feat(server): introduce Zod request validation, starting with MCP tools

Adds Zod as the validation library for apps/server (in place of express-validator), scoped here to a low-risk slice rather than a full migration: - MCP tool-call arguments (apps/server/src/api-mcp) are now validated end to end. Every tool's inputSchema is generated from its Zod schema via z.toJSONSchema() instead of hand-maintained JSON Schema literals, and every handler now parses its arguments before use — previously every handler did an unchecked `args as SomeType` cast with no runtime validation at all. - A new validate.ts middleware (validateBody/validateParams) replaces the express-validator chokepoint for two reference routers, session and url-presets, demonstrating the pattern the remaining ~11 routers will follow in later PRs. - An oxlint no-restricted-imports guardrail keeps zod importable only from apps/server, so it can never leak into the apps/client bundle. The bulk of the REST router migration (automation, rundown, and the rest of api-data) is intentionally left for follow-up PRs to keep this change reviewable.
2026-08-06 16:03:52 +00:00 · 2026-07-18 13:34:07 +00:00
130 changed files with 1958 additions and 4579 deletions
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-# CodeGraph data files — local to each machine, not for committing.
-# Ignore everything in .codegraph/ except this file itself, so transient
-# files (the database, daemon.pid, sockets, logs) never show up in git.
-*
-!.gitignore
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
    "no-restricted-imports": [
      "error",
      {
-        "patterns": ["ontime-types/src/*", "ontime-utils/src/*"]
+        "patterns": ["ontime-types/src/*", "ontime-utils/src/*", "zod"]
      }
    ]
  },
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "@getontime/cli",
-  "version": "4.11.0",
+  "version": "4.10.0",
  "author": "Carlos Valente",
  "description": "Time keeping for live events",
  "repository": "https://github.com/cpvalente/ontime",
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "ontime-ui",
-  "version": "4.11.0",
+  "version": "4.10.0",
  "private": true,
  "type": "module",
  "dependencies": {
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import {
  ProjectRundownsList,
  RenumberCues,
  Rundown,
-  RundownImportPayload,
  TransientEventPayload,
 } from 'ontime-types';

@@ -83,15 +82,6 @@ export async function deleteRundown(rundownId: RundownId): Promise<AxiosResponse
  return axios.delete(`${rundownPath}/${rundownId}`);
 }

-/**
- * HTTP request to apply an imported rundown using a merge strategy or into a new rundown
- */
-export async function importRundownWithOptions(
-  payload: RundownImportPayload,
-): Promise<AxiosResponse<ProjectRundownsList>> {
-  return axios.post(`${rundownPath}/import`, payload);
-}
-
 // #endregion operations on project rundowns ======================
 // #region operations on rundown entries ==========================

@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-.kbd {
-  display: inline-block;
-  min-width: 1.5rem;
-  padding: 0.0625rem 0.375rem;
-  border-radius: 2px;
-  background-color: $gray-1100;
-  color: $ui-white;
-  box-shadow: 0 0 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
-  font-family: monospace;
-  font-size: calc(1rem - 4px);
-  line-height: 1.5;
-  text-align: center;
-  white-space: nowrap;
-}
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-import { PropsWithChildren } from 'react';
-
-import style from './Kbd.module.scss';
-
-export default function Kbd({ children }: PropsWithChildren) {
-  return <kbd className={style.kbd}>{children}</kbd>;
-}
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 .wide {
  top: 4vh;
  min-width: min(1280px, 96vw);
-  max-width: min(1800px, 98vw);
+  max-width: min(1600px, 96vw);
  height: 88vh;
  max-height: 88vh;
  display: flex;
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ $progress-bar-br: 3px;
 .multiprogress-bar__indicator-bar {
  background-color: var(--background-color-override, $ui-black);
  opacity: 0.8;
+  transition: 1s linear;
+  transition-property: width;

  .multiprogress-bar--ignore-css-override & {
    background-color: $ui-black;
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { MaybeNumber } from 'ontime-types';

-import { useAnimatedProgress } from '../../hooks/useAnimatedProgress';
 import { getProgress } from '../../utils/getProgress';
 import { cx } from '../../utils/styleUtils';

@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ export default function MultiPartProgressBar(props: MultiPartProgressBar) {
    className = '',
  } = props;

-  const percentRemaining = 100 - useAnimatedProgress(now, complete);
+  const percentRemaining = 100 - getProgress(now, complete);
  const dangerWidth = danger ? 100 - getProgress(danger, complete) : 0;
  const warningWidth = warning ? 100 - dangerWidth - getProgress(warning, complete) : 0;
  const isOvertime = now !== null && now < 0;
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import {
 } from '../../../stores/savedViewParams';
 import { handleLinks } from '../../../utils/linkUtils';
 import IconButton from '../../buttons/IconButton';
-import Tooltip from '../../tooltip/Tooltip';
 import NavigationMenuItem from '../navigation-menu-item/NavigationMenuItem';

 import style from './ClientLink.module.scss';
@@ -106,20 +105,16 @@ function BrowserNavigationItem({ current, to, postAction, children }: PropsWithC
      {isCustomised && (
        <span className={style.trailing}>
          <span className={style.indicator} aria-hidden data-testid='client-link__saved-indicator' />
-          <Tooltip
-            text='Reset to default'
-            render={
-              <IconButton
-                variant='ghosted-white'
-                size='small'
-                className={style.clear}
-                aria-label='Reset to default'
-                onClick={clearViewSettings}
-              />
-            }
+          <IconButton
+            variant='ghosted-white'
+            size='small'
+            className={style.clear}
+            aria-label='Clear saved view settings'
+            title='Clear saved view settings'
+            onClick={clearViewSettings}
          >
            <IoCloseOutline />
-          </Tooltip>
+          </IconButton>
        </span>
      )}
    </NavigationMenuItem>
@@ -14,4 +14,6 @@ $progress-bar-br: 3px;
 .progress-bar__indicator {
  height: $progress-bar-size;
  background-color: var(--timer-progress-override, $accent-color);
+  transition: 1s linear;
+  transition-property: width;
 }
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { MaybeNumber } from 'ontime-types';

-import { useAnimatedProgress } from '../../hooks/useAnimatedProgress';
+import { getProgress } from '../../utils/getProgress';

 import './ProgressBar.scss';

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ interface ProgressBarProps {

 export default function ProgressBar(props: ProgressBarProps) {
  const { current, duration, className } = props;
-  const progress = useAnimatedProgress(current, duration);
+  const progress = getProgress(current, duration);

  return (
    <div className={`progress-bar__bg ${className}`}>
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router';

 import useViewSettings from '../../hooks-query/useViewSettings';
 import { useIsSmallScreen } from '../../hooks/useIsSmallScreen';
-import { useSavedViewParams } from '../../stores/savedViewParams';
 import Button from '../buttons/Button';
 import IconButton from '../buttons/IconButton';
 import Info from '../info/Info';
@@ -28,7 +27,6 @@ function ViewParamsEditor({ target, viewOptions }: EditFormDrawerProps) {
  const [searchParams, setSearchParams] = useSearchParams();
  const { data: viewSettings } = useViewSettings();
  const { isOpen, close } = useViewParamsEditorStore();
-  const clearSavedParams = useSavedViewParams((store) => store.clear);
  const isSmallScreen = useIsSmallScreen();

  const getPreservedParams = () => getPreservedSearchParams(searchParams, viewOptions);
@@ -38,7 +36,6 @@ function ViewParamsEditor({ target, viewOptions }: EditFormDrawerProps) {
  };

  const resetParams = () => {
-    clearSavedParams(target);
    setSearchParams(getPreservedParams());
  };

@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-import { MaybeNumber, Playback } from 'ontime-types';
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
-
-import { getProgress } from '../utils/getProgress';
-import { usePlayback } from './useSocket';
-
-/**
- * Returns the live completion percentage (0–100) of a countdown, interpolated locally.
- */
-export function useAnimatedProgress(current: MaybeNumber, duration: MaybeNumber): number {
-  const playback = usePlayback();
-  const isRunning = playback === Playback.Play || playback === Playback.Roll;
-
-  const baseline = useRef({ current, at: performance.now() });
-  const [, setTick] = useState(0);
-
-  // there is only something to animate while a running timer is counting down towards 0
-  const shouldAnimate = isRunning && current !== null && current > 0 && duration !== null;
-
-  // re-anchor to the authoritative value whenever the server pushes a new timer update
-  useEffect(() => {
-    baseline.current = { current, at: performance.now() };
-  }, [current, duration, playback]);
-
-  // while counting down, re-render every animation frame so the derived progress stays smooth
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!shouldAnimate) {
-      return;
-    }
-    let frame = requestAnimationFrame(function tick() {
-      setTick((value) => value + 1);
-      frame = requestAnimationFrame(tick);
-    });
-    return () => cancelAnimationFrame(frame);
-  }, [shouldAnimate]);
-
-  // derive from the anchor plus elapsed time at render; frozen to the anchor when not running
-  const anchored = baseline.current.current;
-  const value = isRunning && anchored !== null ? anchored - (performance.now() - baseline.current.at) : anchored;
-  return getProgress(value, duration);
-}
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useMutation, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import {
  EntryId,
+  InsertOptions,
  MaybeString,
  OntimeDelay,
  OntimeEntry,
@@ -59,15 +60,9 @@ export type EventOptions = Partial<{
  before: MaybeString;
  // options of entries of type OntimeEvent
  linkPrevious: boolean;
-  /** the timing reference for the new entry, usually the same as after */
  lastEventId: MaybeString;
 }>;

-type ClientInsertOptions = {
-  after?: EntryId;
-  before?: EntryId;
-};
-
 /**
 * Gather utilities for actions on entries in the loaded rundown.
 */
@@ -125,7 +120,7 @@ function useEntryActionsForRundown(scopedRundownId: string | undefined) {
   * @private
   */
  const { mutateAsync: addEntryMutation } = useMutation({
-    mutationFn: ([rundownId, entry]: [string, PatchWithId & ClientInsertOptions]) => postAddEntry(rundownId, entry),
+    mutationFn: ([rundownId, entry]: [string, PatchWithId & InsertOptions]) => postAddEntry(rundownId, entry),
    onMutate: async ([_rundownId, entry]) => {
      const queryKey = resolveCurrentRundownQueryKey();
      await queryClient.cancelQueries({ queryKey });
@@ -154,9 +149,8 @@ function useEntryActionsForRundown(scopedRundownId: string | undefined) {
        addToRundown(
          newRundown,
          optimisticEntry,
-          parent ? (newRundown.entries[parent.id] as OntimeGroup) : null,
          afterId,
-          entry.before ?? null,
+          parent ? (newRundown.entries[parent.id] as OntimeGroup) : null,
        );

        queryClient.setQueryData<Rundown>(queryKey, newRundown);
@@ -199,7 +193,7 @@ function useEntryActionsForRundown(scopedRundownId: string | undefined) {
        throw new Error('Rundown not initialised');
      }

-      const newEntry: PatchWithId & ClientInsertOptions = { ...entry, id: generateId() };
+      const newEntry: PatchWithId & InsertOptions = { ...entry, id: generateId() };

      // handle adding options that concern all event types
      if (options?.after) {
@@ -211,8 +205,8 @@ function useEntryActionsForRundown(scopedRundownId: string | undefined) {

      // ************* CHECK OPTIONS specific to events
      if (isOntimeEvent(newEntry)) {
-        // last event id is the timing reference of the previous OntimeEvent in rundown
        if (options?.lastEventId) {
+          // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-non-null-assertion -- we know this is a value
          const previousEvent = rundownData.entries[options?.lastEventId];
          if (isOntimeEvent(previousEvent)) {
            newEntry.timeStart = previousEvent.timeEnd;
@@ -290,7 +284,7 @@ function useEntryActionsForRundown(scopedRundownId: string | undefined) {
   * Clone an entry
   */
  const clone = useCallback(
-    async (entryId: EntryId, options?: ClientInsertOptions) => {
+    async (entryId: EntryId, options?: InsertOptions) => {
      try {
        const rundownId = getCurrentRundownData()?.id;
        if (!rundownId) {
@@ -1063,7 +1057,7 @@ function optimisticDeleteEntries(entryIds: EntryId[], rundown: Rundown) {
 /**
 * Utility to create an optimistic entry for immediate cache insertion
 */
-function createOptimisticEntry(payload: PatchWithId & ClientInsertOptions): OntimeEntry {
+function createOptimisticEntry(payload: PatchWithId & InsertOptions): OntimeEntry {
  const { after: _after, before: _before, ...entryData } = payload;
  const id = entryData.id;
  let parent: EntryId | null = null;
@@ -139,17 +139,6 @@ export const setEventPlayback = {
  pause: () => sendSocket('pause', undefined),
 };

-export const useTimerProgress = createSelector((state: RuntimeStore) => ({
-  playback: state.timer.playback,
-  phase: state.timer.phase,
-  addedTime: state.timer.addedTime,
-  secondaryTimer: state.timer.secondaryTimer,
-  current: state.timer.current,
-  expectedFinish: state.timer.expectedFinish,
-  startedAt: state.timer.startedAt,
-  isCountToEnd: state.eventNow?.countToEnd ?? false,
-}));
-
 export const useTimer = createSelector((state: RuntimeStore) => ({
  ...state.timer,
 }));
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
-
-import { removeFileExtension } from '../uploadUtils';
-
-describe('removeFileExtension()', () => {
-  it('removes a trailing extension', () => {
-    expect(removeFileExtension('show.xlsx')).toBe('show');
-  });
-
-  it('only removes the last extension', () => {
-    expect(removeFileExtension('my.show.xlsx')).toBe('my.show');
-  });
-
-  it('returns the name unchanged when there is no extension', () => {
-    expect(removeFileExtension('rundown')).toBe('rundown');
-  });
-
-  it('does not treat a leading dot as an extension', () => {
-    expect(removeFileExtension('.gitignore')).toBe('.gitignore');
-  });
-
-  it('handles an empty string', () => {
-    expect(removeFileExtension('')).toBe('');
-  });
-});
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@ import {
  MILLIS_PER_HOUR,
  MILLIS_PER_MINUTE,
  MILLIS_PER_SECOND,
-  dayInMs,
  formatFromMillis,
-  getExpectedEnd,
  getExpectedStart,
 } from 'ontime-utils';

