throw new Error('Cannot delete loaded rundown');
+
+  const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
+  const projectRundowns = dataProvider.getProjectRundowns();
+
+  // might never hit this as it is likely covered by the case of trying to delete the loaded rundown
+  if (Object.keys(projectRundowns).length <= 1) throw new Error('Cannot delete the last rundown');
+  const newProjectRundowns = await dataProvider.deleteRundown(id);
+
+  setImmediate(() => {
+    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.ProjectRundowns);
+  });
+
+  return newProjectRundowns;
+}
@@ -460,20 +460,6 @@ export function normalisedToRundownArray(rundowns: ProjectRundowns): ProjectRund
  });
 }

-/**
- * Duplicates an existing rundown ensuring all IDs are unique
- */
-export function duplicateRundown(rundown: Rundown, newTitle: string): Rundown {
-  const newRundownId = generateId();
-
-  const newRundown = structuredClone(rundown);
-  newRundown.id = newRundownId;
-  newRundown.title = newTitle;
-  newRundown.revision = 0;
-
-  return newRundown;
-}
-
 export type IncrementNumber = {
  integer: number;
  faction: number;
@@ -1,39 +1,19 @@
-import type { NextFunction, Request, Response } from 'express';
 import { body, param } from 'express-validator';

 import { requestValidationFunction } from '../validation-utils/validationFunction.js';
-import { getCurrentRundown } from './rundown.dao.js';

 // #region operations on project rundowns =========================

 export const rundownPostValidator = [body('title').isString().trim().notEmpty(), requestValidationFunction];
+export const rundownPatchValidator = [
+  param('id').isString().trim().notEmpty(),
+  body('title').isString().trim().notEmpty().withMessage('No title provided'),
+  requestValidationFunction,
+];

 // #endregion operations on project rundowns ======================
 // #region operations on rundown entries ==========================

-/**
- * Middleware prevents mutating a rundown that is not selected
- * This allows our service to still only handle the current rundown
- *
- * This would need to be removed in favour or rundown selection if we would like
- * to implement the mutation of background rundowns
- */
-export async function validateRundownMutation(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
-  const { rundownId } = req.params;
-
-  try {
-    if (getCurrentRundown().id !== rundownId) {
-      res.status(404).json({ message: 'Cannot mutate not selected rundown' });
-      return;
-    }
-
-    next();
-  } catch (error) {
-    res.status(404).json({ message: 'Rundown not found' });
-    return;
-  }
-}
-
 export const entryPostValidator = [
  body('type').isString().isIn(['event', 'delay', 'group', 'milestone']),
  body('after').optional().isString(),
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { DeepPartial } from 'ts-essentials';

 import { socket } from '../adapters/WebsocketAdapter.js';
 import { getCurrentRundown, getProjectCustomFields } from '../api-data/rundown/rundown.dao.js';
-import { editEntry, loadRundown } from '../api-data/rundown/rundown.service.js';
+import { editEntry } from '../api-data/rundown/rundown.service.js';
 import { willCauseRegeneration } from '../api-data/rundown/rundown.utils.js';
 import { ONTIME_VERSION } from '../ONTIME_VERSION.js';
 import { auxTimerService } from '../services/aux-timer-service/AuxTimerService.js';
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ const actionHandlers: Record<ApiActionTag, ActionHandler> = {
      throw new Error('Missing Event ID');
    }

-    const { entries } = getCurrentRundown();
+    const { entries, id: currentRundownId } = getCurrentRundown();
    const customFields = getProjectCustomFields();

    const targetEntry = entries[id];
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ const actionHandlers: Record<ApiActionTag, ActionHandler> = {
        Object.assign(patchEntry, newObjectProperty);
      }
    });
-    //TODO: windowed edit function
-    await editEntry(patchEntry);
+
+    await editEntry(currentRundownId, patchEntry);
    return { payload: 'success' };
  },
  /* Message Service */
@@ -307,15 +307,6 @@ const actionHandlers: Record<ApiActionTag, ActionHandler> = {
    runtimeService.setOffsetMode(mode);
    return { payload: 'success' };
  },
-  rundown: async (payload) => {
-    assert.isObject(payload);
-    if ('load' in payload) {
-      assert.isString(payload.load);
-      await loadRundown(payload.load);
-      return { payload: 'success' };
-    }
-    throw new Error('No matching method provided');
-  },
 };