@@ -31,11 +29,6 @@ export function nowInMillis(): number {
  return elapsed;
 }

-export function normaliseWallClock(time: number): number {
-  const timeOfDay = time % dayInMs;
-  return timeOfDay < 0 ? timeOfDay + dayInMs : timeOfDay;
-}
-
 /**
 * @description Resolves format from url and store
 * @return {string|null} A format string like "hh:mm:ss a" or null
@@ -187,13 +180,15 @@ export function getExpectedTimesFromExtendedEvent(
      ...state,
    },
  );
-  const expectedEnd = getExpectedEnd(event, expectedStart, state.currentDay);
+
  const plannedEnd = event.timeStart + event.duration + event.delay;

  return {
    expectedStart,
    timeToStart: expectedStart - state.clock,
-    expectedEnd,
+    expectedEnd: event.countToEnd
+      ? Math.max(expectedStart + event.duration, plannedEnd)
+      : expectedStart + event.duration,
    plannedEnd,
  };
 }
@@ -38,18 +38,6 @@ export function validateProjectFile(file: File) {
  }
 }

-/**
- * Removes a trailing file extension from a file name (e.g. "show.xlsx" -> "show")
- * A leading dot (dotfiles like ".gitignore") is not treated as an extension
- */
-export function removeFileExtension(fileName: string): string {
-  const lastDot = fileName.lastIndexOf('.');
-  if (lastDot <= 0) {
-    return fileName;
-  }
-  return fileName.slice(0, lastDot);
-}
-
 export function isExcelFile(file: File | null) {
  return file?.name.endsWith('.xlsx');
 }
@@ -293,9 +293,8 @@ export default function AutomationForm({ automation, onClose }: AutomationFormPr
        <h3>Outputs</h3>
        <Info>
          Automation outputs can be used to send data from Ontime to external software <br />
-          or to change properties of Ontime itself. <br /> <br />
-          Use Ontime runtime data in these fields with template strings. Type {'{{'} to see autocomplete, or{' '}
-          <ExternalLink href={integrationsDocsUrl}>read the docs</ExternalLink>
+          or to change properties of Ontime itself.
+          <ExternalLink href={integrationsDocsUrl}>See the documentation for templates</ExternalLink>
        </Info>

        {fieldOutputs.map((output, index) => {
@@ -342,17 +341,12 @@ export default function AutomationForm({ automation, onClose }: AutomationFormPr
                  </label>
                  <label>
                    Address
-                    <TemplateInput
-                      {...register(`outputs.${index}.address`)}
-                      value={output.address}
-                      fluid
-                      placeholder='/cue/start'
-                    />
+                    <Input {...register(`outputs.${index}.address`)} fluid placeholder='/cue/start' />
                    <Panel.Error>{rowErrors?.address?.message}</Panel.Error>
                  </label>
                  <label>
                    Arguments
-                    <TemplateInput {...register(`outputs.${index}.args`)} value={output.args} fluid placeholder='1' />
+                    <TemplateInput {...register(`outputs.${index}.args`)} value={output.args} placeholder='1' />
                    <Panel.Error>{rowErrors?.args?.message}</Panel.Error>
                  </label>
                  <div>
@@ -382,7 +376,7 @@ export default function AutomationForm({ automation, onClose }: AutomationFormPr
                <div className={style.httpSection}>
                  <label>
                    Target URL
-                    <TemplateInput
+                    <Input
                      {...register(`outputs.${index}.url`, {
                        required: { value: true, message: 'Required field' },
                        pattern: {
@@ -390,7 +384,6 @@ export default function AutomationForm({ automation, onClose }: AutomationFormPr
                          message: 'HTTP messages should target http:// or https://',
                        },
                      })}
-                      value={output.url}
                      fluid
                      placeholder='http://127.0.0.1/start/1'
                    />
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import { UseFormRegister, UseFormSetValue, UseFormWatch } from 'react-hook-form'
 import Input from '../../../../common/components/input/input/Input';
 import Select from '../../../../common/components/select/Select';
 import * as Panel from '../../panel-utils/PanelUtils';
-import TemplateInput from './template-input/TemplateInput';

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

@@ -72,8 +71,8 @@ export default function OntimeActionForm({
            { value: 'playback-pause', label: 'Playback: pause' },
            { value: 'playback-roll', label: 'Playback: roll' },

-            { value: 'message-set', label: 'Primary Message' },
-            { value: 'message-secondary', label: 'Secondary Message' },
+            { value: 'message-set', label: 'Primary Message: set' },
+            { value: 'message-secondary', label: 'Secondary Message: source' },
          ]}
        />
        <Panel.Error>{rowErrors?.action?.message}</Panel.Error>
@@ -97,12 +96,7 @@ export default function OntimeActionForm({
        <>
          <label>
            Text (leave empty for no change)
-            <TemplateInput
-              {...register(`outputs.${index}.text`)}
-              value={watch(`outputs.${index}.text`) ?? ''}
-              fluid
-              placeholder='eg: Timer is finished'
-            />
+            <Input {...register(`outputs.${index}.text`)} fluid placeholder='eg: Timer is finished' />
            <Panel.Error>{rowErrors?.text?.message}</Panel.Error>
          </label>
          <label>
@@ -126,48 +120,31 @@ export default function OntimeActionForm({
      )}

      {selectedAction === 'message-secondary' && (
-        <>
-          <label>
-            Text (leave empty for no change)
-            <TemplateInput
-              {...register(`outputs.${index}.text`)}
-              value={watch(`outputs.${index}.text`) ?? ''}
-              fluid
-              placeholder='eg: Next up: keynote'
-            />
-            <Panel.Error>{rowErrors?.text?.message}</Panel.Error>
-          </label>
-          <label>
-            Timer secondary source
-            <Select<SecondarySource | 'no-change' | 'null' | null>
-              onValueChange={(value) => {
-                // null -> no selection
-                if (value === null) return;
-                // no-change -> leave the current secondary source untouched
-                if (value === 'no-change') {
-                  setValue(`outputs.${index}.secondarySource`, undefined, { shouldDirty: true });
-                  return;
-                }
-                // 'null' -> clear the secondary source
-                if (value === 'null') {
-                  setValue(`outputs.${index}.secondarySource`, null, { shouldDirty: true });
-                  return;
-                }
-                setValue(`outputs.${index}.secondarySource`, value, { shouldDirty: true });
-              }}
-              value={watch(`outputs.${index}.secondarySource`) ?? 'no-change'}
-              options={[
-                { value: 'no-change', label: 'No change' },
-                { value: 'aux1', label: 'Auxiliary timer 1' },
-                { value: 'aux2', label: 'Auxiliary timer 2' },
-                { value: 'aux3', label: 'Auxiliary timer 3' },
-                { value: 'secondary', label: 'Secondary' },
-                { value: 'null', label: 'None' }, // allow the user to clear the secondary source
-              ]}
-            />
-            <Panel.Error>{rowErrors?.secondarySource?.message}</Panel.Error>
-          </label>
-        </>
+        <label>
+          Timer secondary source
+          <Select<SecondarySource | 'null' | null>
+            onValueChange={(value) => {
+              // null -> no selection
+              if (value === null) return;
+              // 'null' -> clear the secondary source
+              if (value === 'null') {
+                setValue(`outputs.${index}.secondarySource`, null, { shouldDirty: true });
+                return;
+              }
+              setValue(`outputs.${index}.secondarySource`, value, { shouldDirty: true });
+            }}
+            value={watch(`outputs.${index}.secondarySource`)}
+            options={[
+              { value: null, label: 'Select secondary source' },
+              { value: 'aux1', label: 'Auxiliary timer 1' },
+              { value: 'aux2', label: 'Auxiliary timer 2' },
+              { value: 'aux3', label: 'Auxiliary timer 3' },
+              { value: 'secondary', label: 'Secondary' },
+              { value: 'null', label: 'None' }, // allow the user to clear the secondary source
+            ]}
+          />
+          <Panel.Error>{rowErrors?.secondarySource?.message}</Panel.Error>
+        </label>
      )}

      <div className={style.test}>{children}</div>
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ export default function TriggersList(props: TriggersListProps) {
          <tbody>
            {!showForm && triggers.length === 0 && (
              <Panel.TableEmpty
-                label='Create a trigger to run an automation'
+                label='Create an automation to attach triggers to'
                handleClick={canAdd ? () => setShowForm(true) : undefined}
              />
            )}
@@ -1,67 +1,29 @@
-.inputShell {
+.wrapper {
  position: relative;
 }

-.fluid {
-  width: 100%;
-}
-
-.input {
-  padding-right: 2rem;
-}
-
-.expandButton {
-  position: absolute;
-  top: 50%;
-  right: 0.25rem;
-  transform: translateY(-50%);
-}
-
-.positioner {
-  outline: 0;
-}
-
-.popup {
-  box-sizing: border-box;
-  min-width: var(--anchor-width);
-  max-width: var(--available-width);
-  border: 1px solid $gray-1000;
-  border-radius: $component-border-radius-md;
+.suggestions {
  background: $gray-1250;
-  color: $label-gray;
-}
+  color: $ui-white;

-.list {
-  box-sizing: border-box;
-  max-height: min(20rem, var(--available-height));
-  overflow-y: auto;
-  overscroll-behavior: contain;
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 100%;
+  left: 0;
+  width: 100%;
+  margin: 0;
+  z-index: $zindex-floating;
  padding-block: 0.25rem;
-  outline: 0;
-}

-.item {
-  box-sizing: border-box;
-  padding: 0.25rem 0.5rem;
-  outline: 0;
-  cursor: default;
-  user-select: none;
-  overflow-wrap: anywhere;
+  max-height: 200px;
+  overflow-y: auto;
+  color: $label-gray;

-  &[data-highlighted] {
+  li {
+    padding: 0.25rem;
+  }
+
+  li:hover {
    color: $ui-white;
    background: $blue-700;
  }
 }
-
-.expandedEditor {
-  min-height: min(18rem, 45vh);
-  font-family: monospace;
-  line-height: 1.4;
-}
-
-.footerHint {
-  margin-right: auto;
-  color: $label-gray;
-  font-size: calc(1rem - 2px);
-}
@@ -1,258 +1,69 @@
-import { Autocomplete as BaseAutocomplete } from '@base-ui/react/autocomplete';
-import type { ChangeEvent, ReactNode, Ref } from 'react';
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
-import { IoExpandOutline } from 'react-icons/io5';
+import { mergeRefs, useClickOutside } from '@mantine/hooks';
+import { forwardRef, useMemo, useState } from 'react';

-import Button from '../../../../../common/components/buttons/Button';
-import IconButton from '../../../../../common/components/buttons/IconButton';
-import { type InputProps } from '../../../../../common/components/input/input/Input';
-import Textarea from '../../../../../common/components/input/textarea/Textarea';
-import Modal from '../../../../../common/components/modal/Modal';
+import Input, { type InputProps } from '../../../../../common/components/input/input/Input';
 import useCustomFields from '../../../../../common/hooks-query/useCustomFields';
-import { cx } from '../../../../../common/utils/styleUtils';
-import { makeAutoCompleteList } from './templateInput.utils';
-import { useTemplateAutocomplete } from './useTemplateAutocomplete';
+import { makeAutoCompleteList, matchRemaining, selectFromLastTemplate } from './templateInput.utils';

-import inputStyle from '../../../../../common/components/input/input/Input.module.scss';
 import style from './TemplateInput.module.scss';

-interface TemplateInputProps extends Omit<InputProps, 'value'> {
-  ref?: Ref<HTMLInputElement>;
-  value?: string;
-}
+interface TemplateInputProps extends InputProps {}

-interface TemplateEditorModalProps {
-  autocompleteList: string[];
-  isOpen: boolean;
-  onClose: () => void;
-  onSave: (value: string) => void;
-  value: string;
-}
-
-type TemplateAutocompleteState = ReturnType<typeof useTemplateAutocomplete<HTMLInputElement>>;
-
-interface TemplateAutocompleteRootProps {
-  autocomplete: TemplateAutocompleteState;
-  children: ReactNode;
-  value: string;
-}
-
-function assignRef<T>(ref: Ref<T> | undefined, value: T | null) {
-  if (typeof ref === 'function') {
-    ref(value);
-  } else if (ref) {
-    ref.current = value;
-  }
-}
-
-function emitInputChange(name: string | undefined, value: string, onChange: InputProps['onChange']) {
-  onChange?.({
-    target: { name, value },
-    currentTarget: { name, value },
-  } as ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>);
-}
-
-export default function TemplateInput({
-  className,
-  disabled,
-  fluid,
-  height = 'medium',
-  onChange,
-  readOnly,
-  ref,
-  value,
-  variant = 'subtle',
-  ...rest
-}: TemplateInputProps) {
+const TemplateInput = forwardRef(function TemplateInput(props: TemplateInputProps, ref) {
+  const { value, onChange, ...rest } = props;
  const { data } = useCustomFields();
-  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
-  const [inputValue, setInputValue] = useState(value || '');
-  const [isExpanded, setIsExpanded] = useState(false);
+  const localRef = useClickOutside(() => setShowSuggestions(false));

  const autocompleteList = useMemo(() => {
    return makeAutoCompleteList(data);
  }, [data]);

-  const updateInputValue = useCallback(
-    (nextValue: string) => {
-      setInputValue(nextValue);
-      emitInputChange(rest.name, nextValue, onChange);
-    },
-    [onChange, rest.name],
-  );
+  const [inputValue, setInputValue] = useState(value || '');
+  const [suggestions, setSuggestions] = useState<string[]>([]);
+  const [showSuggestions, setShowSuggestions] = useState(false);