 /**
@@ -101,9 +101,10 @@ function getCustomFields(): Readonly<CustomFields> {
  return db.data.customFields;
 }

-async function setRundown(rundownKey: string, newData: Rundown): Promise<void> {
+async function setRundown(rundownKey: string, newData: Rundown): ReadonlyPromise<ProjectRundowns> {
  db.data.rundowns[rundownKey] = structuredClone(newData);
  await persist();
+  return db.data.rundowns;
 }

 function getSettings(): Readonly<Settings> {
@@ -0,0 +1,260 @@
+# Ontime Sync Engine — Backend Plan
+
+> Status: **draft / requirements**. Scope: backend only. The client/UI integration is
+> deliberately out of scope and will be specified separately.
+
+## 1. Goal
+
+Run **two independent Ontime backends** (typically one **local** and one in the **cloud**) and
+keep them in sync:
+
+- The user, from the client of *one* backend, initiates a sync between the two.
+- After the initial sync, both backends hold the **same project data**.
+- Ongoing **data changes** (rundown edits, custom fields, settings, …) propagate to both.
+- Ongoing **playback actions** (start / stop / pause / roll / load / add-time, messages,
+  aux timers) propagate to both, so both report the same runtime state.
+
+The brief suggests leaning on a CRDT library (Automerge / `automerge-repo`) to do the heavy
+lifting. This document validates that idea against the codebase and proposes a concrete
+architecture.
+
+## 2. What the code actually looks like (validated)
+
+There are **three distinct kinds of state** in the server, and they have very different sync
+requirements. This distinction drives the whole design.
+
+### 2.1 Persistent project data — *the document*
+
+`DatabaseModel` (`packages/types/src/definitions/DataModel.type.ts`):
+
+```ts
+type DatabaseModel = {
+  rundowns: ProjectRundowns;   // Record<RundownId, Rundown>
+  project: ProjectData;
+  settings: Settings;
+  viewSettings: ViewSettings;
+  urlPresets: URLPreset[];
+  customFields: CustomFields;
+  automation: AutomationSettings;
+};
+```
+
+- Persisted by `DataProvider` (`apps/server/src/classes/data-provider/DataProvider.ts`) via
+  **lowdb** to a JSON file, with a **3 s trailing-edge debounced write** (`persist()`).
+- A `Rundown` carries `{ id, title, order, flatOrder, entries, revision }`. `entries` is a
+  `Record<EntryId, OntimeEntry>` — i.e. a map keyed by stable id. `order`/`flatOrder` are
+  arrays of ids.
+- This is **collaborative-document-shaped data**. It is the natural fit for a CRDT.
+
+### 2.2 Rundown cache + transaction layer
+
+`apps/server/src/api-data/rundown/rundown.dao.ts`:
+
+- The **currently loaded** rundown lives in an in-memory `cachedRundown` plus derived
+  `rundownMetadata` (computed schedule: gaps, delays, group times, ordered lists).
+- All edits go through `createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown })` →
+  `rundownMutation.*` (add/edit/remove/reorder/applyDelay/swap/clone/group/ungroup/renumber)
+  → `commit()`. `commit()`:
+  1. bumps `cachedRundown.revision`,
+  2. re-processes derived metadata (`processRundown`),
+  3. persists through `DataProvider.setRundown`.
+- **Non-loaded ("background") rundowns** bypass the cache: read from disk, mutate, persist.
+- `rundown.service.ts` wraps every mutation and, in a `setImmediate`, fires **side effects**:
+  - `updateRuntimeOnChange()` → pushes derived counts into runtime state,
+  - `notifyChanges()` → `runtimeService.notifyOfChangedEvents()` (timer) and
+    `sendRefetch(RefetchKey.Rundown, revision, rundownId)` (tells clients to re-pull).
+
+> Key takeaway: **mutations are funnelled through a single, well-defined chokepoint** with a
+> post-commit side-effect hook. That hook is exactly where remote (synced) changes must also
+> be injected, so that a change arriving from the peer triggers the same cache rebuild +
+> client refetch as a local edit.
+
+The other persistent slices (`project`, `settings`, `viewSettings`, `urlPresets`,
+`customFields`, `automation`) are written **directly** through `DataProvider` setters and do
+**not** go through the transaction/side-effect layer — they emit their own `Refetch` from
+their routers. Sync must cover these too.
+
+### 2.3 Runtime / playback state — *not document data*
+
+`apps/server/src/stores/runtimeState.ts` + `EventTimer` + `runtime.service.ts`:
+
+- Live timer state is **derived every tick from the local wall clock** (`timeCore.now()` =
+  `Date.now()`), recomputed at 30 fps and broadcast to clients at ~1 fps via `eventStore`
+  over the websocket (`MessageTag.RuntimeData`).
+- The **entire playback state collapses to a tiny serialisable record** — the existing
+  `RestorePoint` (`services/restore-service/restore.type.ts`):
+
+  ```ts
+  type RestorePoint = {
+    playback: Playback;
+    selectedEventId: MaybeString;
+    startedAt: MaybeNumber;     // TimeOfDay (ms since local midnight)
+    addedTime: number;
+    pausedAt: MaybeNumber;      // TimeOfDay
+    firstStart: MaybeNumber;    // TimeOfDay
+    startEpoch: Maybe<Instant>; // absolute epoch ms  ← timezone independent
+    currentDay: MaybeNumber;
+  };
+  ```
+
+- `runtimeState.resume(restorePoint, event, rundown, metadata)` already **reconstructs a live
+  playing timer from this record** — this is the mechanism a follower backend will reuse to
+  adopt remote playback state.
+- **Commands** (`start/startById/stop/pause/roll/load*/addTime/setOffsetMode`) all live on the
+  `runtimeService` singleton, decorated with `@broadcastResult`. External callers reach them
+  through `dispatchFromAdapter()` (`integration.controller.ts`) from WS/OSC/HTTP.
+- **Messages** (`message.service.ts`) and **aux timers** (`AuxTimerService`) are additional
+  ephemeral runtime state held in `eventStore`, not in the DB.
+
+> Critical timing observation: `timeCore.toTimeOfDay()` uses the **machine's local timezone
+> offset** (`getTimezoneOffset`). `startEpoch` is absolute and TZ-independent, but `startedAt`,
+> `pausedAt`, `firstStart`, `clock` are all *TimeOfDay in the originating machine's TZ*. A
+> local box and a cloud box in different timezones will **not** interpret a replicated
+> TimeOfDay the same way. Playback sync must therefore anchor on **absolute epoch + the
+> project's configured timezone**, and the follower must **recompute** TimeOfDay-derived
+> fields locally rather than copying them verbatim.
+
+## 3. Does a CRDT fit? — Verdict
+
+**Yes, but only for §2.1 (the project document).** Automerge is a strong fit there:
+
+- Edits are keyed by stable ids (`entries[id]`, `customFields[key]`, rundowns by id), so
+  concurrent edits to *different* entries merge cleanly (Automerge maps merge per-key).
+- It removes the need to hand-roll conflict resolution, op ordering, and incremental
+  catch-up after disconnection.
+
+**No for §2.3 (playback/runtime).** A CRDT is the wrong tool for real-time control:
+
+- Timer ticks must **not** be streamed over the network — each backend already derives them
+  locally from the wall clock. We only need to replicate **intent transitions**.
+- Playback is a control-plane concern with a "last command wins" nature, not a mergeable
+  document.
+
+So the recommendation is a **hybrid**:
+
+| Domain | Mechanism | Library |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Project document (`DatabaseModel`) | CRDT document, incremental sync | `@automerge/automerge-repo` + WS network adapter |
+| Playback / messages / aux timers | Replicated **intent** (LWW register w/ logical clock), recomputed locally | small in-house module over the same socket |
+| Live timer ticks | **Not synced** — derived locally on each node | existing `EventTimer` |
+
+## 4. Topology & connection model
+
+- **Initiation is directional, ongoing sync is bidirectional.** "Sync now" from backend A
+  must choose a **baseline owner** (whose project seeds the shared document). Merging two
+  *unrelated* projects with a CRDT yields a union of both rundowns — almost never what the
+  user wants. So:
+  1. On "sync", A and B establish a connection.
+  2. The chosen baseline (say A) exports its current project as the shared Automerge document;
+     B **adopts** it (forks from A's document so they share lineage/history).
+  3. From then on, both edit the *same* document and `automerge-repo` reconciles incrementally
+     and bidirectionally.
+- **Who dials whom:** the cloud instance (`IS_CLOUD`) has a reachable public endpoint; the
+  local instance is usually behind NAT. The **local node dials out to the cloud node**, and
+  the cloud node acts as the `automerge-repo` sync server / relay. This is exactly the
+  `automerge-repo` WebSocket server/client split.
+- **Sync targets the currently loaded project only** (one Automerge `DocumentId` ↔ one Ontime
+  project). Switching projects detaches/attaches the sync session.
+- **Auth:** the sync socket must authenticate. Reuse the existing auth (`makeAuthenticateMiddleware`
+  / login flow + shared token). The "sync" action carries the peer URL + credentials.
+
+## 5. Integration points (where code hooks in)
+
+1. **DataProvider becomes CRDT-backed (the document).**
+   - The shared Automerge doc holds the persistent `DatabaseModel`.
+   - `DataProvider` read paths return the doc's current value; write paths (`setRundown`,
+     `setCustomFields`, `setSettings`, …) are re-expressed as Automerge `change()` calls.
+   - Granularity: the existing mutations already operate at **per-entry / per-key** level
+     (`rundown.entries[id] = …`, `order.splice(...)`, `customFields[key] = …`). Re-expressing
+     them as Automerge changes at that same granularity gives good merge behaviour without a
+     full rewrite of the mutation algorithms. **Avoid replacing whole `entries`/`order`
+     objects wholesale** — that defeats per-key merge. The current `commit()` reassigns
+     `cachedRundown.entries = entries`; the CRDT adapter needs to apply the *delta* instead.
+   - lowdb persistence stays as a **local durability layer** (or is replaced by Automerge's
+     own storage adapter). Either way the 3 s debounce semantics should be preserved.
+
+2. **Remote-change observer → existing side-effect path.**
+   - Subscribe to Automerge doc changes. When a change arrives **from the peer** (not from a
+     local mutation), run the same post-commit side effects that a local edit would:
+     - rebuild the loaded-rundown cache (`rundownCache.init` / `runtimeState.updateAll`),
+     - `runtimeService.notifyOfChangedEvents(metadata)`,
+     - `sendRefetch(RefetchKey.Rundown | …, revision, rundownId)` to local clients.
+   - This is the single most important hook: it makes remote edits indistinguishable from