-  const autocomplete = useTemplateAutocomplete(inputValue, autocompleteList, inputRef, updateInputValue);
-  const { setCursorForValue } = autocomplete;
-
-  // Keep the local autocomplete input in sync when react-hook-form resets or swaps field-array values.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const nextValue = value || '';
-    setInputValue(nextValue);
-    setCursorForValue(nextValue, nextValue.length);
-  }, [setCursorForValue, value]);
-
-  const setInputRef = useCallback(
-    (element: HTMLInputElement | null) => {
-      inputRef.current = element;
-      assignRef(ref, element);
-    },
-    [ref],
-  );
-
-  const openExpandedEditor = () => {
-    autocomplete.setShowSuggestions(false);
-    setIsExpanded(true);
+  const updateSuggestions = (value: string) => {
+    const template = selectFromLastTemplate(value);
+    return autocompleteList.filter((suggestion) => suggestion.startsWith(template));
  };

-  const closeExpandedEditor = () => {
-    setIsExpanded(false);
-  };
+  const handleInputChange = (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
+    setInputValue(event.target.value);

-  const saveExpandedEditor = (nextValue: string) => {
-    updateInputValue(nextValue);
-    autocomplete.setCursorForValue(nextValue, nextValue.length);
-    setIsExpanded(false);
-  };
-
-  return (
-    <>
-      <TemplateAutocompleteRoot autocomplete={autocomplete} value={inputValue}>
-        <div className={cx([style.inputShell, fluid && style.fluid])}>
-          <BaseAutocomplete.Input
-            ref={setInputRef}
-            className={cx([
-              inputStyle.input,
-              inputStyle[variant],
-              inputStyle[height],
-              fluid && inputStyle.fluid,
-              style.input,
-              className,
-            ])}
-            {...rest}
-            disabled={disabled}
-            onClick={autocomplete.updateCursor}
-            onFocus={autocomplete.updateCursor}
-            onKeyUp={autocomplete.updateCursor}
-            onSelect={autocomplete.updateCursor}
-            readOnly={readOnly}
-          />
-          <IconButton
-            aria-label='Expand template editor'
-            className={style.expandButton}
-            disabled={disabled || readOnly}
-            onClick={openExpandedEditor}
-            size='small'
-            title='Expand template editor'
-            variant='ghosted-white'
-          >
-            <IoExpandOutline />
-          </IconButton>
-        </div>
-      </TemplateAutocompleteRoot>
-      <TemplateEditorModal
-        autocompleteList={autocompleteList}
-        isOpen={isExpanded}
-        onClose={closeExpandedEditor}
-        onSave={saveExpandedEditor}
-        value={inputValue}
-      />
-    </>
-  );
-}
-
-function TemplateAutocompleteRoot({ autocomplete, children, value }: TemplateAutocompleteRootProps) {
-  return (
-    <BaseAutocomplete.Root
-      items={autocomplete.suggestions}
-      autoHighlight
-      highlightItemOnHover
-      mode='none'
-      open={autocomplete.open}
-      value={value}
-      onOpenChange={autocomplete.setShowSuggestions}
-      onValueChange={autocomplete.handleValueChange}
-    >
-      {children}
-      <TemplateSuggestionPopup />
-    </BaseAutocomplete.Root>
-  );
-}
-
-function TemplateEditorModal({ autocompleteList, isOpen, onClose, onSave, value }: TemplateEditorModalProps) {
-  const expandedInputRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>(null);
-  const [draftValue, setDraftValue] = useState(value);
-  const autocomplete = useTemplateAutocomplete(draftValue, autocompleteList, expandedInputRef, setDraftValue);
-  const { setShowSuggestions } = autocomplete;
-
-  // Reset the draft whenever the modal opens so cancel never leaks unsaved changes.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!isOpen) {
-      return;
+    if (event.target.value.endsWith('{')) {
+      setShowSuggestions(true);
+      setSuggestions(updateSuggestions(event.target.value));
+    } else if (event.target.value === '' || event.target.value.endsWith('}}')) {
+      setShowSuggestions(false);
+    } else if (showSuggestions) {
+      setSuggestions(updateSuggestions(event.target.value));
    }

-    setDraftValue(value);
-    setShowSuggestions(false);
-  }, [isOpen, setShowSuggestions, value]);
-
-  const handleClose = () => {
-    setShowSuggestions(false);
-    onClose();
+    onChange?.(event);
  };

-  const handleSave = () => {
+  const handleSuggestion = (value: string) => {
+    setInputValue((prev) => {
+      const remaining = matchRemaining(prev as string, value);
+      return prev + remaining;
+    });
    setShowSuggestions(false);
-    onSave(draftValue);
  };

  return (
-    <Modal
-      isOpen={isOpen}
-      onClose={handleClose}
-      showBackdrop
-      showCloseButton
-      title='Edit template'
-      bodyElements={
-        <TemplateAutocompleteRoot autocomplete={autocomplete} value={draftValue}>
-          <BaseAutocomplete.Input
-            autoFocus
-            className={style.expandedEditor}
-            onClick={autocomplete.updateCursor}
-            onFocus={autocomplete.updateCursor}
-            onKeyUp={autocomplete.updateCursor}
-            onSelect={autocomplete.updateCursor}
-            render={<Textarea ref={expandedInputRef} fluid resize='none' rows={8} />}
-          />
-        </TemplateAutocompleteRoot>
-      }
-      footerElements={
-        <>
-          <span className={style.footerHint}>Start a template with {'{{'} to see autocomplete.</span>
-          <Button onClick={handleClose}>Cancel</Button>
-          <Button onClick={handleSave} variant='primary'>
-            Save
-          </Button>
-        </>
-      }
-    />
+    <div className={style.wrapper} ref={mergeRefs(localRef, ref)}>
+      <Input value={inputValue} {...rest} onChange={handleInputChange} fluid />
+      {showSuggestions && suggestions.length > 0 && (
+        <ul className={style.suggestions}>
+          {suggestions.map((suggestion) => (
+            <li key={suggestion} onClick={() => handleSuggestion(suggestion)}>
+              {suggestion}
+            </li>
+          ))}
+        </ul>
+      )}
+    </div>
  );
-}
+});

-function TemplateSuggestionPopup() {
-  return (
-    <BaseAutocomplete.Portal>
-      <BaseAutocomplete.Positioner side='bottom' align='start' className={style.positioner}>
-        <BaseAutocomplete.Popup className={style.popup}>
-          <BaseAutocomplete.List className={style.list}>
-            <BaseAutocomplete.Collection>
-              {(suggestion: string) => (
-                <BaseAutocomplete.Item key={suggestion} value={suggestion} className={style.item}>
-                  {suggestion}
-                </BaseAutocomplete.Item>
-              )}
-            </BaseAutocomplete.Collection>
-          </BaseAutocomplete.List>
-        </BaseAutocomplete.Popup>
-      </BaseAutocomplete.Positioner>
-    </BaseAutocomplete.Portal>
-  );
-}
+export default TemplateInput;
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { completeTemplateAtCursor, matchRemaining, selectActiveTemplate } from '../templateInput.utils';
+import { matchRemaining } from '../templateInput.utils';

 describe('matchRemaining()', () => {
  it('should return a partial string needed for autocomplete', () => {
@@ -15,54 +15,3 @@ describe('matchRemaining()', () => {
    expect(matchRemaining('test', 'test')).toBe('');
  });
 });
-
-describe('selectActiveTemplate()', () => {
-  it('returns the last unclosed template fragment', () => {
-    expect(selectActiveTemplate('send {{event')).toBe('{{event');
-    expect(selectActiveTemplate('send {{eventNow.title}} and {{event')).toBe('{{event');
-  });
-
-  it('ignores single braces and closed templates', () => {
-    expect(selectActiveTemplate('send {')).toBe('');
-    expect(selectActiveTemplate('send {{eventNow.title}}')).toBe('');
-  });
-
-  it('only considers templates before the cursor', () => {
-    expect(selectActiveTemplate('send {{event}} then {{timer', 14)).toBe('');
-    expect(selectActiveTemplate('send {{event}} then {{timer', 27)).toBe('{{timer');
-  });
-
-  it('selects a partial template when the cursor is inside a completed template', () => {
-    expect(selectActiveTemplate('send {{timer.current}} after', 12)).toBe('{{timer');
-  });
-});
-
-describe('completeTemplateAtCursor()', () => {
-  it('completes the active template before the cursor', () => {
-    expect(completeTemplateAtCursor('send {{timer after', '{{timer.current}}', 12)).toEqual({
-      value: 'send {{timer.current}} after',
-      cursorIndex: 22,
-    });
-  });
-
-  it('preserves text before and after the cursor', () => {
-    expect(completeTemplateAtCursor('before {{event after', '{{eventNow.title}}', 14)).toEqual({
-      value: 'before {{eventNow.title}} after',
-      cursorIndex: 25,
-    });
-  });
-
-  it('preserves a following template when completing between templates', () => {
-    expect(completeTemplateAtCursor('{{clock}} and {{timer then {{eventNow.title}}', '{{timer.current}}', 21)).toEqual({
-      value: '{{clock}} and {{timer.current}} then {{eventNow.title}}',
-      cursorIndex: 31,
-    });
-  });
-
-  it('replaces the whole template when the cursor is inside a completed template', () => {
-    expect(completeTemplateAtCursor('before {{timer.current}} after', '{{timer.duration}}', 15)).toEqual({
-      value: 'before {{timer.duration}} after',
-      cursorIndex: 25,
-    });
-  });
-});
@@ -54,16 +54,6 @@ const eventStaticPropertiesNext = [
  '{{eventNext.delay}}',
 ];

-const groupStaticPropertiesNow = [
-  '{{groupNow.id}}',
-  '{{groupNow.title}}',
-  '{{groupNow.note}}',
-  '{{groupNow.colour}}',
-  '{{groupNow.timeStart}}',
-  '{{groupNow.timeEnd}}',
-  '{{groupNow.duration}}',
-];
-
 const staticAuxProperties = (index: 1 | 2 | 3) => [
  `{{auxtimer${index}.current}}`,
  `{{auxtimer${index}.duration}}`,
@@ -85,19 +75,12 @@ export function makeAutoCompleteList(customFields: CustomFields): string[] {
    ...Object.entries(customFields).map(([key]) => `{{eventNow.custom.${key}}}`),
    ...eventStaticPropertiesNext,
    ...Object.entries(customFields).map(([key]) => `{{eventNext.custom.${key}}}`),
-    ...groupStaticPropertiesNow,
-    ...Object.entries(customFields).map(([key]) => `{{groupNow.custom.${key}}}`),
    ...staticAuxProperties(1),
    ...staticAuxProperties(2),
    ...staticAuxProperties(3),
  ];
 }

-interface TemplateCompletion {
-  cursorIndex: number;
-  value: string;
-}
-
 /**
 * Returns the partial string b needed to autocomplete string a
 * @example matchRemaining('te', 'test') -> 'st'
@@ -128,54 +111,13 @@ export function matchRemaining(a: string, b: string) {
  return '';
 }

-function getActiveTemplateRange(text: string, cursorIndex = text.length) {
-  const textBeforeCursor = text.slice(0, cursorIndex);
-  const start = textBeforeCursor.lastIndexOf('{{');
-  if (start === -1) {
-    return null;
-  }
-
-  const closeBeforeCursor = textBeforeCursor.lastIndexOf('}}');
-  if (closeBeforeCursor > start) {
-    return null;
-  }
-
-  const closeAfterStart = text.indexOf('}}', start);
-  const nextStartAfterCursor = text.indexOf('{{', cursorIndex);
-  const closesBeforeNextTemplate = nextStartAfterCursor === -1 || closeAfterStart < nextStartAfterCursor;
-  const end = closeAfterStart !== -1 && closesBeforeNextTemplate ? closeAfterStart + 2 : cursorIndex;
-
-  return {
-    end,
-    start,
-    template: text.slice(start, cursorIndex),
-  };
-}
-
 /**
- * Selects the last unclosed starting template before the cursor.
+ * Selects the last starting template in a string
 */
-export function selectActiveTemplate(text: string, cursorIndex = text.length) {
-  return getActiveTemplateRange(text, cursorIndex)?.template ?? '';
-}
-
-/**
- * Replaces the active template fragment before the cursor with the selected suggestion.
- */
-export function completeTemplateAtCursor(
-  text: string,
-  suggestion: string,
-  cursorIndex = text.length,
-): TemplateCompletion {
-  const activeTemplateRange = getActiveTemplateRange(text, cursorIndex);
-  if (!activeTemplateRange) {
-    const value = text + matchRemaining(text, suggestion);
-    return { value, cursorIndex: value.length };
+export function selectFromLastTemplate(text: string) {
+  const lastBraceIndex = text.lastIndexOf('{{');
+  if (lastBraceIndex !== -1) {
+    return text.slice(lastBraceIndex);
  }
-
-  const value = `${text.slice(0, activeTemplateRange.start)}${suggestion}${text.slice(activeTemplateRange.end)}`;
-  return {
-    value,
-    cursorIndex: activeTemplateRange.start + suggestion.length,
-  };
+  return '';
 }
@@ -1,72 +0,0 @@
-import { Autocomplete as BaseAutocomplete } from '@base-ui/react/autocomplete';
-import { useCallback, useMemo, useState, type RefObject } from 'react';
-
-import { completeTemplateAtCursor, selectActiveTemplate } from './templateInput.utils';
-
-type TemplateElement = HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement;
-
-function getCursorIndex(element: TemplateElement | null, fallback: string) {
-  return element?.selectionStart ?? fallback.length;
-}
-
-function focusCursor(element: TemplateElement | null, cursorIndex: number) {
-  requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-    element?.focus();
-    element?.setSelectionRange(cursorIndex, cursorIndex);
-  });
-}
-
-export function useTemplateAutocomplete<T extends TemplateElement>(
-  value: string,
-  autocompleteList: string[],
-  elementRef: RefObject<T | null>,
-  onValueChange: (value: string) => void,
-) {
-  const [showSuggestions, setShowSuggestions] = useState(false);
-  const [cursor, setCursor] = useState(value.length);
-
-  const activeTemplate = selectActiveTemplate(value, cursor);
-  const suggestions = useMemo(() => {
-    if (!activeTemplate) {
-      return [];
-    }
-    return autocompleteList.filter((suggestion) => suggestion.startsWith(activeTemplate));
-  }, [activeTemplate, autocompleteList]);
-
-  const setCursorForValue = useCallback((nextValue: string, cursorIndex: number) => {
-    setCursor(cursorIndex);
-    setShowSuggestions(Boolean(selectActiveTemplate(nextValue, cursorIndex)));
-  }, []);
-
-  const updateCursor = useCallback(() => {
-    const cursorIndex = getCursorIndex(elementRef.current, value);
-    setCursorForValue(value, cursorIndex);
-  }, [elementRef, setCursorForValue, value]);
-
-  const handleValueChange = useCallback(
-    (nextValue: string, eventDetails: BaseAutocomplete.Root.ChangeEventDetails) => {
-      if (eventDetails.reason === 'item-press') {
-        eventDetails.cancel();
-        const completed = completeTemplateAtCursor(value, nextValue, cursor);
-        setCursorForValue(completed.value, completed.cursorIndex);
-        onValueChange(completed.value);
-        focusCursor(elementRef.current, completed.cursorIndex);
-        return;
-      }
-
-      const cursorIndex = getCursorIndex(elementRef.current, nextValue);
-      setCursorForValue(nextValue, cursorIndex);
-      onValueChange(nextValue);
-    },
-    [cursor, elementRef, onValueChange, setCursorForValue, value],
-  );
-
-  return {
-    handleValueChange,
-    open: showSuggestions && suggestions.length > 0,
-    setCursorForValue,
-    setShowSuggestions,
-    suggestions,
-    updateCursor,
-  };
-}
@@ -25,13 +25,6 @@
  margin-top: 1rem;
 }