+     local edits to everything downstream (clients, timer, integrations).
+
+3. **`revision` semantics.** Today `revision` is a per-rundown monotonic counter used only to
+   tell clients "you're stale, refetch". With two writers it can collide. Options: derive the
+   client-facing revision from the Automerge document heads/hash, or keep the counter as
+   advisory and rely on the refetch always pulling current truth. Recommend deriving a stable
+   version token from Automerge heads.
+
+4. **Playback intent channel.**
+   - Define a replicated `PlaybackIntent` ≈ `RestorePoint` + `offsetMode`, plus `messages` and
+     `auxTimers[1..3]` intent (`{playback, startedAtEpoch, duration, direction}`).
+   - Model as a **LWW register stamped with a logical (Lamport) clock + originating peer id**.
+     Every `runtimeService` command updates the local intent and publishes it; the peer
+     applies it if its stamp is newer.
+   - The follower applies intent via a **resume-style path** (`runtimeState.resume`-like) that
+     **recomputes TimeOfDay fields from `startEpoch` + clock offset + project timezone** — it
+     does *not* copy `startedAt`/`pausedAt` verbatim (see §2.3 timing note).
+   - Live ticks remain local; both nodes converge because they share intent + a common clock.
+
+5. **Clock synchronisation.**
+   - Both nodes must agree on epoch time within tolerance (target sub-100 ms for broadcast use).
+   - Recommend an **application-level offset estimate** over the sync socket (periodic
+     timestamped ping ⇒ Cristian's algorithm / NTP-lite), applied by the follower when
+     interpreting `startEpoch`. Do not assume both machines are NTP-disciplined, but benefit
+     from it when they are.
+
+## 6. Conflict & authority model
+
+- **Document edits:** resolved by Automerge (per-key map merge, RGA for arrays). Define a
+  policy for the rare same-key concurrent edit (Automerge picks a deterministic winner; we
+  may surface a "changed remotely" hint to the editor). Concurrent reorders of the same list
+  are the main thing to test (array CRDT semantics).
+- **Playback:** a human operator drives it; genuinely simultaneous conflicting commands are
+  rare. LWW on the intent register (logical clock + peer id tiebreak) is sufficient for a
+  2-node system and far simpler than a leader-election protocol. Revisit if N>2 is ever needed.
+
+## 7. Phased delivery
+
+1. **Phase 0 — Spec & spike.** Lock requirements (this doc). Spike `automerge-repo` WS
+   client/server between two local server instances; prove a doc round-trips.
+2. **Phase 1 — Document sync (data only).** CRDT-back the `DatabaseModel`; remote-change
+   observer wired into the existing refetch/cache side-effect path. Directional initial seed.
+   No playback sync yet. Deliverable: edits on either node appear on both.
+3. **Phase 2 — Clock sync + playback intent.** Offset estimation; replicate `PlaybackIntent`;
+   follower derives ticks locally. Deliverable: start/stop/pause/roll/load/add-time mirror.
+4. **Phase 3 — Messages & aux timers.** Extend intent channel.
+5. **Phase 4 — Resilience.** Reconnection/catch-up, project-switch handling, auth hardening,
+   conflict UX hints, observability (drift metrics, sync status).
+
+## 8. Open questions / decisions needed
+
+1. **Library:** confirm `@automerge/automerge-repo` (WASM core) vs alternatives (Yjs). Automerge
+   matches the keyed-map data model and brittle-free merges; Yjs is leaner/faster but more
+   text-CRDT oriented. *Recommendation: Automerge.*
+2. **Baseline-owner UX:** when the two projects differ at initiation, is it always
+   "push mine / overwrite theirs", or do we offer "pull theirs"? (Merging unrelated projects is
+   explicitly discouraged.)
+3. **Persistence:** keep lowdb as the local store and treat Automerge as the in-memory
+   sync truth, or move durability to an Automerge storage adapter? Affects crash recovery and
+   the existing `flushPendingWrites`/restore flow.
+4. **Timezone authority:** anchor playback on the **project's configured timezone** (not each
+   machine's local TZ). Confirm where that timezone lives / whether it must be added.
+5. **`report` data** (run history): sync as part of the document, or keep per-instance?
+6. **Scope of N:** is 2 nodes the hard ceiling, or should the intent/authority model leave room
+   for more peers?
+7. **Multiple loaded rundowns / background rundowns:** confirm the whole project document syncs
+   (all rundowns), while only the *loaded* one drives the runtime on each node.
+
+## 9. Risks
+
+- **TimeOfDay vs absolute epoch** across timezones (the single biggest playback-sync trap; §2.3).
+- **Array/order merge** semantics for concurrent reorders — needs explicit test coverage.
+- **`structuredClone`-and-replace** mutation style must be converted to deltas or it will
+  clobber concurrent edits and negate the CRDT.
+- **Document growth / compaction** — Automerge history grows; plan periodic compaction/snapshots.
+- **Bandwidth on the local↔cloud link** — fine for doc deltas + intent; would be a problem if
+  timer ticks were ever streamed (they must not be).
+```
@@ -6,6 +6,53 @@ test('cuesheet displays events', async ({ page }) => {
  await expect(page.getByTestId('cuesheet-event').first()).toBeVisible();
 });