-.finishActions {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-wrap: wrap;
-  justify-content: center;
-  gap: 0.5rem;
-}
-
 .sourceGrid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 import type {
-  ImportedFields,
-  RundownImportMode,
  SpreadsheetPreviewResponse,
  SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata,
  SpreadsheetWorksheetOptions,
@@ -8,7 +6,6 @@ import type {
 import { getErrorMessage, ImportMap } from 'ontime-utils';
 import { ChangeEvent, useCallback, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { IoCloudOutline, IoDownloadOutline } from 'react-icons/io5';
-import { useNavigate } from 'react-router';

 import {
  getWorksheetMetadata as getExcelWorksheetMetadata,
@@ -25,7 +22,7 @@ import Info from '../../../../../common/components/info/Info';
 import ExternalLink from '../../../../../common/components/link/external-link/ExternalLink';
 import Modal from '../../../../../common/components/modal/Modal';
 import useRundown from '../../../../../common/hooks-query/useRundown';
-import { removeFileExtension, validateExcelImport } from '../../../../../common/utils/uploadUtils';
+import { validateExcelImport } from '../../../../../common/utils/uploadUtils';
 import * as Panel from '../../../panel-utils/PanelUtils';
 import GSheetSetup from './GSheetSetup';
 import SheetImportEditor from './sheet-import/SheetImportEditor';
@@ -38,7 +35,6 @@ const googleSheetDocsUrl = 'https://docs.getontime.no/features/import-spreadshee
 type ActiveSource =
  | {
      kind: 'excel';
-      fileName: string;
      worksheetNames: string[];
      initialWorksheetMetadata: SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata | null;
      closedByUser: boolean;
@@ -57,11 +53,9 @@ export default function SourcesPanel() {
  const [error, setError] = useState('');
  const [hasFile, setHasFile] = useState<'none' | 'loading' | 'done'>('none');
  const [activeSource, setActiveSource] = useState<ActiveSource | null>(null);
-  const [completedRundownTitle, setCompletedRundownTitle] = useState('');

  const { data: currentRundown } = useRundown();
-  const { applyImport } = useSpreadsheetImport();
-  const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const { importRundown } = useSpreadsheetImport();

  const fileInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);

@@ -80,7 +74,6 @@ export default function SourcesPanel() {
      const worksheetOptions = await uploadExcel(fileToUpload);
      setActiveSource({
        kind: 'excel',
-        fileName: fileToUpload.name,
        worksheetNames: worksheetOptions.worksheets,
        initialWorksheetMetadata: worksheetOptions.metadata,
        closedByUser: false,
@@ -104,7 +97,6 @@ export default function SourcesPanel() {
    setHasFile('none');
    setActiveSource(null);
    setError('');
-    setCompletedRundownTitle('');
  };

  const openGSheetFlow = () => {
@@ -127,41 +119,29 @@ export default function SourcesPanel() {
    }
  };

-  const handleFinished = (rundownTitle: string) => {
+  const handleFinished = () => {
    setImportFlow('finished');
    setHasFile('none');
    setActiveSource(null);
    setError('');
-    setCompletedRundownTitle(rundownTitle);
  };

-  const handleApplyImport = async (
-    preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse,
-    mode: RundownImportMode,
-    newRundownTitle: string,
-    providedFields: ImportedFields,
-  ) => {
-    if (mode === 'new') {
-      const title = newRundownTitle.trim() || preview.rundown.title;
-      await applyImport({ mode: 'new', rundown: { ...preview.rundown, title }, customFields: preview.customFields });
-      handleFinished(title);
-      return;
-    }
-
+  const handleApplyImport = async (preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse) => {
    if (!currentRundown) {
      throw new Error('No current rundown loaded');
    }

-    // override or merge into the current rundown; merge uses providedFields to know which columns
-    // the sheet supplied so matched events keep the rest (e.g. automations)
-    await applyImport({
-      mode,
-      targetRundownId: currentRundown.id,
-      rundown: preview.rundown,
-      customFields: preview.customFields,
-      providedFields,
-    });
-    handleFinished(currentRundown.title);
+    await importRundown(
+      {
+        [currentRundown.id]: {
+          ...preview.rundown,
+          id: currentRundown.id,
+          title: currentRundown.title,
+        },
+      },
+      preview.customFields,
+    );
+    handleFinished();
  };

  const loadWorksheetMetadata = useCallback(
@@ -228,13 +208,6 @@ export default function SourcesPanel() {
    if (activeSource.kind === 'excel') return 'excel';
    return `gsheet:${activeSource.sheetId}`;
  })();
-  // suggested name when importing into a new rundown: the spreadsheet file name (without extension)
-  // for Excel, or the document title for Google Sheets
-  const spreadsheetName = (() => {
-    if (!activeSource) return '';
-    if (activeSource.kind === 'excel') return removeFileExtension(activeSource.fileName);
-    return activeSource.title;
-  })();

  return (
    <Panel.Section>
@@ -294,20 +267,11 @@ export default function SourcesPanel() {
        {showCompleted && (
          <div className={style.finishSection}>
            <span className={style.finishBadge}>Import complete</span>
-            <div className={style.finishTitle}>
-              Spreadsheet data applied to {completedRundownTitle || 'your rundown'}.
-            </div>
-            <div className={style.finishDescription}>
-              Review the imported rundown in the editor or start another import.
-            </div>
-            <div className={style.finishActions}>
-              <Button variant='primary' onClick={() => navigate('/editor')}>
-                Open editor
-              </Button>
-              <Button variant='subtle-white' onClick={resetFlow}>
-                Import another
-              </Button>
-            </div>
+            <div className={style.finishTitle}>Spreadsheet data applied.</div>
+            <div className={style.finishDescription}>You can close this flow or start another import.</div>
+            <Button variant='subtle-white' onClick={resetFlow}>
+              Reset flow
+            </Button>
          </div>
        )}
        {isGSheetFlow && (
@@ -323,7 +287,6 @@ export default function SourcesPanel() {
          bodyElements={
            <SheetImportEditor
              sourceKey={sourceKey ?? 'spreadsheet'}
-              defaultRundownName={spreadsheetName}
              worksheetNames={activeSource?.worksheetNames ?? []}
              initialMetadata={activeSource?.initialWorksheetMetadata ?? null}
              loadMetadata={loadWorksheetMetadata}
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-import type { RundownImportMode, SpreadsheetPreviewResponse } from 'ontime-types';
-import { isOntimeEvent, isPlayableEvent, Playback } from 'ontime-types';
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
-
-import Button from '../../../../../../common/components/buttons/Button';
-import { usePlayback, useSelectedEventId } from '../../../../../../common/hooks/useSocket';
-
-interface ApplyImportButtonProps {
-  preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse | null;
-  mode: RundownImportMode;
-  disabled: boolean;
-  loading: boolean;
-  onApply: () => void;
-}
-
-/**
- * Apply action for the spreadsheet import.
- * Subscribes to playback state on its own so playback updates do not re-render the whole editor.
- * Requires a second click to confirm when applying would stop a running playback.
- */
-export default function ApplyImportButton({ preview, mode, disabled, loading, onApply }: ApplyImportButtonProps) {
-  const playback = usePlayback();
-  const loadedEventId = useSelectedEventId();
-
-  // the loaded (playing) event loses its playback unless it still exists as a playable event after the import
-  const loadedEntry = loadedEventId ? preview?.rundown.entries[loadedEventId] : undefined;
-  const willLoadedEventBeOverriden = !(
-    loadedEntry !== undefined &&
-    isOntimeEvent(loadedEntry) &&
-    isPlayableEvent(loadedEntry)
-  );
-
-  // applying stops playback when creating a new rundown, or when the playing event does not survive
-  const willStopPlayback = playback !== Playback.Stop && (mode === 'new' || willLoadedEventBeOverriden);
-
-  // two-step confirmation before applying an import that stops playback
-  const [confirmStop, setConfirmStop] = useState(false);
-  useEffect(() => {
-    setConfirmStop(false);
-  }, [mode, preview]);
-
-  const handleClick = () => {
-    if (willStopPlayback && !confirmStop) {
-      setConfirmStop(true);
-      return;
-    }
-    onApply();
-  };
-
-  return (
-    <Button variant='primary' onClick={handleClick} disabled={disabled} loading={loading}>
-      {willStopPlayback && confirmStop ? 'Confirm — stop playback & apply import' : 'Apply import'}
-    </Button>
-  );
-}
@@ -33,11 +33,6 @@
  white-space: nowrap;
 }

-.importModeTrigger {
-  min-width: 12rem;
-  justify-content: space-between;
-}
-
 .addColumnTrigger {
  justify-content: center;
  white-space: nowrap;
@@ -92,10 +87,6 @@
  font-weight: 600;
 }

-.toolbarWarning {
-  color: $orange-400;
-}
-
 .mappingPaneTitle {
  align-self: center;
 }
@@ -1,20 +1,10 @@
-import type {
-  ImportedFields,
-  RundownImportMode,
-  SpreadsheetPreviewResponse,
-  SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata,
-} from 'ontime-types';
+import type { SpreadsheetPreviewResponse, SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata } from 'ontime-types';
 import type { ImportMap } from 'ontime-utils';
-import { useMemo } from 'react';
-import { IoArrowUpOutline, IoCheckmark, IoChevronDown, IoEye, IoWarningOutline } from 'react-icons/io5';
+import { IoArrowUpOutline, IoEye } from 'react-icons/io5';

 import Button from '../../../../../../common/components/buttons/Button';
-import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuOption } from '../../../../../../common/components/dropdown-menu/DropdownMenu';
-import Input from '../../../../../../common/components/input/input/Input';
 import Select from '../../../../../../common/components/select/Select';
 import * as Panel from '../../../../panel-utils/PanelUtils';
-import ApplyImportButton from './ApplyImportButton';
-import { isIdColumnMapped } from './importMapUtils';
 import PreviewTable from './preview/PreviewTable';
 import SheetImportMappingPane from './SheetImportMappingPane';
 import { useSheetImportForm } from './useSheetImportForm';
@@ -23,46 +13,17 @@ import style from './SheetImportEditor.module.scss';

 interface SheetImportEditorProps {
  sourceKey: string;
-  defaultRundownName: string;
  worksheetNames: string[];
  initialMetadata: SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata | null;
  loadMetadata: (worksheet: string) => Promise<SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata>;
  previewImport: (importMap: ImportMap) => Promise<SpreadsheetPreviewResponse>;
-  onApply: (
-    preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse,
-    mode: RundownImportMode,
-    newRundownTitle: string,
-    providedFields: ImportedFields,
-  ) => Promise<void>;
+  onApply: (preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse) => Promise<void>;
  onCancel: () => void;
  onExport?: (importMap: ImportMap) => Promise<void>;
 }

-const importModeOptions: Array<{
-  value: RundownImportMode;
-  label: string;
-  description: string;
-}> = [
-  {
-    value: 'override',
-    label: 'Replace current rundown',
-    description: 'Spreadsheet data completely replaces current rundown',
-  },
-  {
-    value: 'merge',
-    label: 'Merge with current rundown',
-    description: 'Merge entries referencing their IDs, entries not present in spreadsheet rundown are deleted',
-  },
-  {
-    value: 'new',
-    label: 'New rundown',
-    description: 'Create a new rundown to import the data into. Loads the new rundown',
-  },
-];
-
 export default function SheetImportEditor({
  sourceKey,
-  defaultRundownName,
  worksheetNames,
  initialMetadata,
  loadMetadata,
@@ -88,16 +49,11 @@ export default function SheetImportEditor({
    isBusy,
    canPreview,
    displayError,
-    importMode,
-    setImportMode,
-    newRundownTitle,
-    setNewRundownTitle,
    handlePreviewSubmit,
    handleExportSubmit,
    handleApply,
  } = useSheetImportForm({
    sourceKey,
-    defaultRundownName,
    worksheetNames,
    initialMetadata,
    loadMetadata,
@@ -106,19 +62,6 @@ export default function SheetImportEditor({
    onExport,
  });

-  const selectedImportMode = importModeOptions.find((option) => option.value === importMode) ?? importModeOptions[0];
-  const importModeItems = useMemo<DropdownMenuOption[]>(
-    () =>
-      importModeOptions.map((option) => ({
-        type: 'item',
-        label: option.label,
-        description: option.description,
-        icon: importMode === option.value ? IoCheckmark : undefined,
-        onClick: () => setImportMode(option.value),
-      })),
-    [importMode, setImportMode],
-  );
-
  return (
    <Panel.Section as='form' id='spreadsheet-import-workspace' className={style.editor} onSubmit={handlePreviewSubmit}>
      <Panel.InlineElements align='apart' wrap='wrap' className={style.editorToolbar}>
@@ -132,16 +75,7 @@ export default function SheetImportEditor({
            }
          />
        </label>
-        {toolbarStatus && (
-          <Panel.Description>
-            {toolbarStatus.entries === '–'
-              ? 'No import preview yet'
-              : `${toolbarStatus.entries} entries · ${toolbarStatus.groups} groups · ${toolbarStatus.milestones} milestones · ${toolbarStatus.start}–${toolbarStatus.end} · ${toolbarStatus.duration}`}
-            {toolbarStatus.warnings > 0 && (
-              <span className={style.toolbarWarning}> · {toolbarStatus.warnings} warnings</span>
-            )}
-          </Panel.Description>
-        )}
+        {toolbarStatus && <Panel.Description>{toolbarStatus}</Panel.Description>}
      </Panel.InlineElements>

      <div className={style.editorBody}>
@@ -159,19 +93,13 @@ export default function SheetImportEditor({

        <section className={style.previewPane}>
          <div className={style.previewPaneHeader}>
-            <div className={style.previewPaneHeading}>
-              <span className={style.previewPaneTitle}>Import preview</span>
-            </div>
+            <span className={style.previewPaneTitle}>Import preview</span>
          </div>
          <div className={style.tableShell}>
            <PreviewTable
              preview={state.preview}
              columnLabels={columnLabels}
-              canRefresh={canPreview}
              isLoadingMetadata={isLoadingMetadata}
-              isRefreshing={state.loading === 'preview'}
-              needsPreviewRefresh={state.needsPreviewRefresh}
-              onRefresh={handlePreviewSubmit}
              worksheetHeaders={worksheetHeaders}
            />
          </div>
@@ -179,63 +107,33 @@ export default function SheetImportEditor({
      </div>

      {displayError && <Panel.Error>{displayError}</Panel.Error>}
-      {importMode === 'merge' && !isIdColumnMapped(values) && (
-        <Panel.Description tone='warning'>
-          <IoWarningOutline /> No ID column mapped — merge matches entries by ID, so it will behave like Replace. Export
-          your rundown to a spreadsheet first to keep its IDs.
-        </Panel.Description>
-      )}
-      <Panel.InlineElements align='apart' wrap='wrap' className={style.editorFooter}>
-        <Panel.InlineElements wrap='wrap'>
-          <label className={style.worksheetControl}>
-            <span className={style.worksheetLabel}>Import mode</span>
-            <DropdownMenu
-              render={<Button className={style.importModeTrigger} variant='subtle-white' />}
-              items={importModeItems}
-            >
-              {selectedImportMode.label}
-              <IoChevronDown />
-            </DropdownMenu>
-          </label>
-          {importMode === 'new' && (
-            <label className={style.worksheetControl}>
-              <span className={style.worksheetLabel}>New rundown name</span>
-              <Input
-                value={newRundownTitle}
-                onChange={(event) => setNewRundownTitle(event.target.value)}
-                placeholder={state.preview?.rundown.title || 'Imported rundown'}
-                aria-label='New rundown name'
-              />
-            </label>
-          )}
-        </Panel.InlineElements>
-        <Panel.InlineElements wrap='wrap'>
-          <Button onClick={onCancel} disabled={isBusy}>
-            Cancel
+      <Panel.InlineElements align='end' wrap='wrap' className={style.editorFooter}>
+        <Button onClick={onCancel} disabled={isBusy}>
+          Cancel
+        </Button>
+        {onExport && (
+          <Button onClick={handleExportSubmit} disabled={!canPreview} loading={state.loading === 'export'}>
+            <IoArrowUpOutline />
+            Export
          </Button>
-          {onExport && (
-            <Button onClick={handleExportSubmit} disabled={!canPreview} loading={state.loading === 'export'}>
-              <IoArrowUpOutline />
-              Export
-            </Button>
-          )}
-          <Button
-            variant={state.preview ? undefined : 'primary'}
-            onClick={handlePreviewSubmit}
-            disabled={!canPreview}
-            loading={state.loading === 'preview'}
-          >
-            <IoEye />
-            Preview import
-          </Button>
-          <ApplyImportButton
-            preview={state.preview}
-            mode={importMode}
-            disabled={!state.preview || isBusy}
-            loading={state.loading === 'apply'}
-            onApply={handleApply}
-          />
-        </Panel.InlineElements>
+        )}
+        <Button
+          variant={state.preview ? undefined : 'primary'}
+          onClick={handlePreviewSubmit}
+          disabled={!canPreview}
+          loading={state.loading === 'preview'}
+        >
+          <IoEye />
+          Preview import
+        </Button>
+        <Button
+          variant='primary'
+          onClick={handleApply}
+          disabled={!state.preview || isBusy}
+          loading={state.loading === 'apply'}
+        >
+          Apply import
+        </Button>
      </Panel.InlineElements>
    </Panel.Section>
  );
@@ -1,21 +1,15 @@
-import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';

 import {
  builtInFieldDefs,
  convertToImportMap,
  createDefaultFormValues,
-  defaultImportMode,
  getImportWarnings,
-  getPersistedImportMode,
-  getProvidedImportFields,
  getResolvedCustomFields,
-  isIdColumnMapped,
-  persistImportMode,
 } from '../importMapUtils';

 const cueIndex = builtInFieldDefs.findIndex((field) => field.label === 'Cue');
 const titleIndex = builtInFieldDefs.findIndex((field) => field.label === 'Title');
-const idIndex = builtInFieldDefs.findIndex((field) => field.importKey === 'id');

 describe('getImportWarnings()', () => {
  it('warns when two mappings target the same spreadsheet column', () => {
@@ -134,64 +128,3 @@ describe('convertToImportMap()', () => {
    });
  });
 });
-
-describe('getProvidedImportFields()', () => {
-  it('reports the mapped built-in and custom fields the sheet supplies', () => {
-    const values = createDefaultFormValues();
-    values.builtIn[titleIndex] = { header: 'title', enabled: true };
-    values.builtIn[cueIndex] = { header: '', enabled: false };
-    values.custom = [{ ontimeName: 'ignored', importName: 'FOH/Monitor' }];
-
-    const provided = getProvidedImportFields(convertToImportMap(values));
-
-    // enabled built-in mappings are reported as event fields, disabled ones are not
-    expect(provided.event).toContain('title');
-    expect(provided.event).not.toContain('cue');
-    // the id column is only used for matching, never overwritten
-    expect(provided.event).not.toContain('id');
-    // custom fields are reported symmetrically by their resolved Ontime name
-    expect(provided.custom).toStrictEqual(['FOH Monitor']);
-  });
-});
-
-describe('isIdColumnMapped()', () => {
-  it('is true when the ID field is enabled with a header', () => {
-    // the default form maps the ID column
-    expect(isIdColumnMapped(createDefaultFormValues())).toBe(true);
-  });
-
-  it('is false when the ID field is disabled', () => {
-    const values = createDefaultFormValues();
-    values.builtIn[idIndex] = { header: 'id', enabled: false };
-    expect(isIdColumnMapped(values)).toBe(false);
-  });
-
-  it('is false when the ID field header is blank', () => {
-    const values = createDefaultFormValues();
-    values.builtIn[idIndex] = { header: '   ', enabled: true };
-    expect(isIdColumnMapped(values)).toBe(false);
-  });
-});
-
-describe('import mode persistence', () => {
-  const sourceKey = 'excel-test';
-
-  beforeEach(() => {
-    localStorage.clear();
-  });
-
-  it('defaults to override when nothing is persisted', () => {
-    expect(getPersistedImportMode(sourceKey)).toBe('override');
-    expect(defaultImportMode).toBe('override');
-  });
-
-  it('round-trips a persisted value', () => {
-    persistImportMode(sourceKey, 'merge');
-    expect(getPersistedImportMode(sourceKey)).toBe('merge');
-  });
-
-  it('falls back to the default when the persisted value is invalid', () => {
-    persistImportMode(sourceKey, 'nonsense' as never);
-    expect(getPersistedImportMode(sourceKey)).toBe('override');
-  });
-});
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import type { ImportedFields, RundownImportMode } from 'ontime-types';
 import type { ImportMap } from 'ontime-utils';

 import { makeStageKey } from '../../../../../../common/utils/localStorage';
@@ -50,16 +49,6 @@ export function createDefaultFormValues(): ImportFormValues {
  };
 }

-/**
- * Whether the mapping supplies an ID column. Merge matches entries by ID, so without one every
- * imported entry gets a fresh id and nothing can reconcile with the current rundown.
- */
-export function isIdColumnMapped(values: ImportFormValues): boolean {
-  const idIndex = builtInFieldDefs.findIndex((def) => def.importKey === 'id');
-  const field = values.builtIn[idIndex];
-  return Boolean(field?.enabled && field.header.trim());
-}
-
 function sanitiseOntimeCustomFieldLabel(importName: string): string {
  // Replace punctuation with spaces, then collapse repeated whitespace into single spaces.
  const sanitised = importName
@@ -92,24 +81,6 @@ export function getResolvedCustomFields(customFields: ImportFormValues['custom']
  });
 }

-/**
- * Returns the fields the import map supplies — the complete description of what the incoming data
- * provides, for both built-in and custom fields. A merge uses this to patch exactly these fields
- * onto a matched event and keep everything else (e.g. automations) untouched.
- * Import-map keys are OntimeEvent field names; `worksheet`/`custom` are meta and `id` is only used
- * for matching, not overwritten.
- */
-export function getProvidedImportFields(importMap: ImportMap): ImportedFields {
-  const event: string[] = [];
-  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(importMap)) {
-    if (key === 'worksheet' || key === 'custom' || key === 'id') continue;
-    if (typeof value === 'string' && value.trim() !== '') {
-      event.push(key);
-    }
-  }
-  return { event, custom: Object.keys(importMap.custom) };
-}
-
 export function convertToImportMap(values: ImportFormValues): ImportMap {
  const custom = getResolvedCustomFields(values.custom).reduce<Record<string, string>>(
    (accumulator, { ontimeName, importName }) => {
@@ -159,12 +130,12 @@ function isPersistedFormValues(obj: unknown): obj is ImportFormValues {
 export function getPersistedImportState(sourceKey: string): { values: ImportFormValues; isPersisted: boolean } {
  const storageKey = getImportMapKey(sourceKey);
  try {
-    const persistedData = localStorage.getItem(storageKey);
-    if (!persistedData) {
+    const raw = localStorage.getItem(storageKey);
+    if (!raw) {
      return { values: createDefaultFormValues(), isPersisted: false };
    }

-    const parsed: unknown = JSON.parse(persistedData);
+    const parsed: unknown = JSON.parse(raw);
    if (isPersistedFormValues(parsed)) {
      return { values: parsed, isPersisted: true };
    }
@@ -179,32 +150,6 @@ export function getPersistedImportState(sourceKey: string): { values: ImportForm
  }
 }

-/**
- * The import mode (new / merge / override) is persisted separately from the field mapping
- * so the mapping schema guard stays untouched.
- */
-
-/** Default import mode: replace matched elements in the current rundown */
-export const defaultImportMode: RundownImportMode = 'override';
-
-function getImportModeKey(sourceKey: string) {
-  return makeStageKey(`import-mode:${sourceKey}`);
-}
-
-/** Persists the import mode for a given source */
-export function persistImportMode(sourceKey: string, mode: RundownImportMode) {
-  localStorage.setItem(getImportModeKey(sourceKey), mode);
-}
-
-/** Reads the persisted import mode for a source, falling back to the default when absent or invalid */
-export function getPersistedImportMode(sourceKey: string): RundownImportMode {
-  const persisted = localStorage.getItem(getImportModeKey(sourceKey));
-  if (persisted === 'new' || persisted === 'merge' || persisted === 'override') {
-    return persisted;
-  }
-  return defaultImportMode;
-}
-
 /**
 * Validates import mappings and generates warnings for duplicate or missing spreadsheet columns.
 */
@@ -1,35 +1,27 @@
 .emptyState {
-  padding: 3rem 1.5rem;
+  height: 100%;
+  min-height: 16rem;
+  display: grid;
+  place-content: center;
+  gap: 0.35rem;
+  padding: 1.5rem;
  text-align: center;
 }

-.emptyMessage {
-  width: min(30rem, 100%);
-  margin-inline: auto;
-}
-
 .emptyTitle {
-  margin-bottom: 0.25rem;
-  color: rgba($gray-200, 0.72);
-  font-size: calc(1rem + 2px);
-  font-weight: 400;
+  color: $ui-white;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
 }

 .emptyBody {
-  color: rgba($gray-200, 0.55);
-  font-size: calc(1rem - 3px);
-  line-height: 1.5;
-}
-
-.emptyAction {
-  margin: 1rem auto 0;
+  color: $gray-400;
+  font-size: 0.95rem;
 }

 .table {
  width: 100%;
-  border-collapse: separate;
-  border-spacing: 0;
-  color: $ui-white;
+  border-collapse: collapse;
  font-size: calc(1rem - 2px);
  text-align: left;
  table-layout: auto;
@@ -42,101 +34,31 @@
  }

  th {
-    color: $gray-300;
-    font-size: 0.8rem;
-    font-weight: 600;
-    letter-spacing: 0.02em;
-    text-transform: uppercase;
-    vertical-align: bottom;
+    font-weight: 400;
+    color: $gray-400;
+    text-transform: capitalize;
+    vertical-align: top;
    white-space: normal;
  }

  th,
  td {
-    box-sizing: border-box;
+    padding: 0.5rem;
    min-width: 8rem;
-    max-width: 20rem;
-    padding: 0.55rem 0.65rem;
-    border-bottom: 1px solid $white-10;
-    overflow: hidden;
-    text-overflow: ellipsis;
-    vertical-align: middle;
-    white-space: nowrap;
+    vertical-align: top;
  }

-  tbody tr {
-    --entry-colour: transparent;
-    background-color: color-mix(in srgb, $gray-1300 96%, var(--entry-colour) 4%);
-    box-shadow: inset 3px 0 var(--entry-colour);
+  tr:nth-child(even) {
+    background-color: $white-1;
  }
-
-  td[data-empty='true'] {
-    color: $gray-600;
-  }
-}
-
-.rowNumber,
-.rowType {
-  position: sticky;
-  z-index: 1;
-  background-color: inherit;
 }