+test('cuesheet datagrid does not submit timer cells on tab-out or escape', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto('/cuesheet');
+
+  const firstEvent = page.getByTestId('cuesheet-event').first();
+  await expect(firstEvent).toBeVisible();
+
+  const durationCell = firstEvent.getByTestId('cuesheet-cell-duration');
+
+  /**
+   * 1. Tab out of a timer cell should not submit the typed value
+   */
+  await durationCell.click();
+  const durationInput = durationCell.locator('input');
+  await expect(durationInput).toBeVisible();
+  const originalDuration = await durationInput.inputValue();
+
+  await durationInput.fill('01:00:00');
+  await durationInput.press('Tab');
+
+  // cell should exit edit mode without submitting
+  await expect(durationInput).not.toBeVisible();
+
+  // re-enter edit mode: original value should be unchanged
+  await durationCell.click();
+  // tabbing selects the next input field so we have to click twice to first leave input field and then select
+  await durationCell.click();
+  await expect(durationCell.locator('input')).toHaveValue(originalDuration);
+  await durationCell.locator('input').press('Escape');
+
+  /**
+   * 2. Escape on a timer cell should not submit, should revert to original value
+   */
+  await durationCell.click();
+  await expect(durationCell.locator('input')).toBeVisible();
+
+  await durationCell.locator('input').fill('02:00:00');
+  await durationCell.locator('input').press('Escape');
+
+  // cell should exit edit mode without submitting
+  await expect(durationCell.locator('input')).not.toBeVisible();
+
+  // re-enter edit mode: original value should be unchanged
+  await durationCell.click();
+  await expect(durationCell.locator('input')).toHaveValue(originalDuration);
+  await durationCell.locator('input').press('Escape');
+});
+
 test('cuesheet datagrid keeps keyboard focus flow while editing text cells', async ({ page }) => {
  await page.goto('/cuesheet');