 .rowNumber {
-  left: 0;
-  width: 3.25rem;
-  min-width: 3.25rem !important;
-  color: $gray-400;
-  text-align: right;
+  width: 4.5rem;
+  min-width: 4.5rem;
 }

 .rowType {
-  left: 3.25rem;
-  width: 6.25rem;
-  min-width: 6.25rem !important;
-  color: $gray-400;
-  font-size: 0.8rem;
-  box-shadow: 1px 0 $white-10;
-}
-
-thead .rowNumber,
-thead .rowType {
-  z-index: 2;
-  background-color: $gray-1350;
-}
-
-.numericCell {
-  font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
-  text-align: right;
-}
-
-.multilineCell {
-  max-width: 30rem !important;
-  overflow-wrap: anywhere;
-  text-overflow: clip !important;
-  white-space: pre-wrap !important;
-}
-
-.eventRow {
-  .rowNumber {
-    font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
-  }
-}
-
-.groupRow {
-  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, $gray-1300 88%, var(--entry-colour) 12%) !important;
-  box-shadow: inset 4px 0 var(--entry-colour) !important;
-  font-weight: 600;
-
-  td {
-    min-height: 3.25rem;
-    border-top: 0.75rem solid $gray-1350;
-  }
-}
-
-.milestoneRow {
-  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, $gray-1300 93%, var(--entry-colour) 7%) !important;
-  box-shadow: inset 3px 0 var(--entry-colour) !important;
-  color: $gray-300;
-  font-style: italic;
+  width: 7rem;
+  min-width: 7rem;
 }
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 import type { CustomField, CustomFieldKey, SpreadsheetPreviewResponse } from 'ontime-types';
-import { isOntimeDelay, isOntimeEvent, isOntimeGroup, isOntimeMilestone } from 'ontime-types';
-import type { CSSProperties } from 'react';
+import { isOntimeEvent, isOntimeGroup, isOntimeMilestone } from 'ontime-types';
 import { useMemo } from 'react';

-import Button from '../../../../../../../common/components/buttons/Button';
-import Tag from '../../../../../../../common/components/tag/Tag';
-import { getRundownMetadata } from '../../../../../../../common/utils/rundownMetadata';
 import { getCellValue } from './previewTableUtils';

 import style from './PreviewTable.module.scss';
@@ -13,85 +9,14 @@ import style from './PreviewTable.module.scss';
 interface PreviewTableProps {
  preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse | null;
  columnLabels: string[];
-  canRefresh: boolean;
  isLoadingMetadata: boolean;
-  isRefreshing: boolean;
-  needsPreviewRefresh: boolean;
-  onRefresh: () => void;
  worksheetHeaders: string[];
 }

-const priorityColumns = ['Title', 'Cue', 'Start', 'End', 'Duration'];
-const numericColumns = new Set(['Start', 'End', 'Duration', 'Time warning', 'Time danger']);
-const transparentColour = 'transparent';
-
-type PreviewEntry = SpreadsheetPreviewResponse['rundown']['entries'][string];
-
-function getEntryDisplay(entry: PreviewEntry, groupColour?: string) {
-  if (isOntimeGroup(entry)) {
-    return {
-      rowClassName: style.groupRow,
-      entryColour: entry.colour,
-      entryType: 'Group',
-    };
-  }
-
-  const entryColour = groupColour ?? transparentColour;
-
-  if (isOntimeMilestone(entry)) {
-    return {
-      rowClassName: style.milestoneRow,
-      entryColour,
-      entryType: 'Milestone',
-    };
-  }
-
-  if (isOntimeDelay(entry)) {
-    return {
-      rowClassName: style.eventRow,
-      entryColour,
-      entryType: 'Delay',
-    };
-  }
-
-  return {
-    rowClassName: style.eventRow,
-    entryColour,
-    entryType: 'Event',
-  };
-}
-
-function getCellClassName(label: string, value: string) {
-  if (value.includes('\n')) {
-    return style.multilineCell;
-  }
-
-  if (numericColumns.has(label)) {
-    return style.numericCell;
-  }
-
-  return undefined;
-}
-
-function getDisplayColumns(columnLabels: string[]) {
-  return [...columnLabels].sort((left, right) => {
-    const leftPriority = priorityColumns.indexOf(left);
-    const rightPriority = priorityColumns.indexOf(right);
-    return (
-      (leftPriority === -1 ? priorityColumns.length : leftPriority) -
-      (rightPriority === -1 ? priorityColumns.length : rightPriority)
-    );
-  });
-}
-
 export default function PreviewTable({
  preview,
  columnLabels,
-  canRefresh,
  isLoadingMetadata,
-  isRefreshing,
-  needsPreviewRefresh,
-  onRefresh,
  worksheetHeaders,
 }: PreviewTableProps) {
  const customFieldKeyByLabel = useMemo(() => {
@@ -99,57 +24,33 @@ export default function PreviewTable({
    return new Map(Object.entries(preview.customFields).map(([fieldId, field]) => [field.label, fieldId]));
  }, [preview]);

-  const displayColumns = useMemo(() => getDisplayColumns(columnLabels), [columnLabels]);
-
-  const previewMetadata = useMemo(() => {
-    if (!preview) return null;
-    return getRundownMetadata(preview.rundown, null);
-  }, [preview]);
-
  if (!preview) {
-    let emptyTitle = 'Preview not generated';
    let emptyContent = 'Select the fields you want to import, then click Preview import.';

    if (isLoadingMetadata) {
-      emptyTitle = 'Loading worksheet';
      emptyContent = 'Loading worksheet metadata...';
    } else if (worksheetHeaders.length === 0) {
-      emptyTitle = 'No headers found';
      emptyContent =
        'No column headers detected in this worksheet. Try a different worksheet or ensure the first row contains column headers.';
-    } else if (needsPreviewRefresh) {
-      emptyTitle = 'Preview needs updating';
-      emptyContent = 'Your column mapping changed. Preview the import again to update this table.';
    }

    return (
      <div className={style.emptyState}>
-        <div className={style.emptyMessage}>
-          <div className={style.emptyTitle}>{emptyTitle}</div>
-          <div className={style.emptyBody}>{emptyContent}</div>
-          {needsPreviewRefresh && (
-            <Button
-              className={style.emptyAction}
-              variant='primary'
-              onClick={onRefresh}
-              disabled={!canRefresh}
-              loading={isRefreshing}
-            >
-              Refresh preview
-            </Button>
-          )}
-        </div>
+        <div className={style.emptyTitle}>Preview not generated</div>
+        <div className={style.emptyBody}>{emptyContent}</div>
      </div>
    );
  }

+  let eventIndex = 0;
+
  return (
    <table className={style.table}>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th className={style.rowNumber}>#</th>
          <th className={style.rowType}>Type</th>
-          {displayColumns.map((label, index) => (
+          {columnLabels.map((label, index) => (
            <th key={`${label}-${index}`}>{label}</th>
          ))}
        </tr>
@@ -158,29 +59,16 @@ export default function PreviewTable({
        {preview.rundown.flatOrder.map((entryId) => {
          const entry = preview.rundown.entries[entryId];
          const isEvent = isOntimeEvent(entry);
-          const entryMetadata = previewMetadata?.[entryId];
-          const { rowClassName, entryColour, entryType } = getEntryDisplay(entry, entryMetadata?.groupColour);
+          if (isEvent) eventIndex++;
+          const hasType = isEvent || isOntimeGroup(entry) || isOntimeMilestone(entry);

          return (
-            <tr key={entryId} className={rowClassName} style={{ '--entry-colour': entryColour } as CSSProperties}>
-              <td className={style.rowNumber}>{isEvent ? entryMetadata?.eventIndex : ''}</td>
-              <td className={style.rowType}>
-                <Tag>{entryType}</Tag>
-              </td>
-              {displayColumns.map((label, colIndex) => {
-                const value = getCellValue(label, entry, customFieldKeyByLabel);
-                const cellClassName = getCellClassName(label, value);
-                return (
-                  <td
-                    key={`${entryId}-${colIndex}`}
-                    className={cellClassName}
-                    data-empty={value === ''}
-                    title={value || undefined}
-                  >
-                    {value}
-                  </td>
-                );
-              })}
+            <tr key={entryId}>
+              <td className={style.rowNumber}>{isEvent ? eventIndex : ''}</td>
+              <td className={style.rowType}>{hasType ? entry.type : ''}</td>
+              {columnLabels.map((label, colIndex) => (
+                <td key={`${entryId}-${colIndex}`}>{getCellValue(label, entry, customFieldKeyByLabel)}</td>
+              ))}
            </tr>
          );
        })}
@@ -1,13 +1,7 @@
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
-import type {
-  ImportedFields,
-  RundownImportMode,
-  SpreadsheetPreviewResponse,
-  SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata,
-} from 'ontime-types';
-import { isOntimeGroup, isOntimeMilestone } from 'ontime-types';
-import { millisToString, removeTrailingZero } from 'ontime-utils';
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useReducer, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import type { SpreadsheetPreviewResponse, SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata } from 'ontime-types';
+import { millisToString } from 'ontime-utils';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useReducer, useRef } from 'react';
 import { useFieldArray, useForm } from 'react-hook-form';

 import { maybeAxiosError } from '../../../../../../common/api/utils';
@@ -17,11 +11,8 @@ import {
  builtInFieldDefs,
  convertToImportMap,
  getImportWarnings,
-  getPersistedImportMode,
  getPersistedImportState,
-  getProvidedImportFields,
  getResolvedCustomFields,
-  persistImportMode,
  persistImportState,
 } from './importMapUtils';
 import { deriveHeaderOptionsState } from './spreadsheetImportUtils';
@@ -33,7 +24,7 @@ type ImportAction =
  | { type: 'previewSuccess'; preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse }
  | { type: 'applySuccess' }
  | { type: 'exportSuccess' }
-  | { type: 'clearPreview'; error?: string; needsRefresh?: boolean }
+  | { type: 'clearPreview'; error?: string }
  | { type: 'failure'; error: string }
  | { type: 'reset' };

@@ -41,14 +32,12 @@ type ImportState = {
  loading: '' | 'preview' | 'apply' | 'export';
  error: string;
  preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse | null;
-  needsPreviewRefresh: boolean;
 };

 const initialImportState: ImportState = {
  loading: '',
  error: '',
  preview: null,
-  needsPreviewRefresh: false,
 };

 function importReducer(state: ImportState, action: ImportAction): ImportState {
@@ -60,15 +49,15 @@ function importReducer(state: ImportState, action: ImportAction): ImportState {
    case 'startExport':
      return { ...state, loading: 'export', error: '' };
    case 'previewSuccess':
-      return { loading: '', error: '', preview: action.preview, needsPreviewRefresh: false };
+      return { loading: '', error: '', preview: action.preview };
    case 'applySuccess':
    case 'exportSuccess':
      return { ...state, loading: '' };
    case 'clearPreview':
-      return { ...state, error: action.error ?? '', preview: null, needsPreviewRefresh: action.needsRefresh ?? false };
+      return { ...state, error: action.error ?? '', preview: null };
    case 'failure': {
      if (state.loading === 'preview') {
-        return { loading: '', error: action.error, preview: null, needsPreviewRefresh: false };
+        return { loading: '', error: action.error, preview: null };
      }
      return { ...state, loading: '', error: action.error };
    }
@@ -111,23 +100,16 @@ function buildColumnLabels(values: ImportFormValues): string[] {

 interface UseSheetImportFormProps {
  sourceKey: string;
-  defaultRundownName: string;
  worksheetNames: string[];
  initialMetadata: SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata | null;
  loadMetadata: (worksheet: string) => Promise<SpreadsheetWorksheetMetadata>;
  previewImport: (importMap: ReturnType<typeof convertToImportMap>) => Promise<SpreadsheetPreviewResponse>;
-  onApply: (
-    preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse,
-    mode: RundownImportMode,
-    newRundownTitle: string,
-    providedFields: ImportedFields,
-  ) => Promise<void>;
+  onApply: (preview: SpreadsheetPreviewResponse) => Promise<void>;
  onExport?: (importMap: ReturnType<typeof convertToImportMap>) => Promise<void>;
 }

 export function useSheetImportForm({
  sourceKey,
-  defaultRundownName,
  worksheetNames,
  initialMetadata,
  loadMetadata,
@@ -188,8 +170,6 @@ export function useSheetImportForm({
  const columnLabels = buildColumnLabels(values);

  const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(importReducer, initialImportState);
-  const [importMode, setImportMode] = useState<RundownImportMode>(() => getPersistedImportMode(sourceKey));
-  const [newRundownTitle, setNewRundownTitle] = useState(defaultRundownName);
  const warnings = getImportWarnings(values, headers);
  const warningCount = Object.values(warnings).filter(Boolean).length;
  const previewRef = useRef<SpreadsheetPreviewResponse | null>(null);
@@ -202,12 +182,6 @@ export function useSheetImportForm({
    dispatch({ type: 'reset' });
  }, [initialFormValues, reset]);

-  // Update import mode and rundown name if the source changes
-  useEffect(() => {
-    setImportMode(getPersistedImportMode(sourceKey));
-    setNewRundownTitle(defaultRundownName);
-  }, [sourceKey, defaultRundownName]);
-
  // Keep the worksheet selection valid if the available worksheets change underneath the form.
  useEffect(() => {
    if (worksheetNames.length === 0) return;
@@ -224,7 +198,7 @@ export function useSheetImportForm({
    const sub = watch(() => {
      if (!previewRef.current) return;
      previewRef.current = null;
-      dispatch({ type: 'clearPreview', needsRefresh: true });
+      dispatch({ type: 'clearPreview' });
    });
    return () => sub.unsubscribe();
  }, [watch]);
@@ -267,15 +241,13 @@ export function useSheetImportForm({

    try {
      dispatch({ type: 'startApply' });
-      const providedFields = getProvidedImportFields(convertToImportMap(getValues()));
-      await onApply(state.preview, importMode, newRundownTitle, providedFields);
+      await onApply(state.preview);
      persistImportState(sourceKey, getValues());
-      persistImportMode(sourceKey, importMode);
      dispatch({ type: 'applySuccess' });
    } catch (error) {
      dispatch({ type: 'failure', error: maybeAxiosError(error) });
    }
-  }, [getValues, importMode, newRundownTitle, onApply, sourceKey, state.preview]);
+  }, [getValues, onApply, sourceKey, state.preview]);

  const handleExport = useCallback(
    async (formValues: ImportFormValues) => {
@@ -300,37 +272,15 @@ export function useSheetImportForm({
  }, [append]);

  const toolbarStatus = (() => {
+    const warningText = warningCount > 0 ? ` | warnings: ${warningCount}` : '';
+
    if (!state.preview) {
-      return {
-        entries: '–',
-        groups: '–',
-        milestones: '–',
-        start: '–',
-        end: '–',
-        duration: '–',
-        warnings: warningCount,
-      };
+      return `entries: – | start: – | end: – | duration: –${warningText}`;
    }

-    const { entries, flatOrder } = state.preview.rundown;
+    const { flatOrder } = state.preview.rundown;
    const { start, end, duration } = state.preview.summary;
-    let groups = 0;
-    let milestones = 0;
-    for (const entryId of flatOrder) {
-      const entry = entries[entryId];
-      if (isOntimeGroup(entry)) groups++;
-      else if (isOntimeMilestone(entry)) milestones++;
-    }
-
-    return {
-      entries: flatOrder.length,
-      groups,
-      milestones,
-      start: removeTrailingZero(millisToString(start)),
-      end: removeTrailingZero(millisToString(end)),
-      duration: formatDuration(duration),
-      warnings: warningCount,
-    };
+    return `entries: ${flatOrder.length} | start: ${millisToString(start)} | end: ${millisToString(end)} | duration: ${formatDuration(duration)}${warningText}`;
  })();

  return {
@@ -350,10 +300,6 @@ export function useSheetImportForm({
    isBusy,
    canPreview,
    displayError,
-    importMode,
-    setImportMode,
-    newRundownTitle,
-    setNewRundownTitle,
    handlePreviewSubmit: handleSubmit(handlePreview),
    handleExportSubmit: handleSubmit(handleExport),
    handleApply,
@@ -1,17 +1,30 @@
-import { RundownImportPayload } from 'ontime-types';
+import { useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { CustomFields, ProjectRundowns } from 'ontime-types';
 import { useCallback } from 'react';

-import { importRundownWithOptions } from '../../../../../common/api/rundown';
+import { CUSTOM_FIELDS, RUNDOWN } from '../../../../../common/api/constants';
+import { patchData } from '../../../../../common/api/db';

 export default function useSpreadsheetImport() {
-  /** applies a spreadsheet import: override or merge into the current rundown, or create a new one */
-  const applyImport = useCallback(async (payload: RundownImportPayload) => {
-    // the backend broadcasts a refetch once the rundown is parsed and applied, so the caches update
-    // through that single path rather than racing it with an optimistic write from here
-    await importRundownWithOptions(payload);
-  }, []);
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+
+  /** applies rundown and customFields to current project */
+  const importRundown = useCallback(
+    async (rundowns: ProjectRundowns, customFields: CustomFields) => {
+      await patchData({ rundowns, customFields });
+      // we are unable to optimistically set the rundown since we need
+      // it to be normalised
+      await queryClient.invalidateQueries({
+        queryKey: RUNDOWN,
+      });
+      await queryClient.invalidateQueries({
+        queryKey: CUSTOM_FIELDS,
+      });
+    },
+    [queryClient],
+  );

  return {
-    applyImport,
+    importRundown,
  };
 }
@@ -73,10 +73,6 @@
  margin-right: 0.25rem;
 }

-.tagOvertime {
-  color: $playback-over;
-}
-
 .time {
  color: $section-white;
  font-size: $text-body-size;
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 import { MaybeNumber, Playback, TimerPhase } from 'ontime-types';
-import { millisToString } from 'ontime-utils';
+import { dayInMs, millisToString } from 'ontime-utils';
 import { PropsWithChildren } from 'react';

 import AppLink from '../../../../common/components/link/app-link/AppLink';
 import Tooltip from '../../../../common/components/tooltip/Tooltip';
 import useReport from '../../../../common/hooks-query/useReport';
-import { useTimerProgress } from '../../../../common/hooks/useSocket';
-import { cx } from '../../../../common/utils/styleUtils';
-import { formatDuration, normaliseWallClock } from '../../../../common/utils/time';
+import { useTimer } from '../../../../common/hooks/useSocket';
+import { formatDuration } from '../../../../common/utils/time';
 import TimerDisplay from '../timer-display/TimerDisplay';

 import style from './PlaybackTimer.module.scss';
@@ -25,14 +24,15 @@ function resolveAddedTimeLabel(addedTime: number) {
 }

 export default function PlaybackTimer({ children }: PropsWithChildren) {
-  'use memo';
-  const timer = useTimerProgress();
+  const timer = useTimer();

  const isRolling = timer.playback === Playback.Roll;
  const isWaiting = timer.phase === TimerPhase.Pending;
  const isOvertime = timer.phase === TimerPhase.Overtime;
  const hasAddedTime = Boolean(timer.addedTime);
+
  const rollLabel = isRolling ? 'Roll mode active' : '';
+
  const addedTimeLabel = resolveAddedTimeLabel(timer.addedTime);

  return (
@@ -51,13 +51,7 @@ export default function PlaybackTimer({ children }: PropsWithChildren) {
        {isWaiting ? (
          <span className={style.rolltag}>Roll: Countdown to start</span>
        ) : (
-          <RunningStatus
-            startedAt={timer.startedAt}
-            expectedFinish={timer.expectedFinish}
-            isStopped={timer.playback === Playback.Stop}
-            isCountToEnd={timer.isCountToEnd}
-            isOvertime={isOvertime}
-          />
+          <RunningStatus startedAt={timer.startedAt} expectedFinish={timer.expectedFinish} playback={timer.playback} />
        )}
      </div>
      {children}
@@ -68,18 +62,16 @@ export default function PlaybackTimer({ children }: PropsWithChildren) {
 interface RunningStatusProps {
  startedAt: MaybeNumber;
  expectedFinish: MaybeNumber;
-  isStopped: boolean;
-  isCountToEnd: boolean;
-  isOvertime: boolean;
+  playback: Playback;
 }
-
-function RunningStatus({ startedAt, expectedFinish, isStopped, isCountToEnd, isOvertime }: RunningStatusProps) {
-  if (isStopped) {
+function RunningStatus({ startedAt, expectedFinish, playback }: RunningStatusProps) {
+  if (playback === Playback.Stop) {
    return <StoppedStatus />;
  }

  const started = millisToString(startedAt);
-  const finish = millisToString(expectedFinish === null ? null : normaliseWallClock(expectedFinish));
+  const finishedMs = expectedFinish !== null ? expectedFinish % dayInMs : null;
+  const finish = millisToString(finishedMs);

  return (
    <>
@@ -88,9 +80,7 @@ function RunningStatus({ startedAt, expectedFinish, isStopped, isCountToEnd, isO
        <span className={style.time}>{started}</span>
      </span>
      <span className={style.finish}>
-        <span className={cx([style.tag, isOvertime && style.tagOvertime])}>
-          {isCountToEnd ? 'Scheduled end' : 'Expected end'}
-        </span>
+        <span className={style.tag}>Expect end</span>
        <span className={style.time}>{finish}</span>
      </span>
    </>
@@ -180,13 +180,7 @@ function Operator({ rundown, rundownMetadata, customFields, settings }: Operator

            return (
              <Fragment key={entry.id}>
-                <OperatorGroup
-                  key={entry.id}
-                  title={entry.title}
-                  colour={entry.colour}
-                  count={entry.entries.length}
-                  duration={entry.duration}
-                />
+                <OperatorGroup key={entry.id} title={entry.title} />
                {entry.entries.map((nestedEntryId) => {
                  const nestedEntry = rundown.entries[nestedEntryId];
                  if (!isOntimeEvent(nestedEntry)) {
@@ -223,7 +217,6 @@ function Operator({ rundown, rundownMetadata, customFields, settings }: Operator
                      isLinkedToLoaded={isLinkedToLoaded}
                      isSelected={isLoaded}
                      isPast={isPast}
-                      groupColour={entry.colour}
                      selectedRef={isLoaded ? selectedRef : undefined}
                      showStart={showStart}
                      subscribed={subscribedData}
@@ -22,39 +22,17 @@
    background-color: $gray-1250;
  }

-  &.grouped {
-    position: relative;
-    padding-left: 0.35rem;
-    background:
-      linear-gradient(90deg, color-mix(in srgb, transparent 88%, var(--group-colour, $gray-500) 12%), transparent 8rem),
-      $viewer-card-bg-color;
-  }
-
  &.running {
    border-top: 1px solid $gray-1300;
    background-color: var(--operator-running-bg-override, $active-green);
  }

-  &.grouped.running {
-    background:
-      linear-gradient(90deg, color-mix(in srgb, transparent 82%, var(--group-colour, $gray-500) 18%), transparent 8rem),
-      var(--operator-running-bg-override, $active-green);
-  }
-
  &.past {
    border-top: 1px solid transparent;
    opacity: 0.2;
  }
 }

-.groupRail {
-  position: absolute;
-  inset-block: 0;
-  left: 0;
-  width: 0.35rem;
-  background-color: var(--group-colour, $gray-500);
-}
-
 .binder {
  grid-area: binder;
  color: $section-white;
@@ -96,9 +74,6 @@
 .plannedStart,
 .timeUntil,
 .runningTime {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.25rem;
  border-radius: $component-border-radius-md;
  padding: 0.25rem 0.5rem;
  line-height: 1;
@@ -120,21 +95,6 @@
  letter-spacing: 1px;
 }

-.live {
-  color: $ui-black;
-  background-color: $ui-white;
-}
-
-.due {
-  color: $ui-black;
-  background-color: $orange-500;
-}
-
-.done {
-  color: $white-60;
-  background-color: $white-7;
-}
-
 .runningTime {
  grid-area: running;
  font-size: 1.25rem;
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ interface OperatorEventProps {
  isLinkedToLoaded: boolean;
  isSelected: boolean;
  isPast: boolean;
-  groupColour?: string;
  selectedRef?: RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>;
  showStart: boolean;
  subscribed: Subscribed;
@@ -47,7 +46,6 @@ function OperatorEvent({
  isLinkedToLoaded,
  isSelected,
  isPast,
-  groupColour,
  selectedRef,
  showStart,
  subscribed,
@@ -70,12 +68,7 @@ function OperatorEvent({
  const mouseHandlers = useLongPress(handleLongPress);
  const cueColours = colour && getAccessibleColour(colour);

-  const operatorClasses = cx([
-    style.event,
-    groupColour && style.grouped,
-    isSelected && style.running,
-    isPast && style.past,
-  ]);
+  const operatorClasses = cx([style.event, isSelected && style.running, isPast && style.past]);

  const hasFields = subscribed.some((field) => field.value);
  const columnCount = subscribed.length ? Math.min(subscribed.length, 4) : 0;
@@ -92,10 +85,8 @@ function OperatorEvent({
      data-testid={cue}
      ref={selectedRef}
      onContextMenu={handleLongPress}
-      style={groupColour ? ({ '--group-colour': groupColour } as CSSProperties) : undefined}
      {...mouseHandlers}
    >
-      {groupColour && <div className={style.groupRail} />}
      <div className={style.binder} style={{ ...cueColours }}>
        <span className={style.cue}>{cue}</span>
      </div>
@@ -162,11 +153,11 @@ function OperatorEventSchedule({
  isLinkedToLoaded,
 }: OperatorEventScheduleProps) {
  if (isPast) {
-    return <span className={cx([style.timeUntil, style.done])}>DONE</span>;
+    return <span className={style.timeUntil}>DONE</span>;
  }

  if (isSelected) {
-    return <span className={cx([style.timeUntil, style.live])}>LIVE</span>;
+    return <span className={style.timeUntil}>LIVE</span>;
  }

  return (
@@ -195,7 +186,7 @@ function TimeUntil({ timeStart, delay, dayOffset, totalGap, isLinkedToLoaded }:
  const timeUntilString = isDue ? 'DUE' : `${formatDuration(Math.abs(timeUntil), timeUntil > 2 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE)}`;

  return (
-    <span className={cx([style.timeUntil, isDue && style.due])} data-testid='time-until'>
+    <span className={style.timeUntil} data-testid='time-until'>
      {timeUntilString}
    </span>
  );
@@ -1,33 +1,13 @@
 .group {
  width: 100%;
-  min-height: 2.5rem;
-  padding: 0.4rem 0.75rem;
-  border-left: 0.35rem solid var(--group-colour, $gray-500);
+  padding: 0.25rem 0.5rem;
  background-color: $gray-1350;
-  background: color-mix(in srgb, transparent 88%, var(--group-colour, $gray-500) 12%);
  font-size: 1.25rem;
-  font-weight: 600;
-
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 1rem;
-  letter-spacing: 0;
 }

-.title {
-  flex: 1 1 auto;
-  min-width: 0;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  text-overflow: ellipsis;
-  white-space: nowrap;
-}
-
-.meta {
-  display: flex;
-  flex: 0 0 auto;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.5rem;
-  color: color-mix(in srgb, currentColor 60%, transparent);
-  font-size: 0.875rem;
-  font-weight: 500;
+// tablet
+@media (min-width: $min-tablet) {
+  .group {
+    padding: 0.25rem 1rem;
+  }
 }
@@ -1,29 +1,12 @@
-import { CSSProperties, memo } from 'react';
-
-import { getAccessibleColour } from '../../../common/utils/styleUtils';
-import { formatDuration } from '../../../common/utils/time';
+import { memo } from 'react';