@@ -55,3 +102,27 @@ test('cuesheet datagrid keeps keyboard focus flow while editing text cells', asy
  await expect(cueEditor).not.toBeFocused();
  await expect(cueEditor).toHaveValue(cueBeforeCancel);
 });
+
+test('cuesheet background edit from empty state', async ({ page }) => {
+  // create an empty rundown
+  await page.goto('/editor');
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Toggle settings' }).click();
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Manage rundowns' }).click();
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'New' }).nth(1).click();
+  const emptyName = `empty-${Date.now()}`;
+  await page.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Rundown title' }).fill(emptyName);
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Create rundown' }).click();
+
+  // edit it in the cuesheet
+  await page.getByRole('row', { name: '0 empty-' }).getByTestId('rundown_menu').click();
+  await page.getByText('Edit in cuesheet').click();
+
+  // expect to see and empty screen
+  await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Create Event' })).toBeVisible();
+
+  // create 1 event
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Create Event' }).click();
+
+  // and expect to find it
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('cuesheet-event')).toBeVisible();
+});
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "ontime",
-  "version": "4.8.0",
+  "version": "4.9.0",
  "description": "Time keeping for live events",
  "keywords": [
    "ontime",
@@ -32,16 +32,16 @@
    "dist-win": "turbo run dist-win --filter=ontime-electron",
    "dist-mac": "turbo run dist-mac --filter=ontime-electron",
    "dist-linux": "turbo run dist-linux --filter=ontime-electron",
-    "e2e": "turbo run build --filter=ontime-ui && pnpm clear-temp && cross-env DEBUG=pw:webserver npx playwright test -c playwright.config.ts",
-    "e2e:ui": "cross-env NODE_ENV=development cross-env DEBUG=pw:webserver npx playwright test --ui -c playwright.config.ts",
-    "e2e:i": "npx playwright codegen",
+    "e2e": "turbo run build --filter=ontime-ui && pnpm clear-temp && cross-env DEBUG=pw:webserver pnpm playwright test -c playwright.config.ts",
+    "e2e:ui": "cross-env NODE_ENV=development cross-env DEBUG=pw:webserver pnpm playwright test --ui -c playwright.config.ts",
+    "e2e:i": "pnpm playwright codegen",
    "clear-temp": "rimraf e2e/tests/fixtures/tmp",
    "test": "turbo run test:pipeline",
    "format": "oxfmt",
    "format:check": "oxfmt --check"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
-    "@playwright/test": "^1.58.2",
+    "@playwright/test": "1.60.0",
    "@types/node": "catalog:",
    "cross-env": "^7.0.3",
    "oxfmt": "^0.42.0",
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
  "devEngines": {
    "runtime": {
      "name": "node",
-      "version": "22.22.2"
+      "version": "22.22.3"
    }
  }
 }
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "version": "4.8.0",
+  "version": "4.9.0",
  "name": "ontime-types",
  "type": "module",
  "main": "./src/index.ts",
@@ -142,18 +142,6 @@ export type OffsetmodeResponse = {
  payload: 'success';
 };

-export type RundownAction = {
-  tag: 'rundown';
-  payload: {
-    /** load a rundown by id */
-    load: string;
-  };
-};
-export type RundownLoadResponse = {
-  tag: 'rundown-load';
-  payload: 'success';
-};
-
 export type ApiAction =
  | VersionAction
  | PollAction
@@ -168,8 +156,7 @@ export type ApiAction =
  | AddtimeAction
  | AuxtimerAction
  | ClientAction
-  | OffsetmodeAction
-  | RundownAction;
+  | OffsetmodeAction;

 export type ApiResponse =
  | VersionResponse
@@ -185,7 +172,6 @@ export type ApiResponse =
  | AddtimeResponse
  | AuxtimerResponse
  | ClientResponse
-  | OffsetmodeResponse
-  | RundownLoadResponse;
+  | OffsetmodeResponse;

 export type ApiActionTag = ApiAction['tag'];
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ export enum RefetchKey {
  All = 'all',
  CustomFields = 'custom-fields',
  ProjectData = 'project-data',
+  ProjectRundowns = 'project-rundowns',
  Report = 'report',
  Rundown = 'rundown',
  UrlPresets = 'url-presets',
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
Claude	50d901f2ca	docs: add backend sync engine plan Specifies requirements and architecture for syncing two independent Ontime backends. Validates the CRDT/Automerge suggestion against the codebase and proposes a hybrid: Automerge document sync for project data, replicated playback-intent (recomputed locally) for runtime. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01S1wpN4k8YeCoZcQhVKXafU	2026-06-22 15:22:54 +00:00
Alex Christoffer Rasmussen	41a09bf5c3	fix: send refetch on all rundown edits (#2098 ) * fix(server): send refetch on all rundown edits * fix(test): cuesheet tabing * chore: remove unneeded async * refactor: small cleanups * chore: spelling Co-authored-by: Carlos Valente <34649812+cpvalente@users.noreply.github.com> * chore: remove unneded async/await --------- Co-authored-by: Carlos Valente <34649812+cpvalente@users.noreply.github.com>	2026-06-20 12:21:11 +02:00
Claude	5dbe7afae8	feat(client): add rundown default to inherit parent group colour	2026-06-20 10:46:34 +02:00
Carlos Valente	6633cfc869	chore: minor server package upgrades	2026-06-20 09:15:23 +02:00
Carlos Valente	d127367df9	chore: minor client package upgrades	2026-06-20 09:15:23 +02:00
Carlos Valente	b21ec41ffd	chore: upgrade base-ui	2026-06-20 09:15:23 +02:00
Carlos Valente	66292bc0cf	chore: upgrade react packages	2026-06-20 09:15:23 +02:00
Alex Christoffer Rasmussen	b946b245c2	feat: create the first event from the cuesheet (#2105 ) * feat: create the first event from the cuesheet * chore: cleanup css * test: cuesheet beckground edit from empty state * feat: only show +event button when user is in edit mode and have full write perms	2026-06-17 22:31:13 +02:00
Carlos Valente	c238147b75	chore: bump node version	2026-06-11 18:58:00 +02:00
Alex Christoffer Rasmussen	5f33c993f6	bump: v4.9.0 (#2095 )	2026-06-07 13:53:25 +02:00
Carlos Valente	0e6d6cd416	refactor: allow secondary rundowns (#2086 ) * refactor: allow secondary rundowns * ui: move dropdown * feat: follow loaded * ui: background edit warning ui: fix disable radio button * feat(ui): add loaded sufix in the rundown list * feat(ui): add direct link to background edit from rundown manager * fix: better fallback * fix: default to is isCurrentRundown for nav bar colour * chore: rename navigate to cuesheet --------- Co-authored-by: alex-arc <ac@omnivox.dk>	2026-06-07 13:33:38 +02:00
Carlos Valente	199dea5df6	fix(cuesheet): prevent timer cells from submitting on tab-out or escape (#2083 )	2026-06-07 12:59:18 +02:00
Alex Christoffer Rasmussen	5a3ea9f7d0	fix: playwright ci test (#2094 )	2026-05-28 09:50:20 +02:00