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

 interface OperatorGroup {
  title: string;
-  colour: string;
-  count: number;
-  duration: number;
 }

 export default memo(OperatorGroup);
-function OperatorGroup({ title, colour, count, duration }: OperatorGroup) {
-  const groupColour = colour || '#929292';
-  const groupColours = getAccessibleColour(groupColour);
-
-  return (
-    <div className={style.group} style={{ ...groupColours, '--group-colour': groupColour } as CSSProperties}>
-      <span className={style.title}>{title}</span>
-      <span className={style.meta}>
-        <span>{`${count} ${count === 1 ? 'event' : 'events'}`}</span>
-        <span>{formatDuration(duration)}</span>
-      </span>
-    </div>
-  );
+function OperatorGroup({ title }: OperatorGroup) {
+  return <div className={style.group}>{title}</div>;
 }
@@ -105,29 +105,12 @@ export default function Rundown({ order, flatOrder, entries, id, rundownMetadata
    handleCollapseGroup,
  });

-  // Jump to the current element on demand: the running event in Run mode, the edit cursor otherwise.
-  // Scrolls only (no selection change) so jumping to the running event does not hijack the edit cursor.
-  const jumpToCurrent = useCallback(() => {
-    const targetId = editorMode === AppMode.Run ? featureData?.selectedEventId : cursor;
-    if (!targetId) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    // Open parent group if the target is inside a collapsed group
-    const entry = entries[targetId];
-    if (entry && 'parent' in entry) {
-      expandGroup(entry.parent);
-    }
-    scrollToEntry(targetId);
-  }, [editorMode, featureData?.selectedEventId, cursor, entries, expandGroup, scrollToEntry]);
-
  // Keyboard shortcuts
  useRundownKeyboard({
    cursor,
    commands,
    clearSelectedEvents,
    setEntryCopyId,
-    jumpToCurrent,
  });

  // DND handlers
@@ -339,9 +322,7 @@ export default function Rundown({ order, flatOrder, entries, id, rundownMetadata
            increaseViewportBy={{ top: 200, bottom: 400 }}
            style={{ height: '100%' }}
            components={{
-              Header: isEditMode
-                ? () => <QuickAddButtons previousEventId={null} nextEventId={order[0]} parentGroup={null} />
-                : undefined,
+              Header: isEditMode ? () => <QuickAddButtons previousEventId={null} parentGroup={null} /> : undefined,
              Footer: () => (
                <>
                  {isEditMode && (
@@ -3,94 +3,58 @@
  height: 100%;
  max-height: 100%;
  overflow-y: auto;
-  padding: 1rem 1.5rem;
+  padding: 0.5rem;

  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
+  overflow-x: auto;
 }

 .shortcutSection {
  flex: 1;
-  width: min(100%, 48rem);
-  margin-top: clamp(1.5rem, 8vh, 5rem);
+  margin-top: 15vh;
  margin-inline: auto;
+  gap: 1rem;
 }

 .shortcuts {
-  display: grid;
-  gap: 0.875rem;
-  margin-top: 0.875rem;
-}
+  font-size: calc(1rem - 3px);
+  border-collapse: separate;
+  border-spacing: 4rem 0;

-.shortcutGroup {
-  h3 {
-    margin: 0 0 0.375rem;
-    color: $ui-white;
-    font-size: calc(1rem - 3px);
-    font-weight: 600;
-    text-transform: uppercase;
+  tr {
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    td:nth-child(odd) {
+      text-align: left;
+    }
+    td:nth-child(even) {
+      text-align: right;
+    }
  }
 }

-.shortcutList {
-  display: grid;
-  gap: 0.25rem;
-}
-
-.shortcutRow {
-  min-height: 1.625rem;
-  display: grid;
-  grid-template-columns: minmax(10rem, 1fr) minmax(0, auto);
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.75rem;
-  font-size: calc(1rem - 3px);
-}
-
-.shortcutLabel {
-  min-width: 0;
-  line-height: 1.2;
-}
-
-.shortcutKeys {
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  flex-wrap: wrap;
-  justify-content: flex-end;
-  gap: 0.25rem 0.5rem;
-  min-width: 0;
-}
-
-.keyCombo {
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  flex-wrap: nowrap;
-  gap: 0.25rem 0;
-}
-
-.separator {
-  color: $gray-500;
-  font-size: calc(1rem - 5px);
+.spacer {
+  height: 1rem;
 }

 .prompt {
+  margin-left: 4rem;
+}
+
+.divider {
+  display: inline-block;
+  text-align: center;
+  width: 1em;
+}
+
+.kbd {
+  font-family: monospace;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  font-size: calc(1rem - 2px);
+  padding: 0.125rem 0.5rem;
+  background-color: $gray-1200;
  color: $ui-white;
-}
-
-@media (max-width: 680px) {
-  .entryEditor {
-    padding: 0.75rem 1rem;
-  }
-
-  .shortcutSection {
-    margin-top: 1rem;
-  }
-
-  .shortcutRow {
-    grid-template-columns: 1fr;
-    gap: 0.25rem;
-  }
-
-  .shortcutKeys {
-    justify-content: flex-start;
-  }
+  border-radius: 2px;
+  font-weight: 400;
+  box-shadow: 0px 0px 3px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
 }
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { PropsWithChildren, memo } from 'react';

 import * as Editor from '../../../common/components/editor-utils/EditorUtils';
-import Kbd from '../../../common/components/kbd/Kbd';
 import { deviceAlt, deviceMod } from '../../../common/utils/deviceUtils';

 import style from './EventEditorEmpty.module.scss';
@@ -13,127 +12,216 @@ function EventEditorEmpty() {
    <div className={style.entryEditor} data-testid='editor-container'>
      <div className={style.shortcutSection}>
        <Editor.Title className={style.prompt}>Rundown shortcuts</Editor.Title>
-        <div className={style.shortcuts}>
-          <ShortcutGroup title='Search'>
-            <Shortcut label='Find in rundown'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceMod, 'F']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Open settings'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceMod, ',']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-          </ShortcutGroup>
-
-          <ShortcutGroup title='Navigation'>
-            <Shortcut label='Select entry'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, '↑']} />
-              <Separator />
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, '↓']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Select group'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'Shift', '↑']} />
-              <Separator />
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'Shift', '↓']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Jump to top / bottom'>
-              <Combo keys={['Home']} />
-              <Separator />
-              <Combo keys={['End']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Page up / down'>
-              <Combo keys={['PgUp']} />
-              <Separator />
-              <Combo keys={['PgDn']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Jump to current entry'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'L']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Deselect entry'>
-              <Combo keys={['Esc']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-          </ShortcutGroup>
-
-          <ShortcutGroup title='Editing'>
-            <Shortcut label='Reorder selected entry'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, deviceMod, '↑']} />
-              <Separator />
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, deviceMod, '↓']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Copy selected entry'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceMod, 'C']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Cut selected entry'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceMod, 'X']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Paste below'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceMod, 'V']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Paste above'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceMod, 'Shift', 'V']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Clone selected entry'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceMod, 'D']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Delete selected entry'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'Backspace']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-          </ShortcutGroup>
-
-          <ShortcutGroup title='Insert'>
-            <Shortcut label='Add event below / above'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'E']} />
-              <Separator />
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'Shift', 'E']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Add group below / above'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'G']} />
-              <Separator />
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'Shift', 'G']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Add milestone below / above'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'M']} />
-              <Separator />
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'Shift', 'M']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut label='Add delay below / above'>
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'D']} />
-              <Separator />
-              <Combo keys={[deviceAlt, 'Shift', 'D']} />
-            </Shortcut>
-          </ShortcutGroup>
-        </div>
+        <table className={style.shortcuts}>
+          <tbody>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Find in rundown</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceMod}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>F</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Open Settings</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceMod}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>,</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr className={style.spacer} />
+            <tr>
+              <td>Select entry</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>↑</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>/</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>↓</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Select group</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>Shift</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>↑</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>/</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>↓</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Jump to top / bottom</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>Home</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>/</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>End</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Page up / down</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>PgUp</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>/</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>PgDn</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Deselect entry</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>Esc</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr className={style.spacer} />
+            <tr>
+              <td>Reorder selected entry</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>{deviceMod}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>↑</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>/</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>↓</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Copy selected entry</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceMod}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>C</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Cut selected entry</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceMod}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>X</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Paste above</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceMod}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>Shift</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>V</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Paste below</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceMod}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>V</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Clone selected entry</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceMod}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>D</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Delete selected entry</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>Backspace</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr className={style.spacer} />
+            <tr>
+              <td>Add event below</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>E</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Add event above</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>Shift</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>E</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Add group below</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>G</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Add group above</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>Shift</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>G</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Add milestone below</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>M</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Add milestone above</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>Shift</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>M</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Add delay below</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>D</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+            <tr>
+              <td>Add delay above</td>
+              <td>
+                <Kbd>{deviceAlt}</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>Shift</Kbd>
+                <AuxKey>+</AuxKey>
+                <Kbd>D</Kbd>
+              </td>
+            </tr>
+          </tbody>
+        </table>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
 }

-function ShortcutGroup({ title, children }: PropsWithChildren<{ title: string }>) {
-  return (
-    <section className={style.shortcutGroup}>
-      <h3>{title}</h3>
-      <div className={style.shortcutList}>{children}</div>
-    </section>
-  );
+function AuxKey({ children }: PropsWithChildren) {
+  return <span className={style.divider}>{children}</span>;
 }

-function Shortcut({ label, children }: PropsWithChildren<{ label: string }>) {
-  return (
-    <div className={style.shortcutRow}>
-      <span className={style.shortcutLabel}>{label}</span>
-      <span className={style.shortcutKeys}>{children}</span>
-    </div>
-  );
-}
-
-function Combo({ keys }: { keys: string[] }) {
-  return (
-    <span className={style.keyCombo}>
-      {keys.map((key) => (
-        <Kbd key={key}>{key}</Kbd>
-      ))}
-    </span>
-  );
-}
-
-function Separator() {
-  return <span className={style.separator}>/</span>;
+function Kbd({ children }: PropsWithChildren) {
+  return <span className={style.kbd}>{children}</span>;
 }
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import Switch from '../../../../common/components/switch/Switch';
 import Tooltip from '../../../../common/components/tooltip/Tooltip';
 import { useEntryActionsContext } from '../../../../common/context/EntryActionsContext';
 import { millisToDelayString } from '../../../../common/utils/dateConfig';
-import { formatTime, normaliseWallClock } from '../../../../common/utils/time';
+import { formatTime } from '../../../../common/utils/time';
 import TimeInputFlow from '../../time-input-flow/TimeInputFlow';

 import style from '../EntryEditor.module.scss';
@@ -68,10 +68,8 @@ function EventEditorTimes({
  };

  const hasDelay = delay !== 0;
-  const delayedStart = normaliseWallClock(timeStart + delay);
-  const delayedEnd = normaliseWallClock(timeEnd + delay);
  const delayLabel = hasDelay
-    ? `Event is ${millisToDelayString(delay, 'expanded')}. New schedule ${formatTime(delayedStart)} → ${formatTime(delayedEnd)}`
+    ? `Event is ${millisToDelayString(delay, 'expanded')}. New schedule ${formatTime(timeStart + delay)} → ${formatTime(timeEnd + delay)}`
    : '';

  return (
@@ -88,6 +86,7 @@ function EventEditorTimes({
              timeStrategy={timeStrategy}
              linkStart={linkStart}
              delay={delay}
+              countToEnd={countToEnd}
              showLabels
            />
          </div>
@@ -11,17 +11,13 @@ import style from './QuickAddButtons.module.scss';

 interface QuickAddButtonsProps {
  previousEventId: MaybeString;
-  nextEventId?: MaybeString;
  parentGroup: MaybeString;
  backgroundColor?: string;
 }

 export default memo(QuickAddButtons);
-function QuickAddButtons({ previousEventId, nextEventId, parentGroup, backgroundColor }: QuickAddButtonsProps) {
+function QuickAddButtons({ previousEventId, parentGroup, backgroundColor }: QuickAddButtonsProps) {
  const { addEntry } = useEntryActionsContext();
-  const appendOptions = previousEventId ? { after: previousEventId, lastEventId: previousEventId } : undefined;
-  const prependOptions = nextEventId ? { before: nextEventId } : undefined;
-  const insertionOptions = appendOptions ?? prependOptions;

  const addEvent = () => {
    addEntry(
@@ -29,23 +25,44 @@ function QuickAddButtons({ previousEventId, nextEventId, parentGroup, background
        type: SupportedEntry.Event,
        parent: parentGroup,
      },
-      insertionOptions,
+      {
+        after: previousEventId,
+        lastEventId: previousEventId,
+      },
    );
  };

  const addDelay = () => {
-    addEntry({ type: SupportedEntry.Delay, parent: parentGroup }, insertionOptions);
+    addEntry(
+      { type: SupportedEntry.Delay, parent: parentGroup },
+      {
+        lastEventId: previousEventId,
+        after: previousEventId,
+      },
+    );
  };

  const addMilestone = () => {
-    addEntry({ type: SupportedEntry.Milestone, parent: parentGroup }, insertionOptions);
+    addEntry(
+      { type: SupportedEntry.Milestone, parent: parentGroup },
+      {
+        lastEventId: previousEventId,
+        after: previousEventId,
+      },
+    );
  };

  const addGroup = () => {
    if (parentGroup !== null) {
      return;
    }
-    addEntry({ type: SupportedEntry.Group }, insertionOptions);
+    addEntry(
+      { type: SupportedEntry.Group },
+      {
+        lastEventId: previousEventId,
+        after: previousEventId,
+      },
+    );
  };

  /**
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ export function useRundownCommands({
      addEntry(patch, {
        after: id && !above ? id : undefined,
        before: id && above ? id : undefined,
-        lastEventId: id && !above ? id : undefined,
+        lastEventId: !above && id ? id : undefined,
      });
    },
    [addEntry],
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ interface UseRundownKeyboardOptions {
  };
  clearSelectedEvents: () => void;
  setEntryCopyId: (id: EntryId | null, mode?: 'copy' | 'cut') => void;
-  jumpToCurrent: () => void;
 }

 /**
@@ -41,7 +40,6 @@ export function useRundownKeyboard({
  commands,
  clearSelectedEvents,
  setEntryCopyId,
-  jumpToCurrent,
 }: UseRundownKeyboardOptions) {
  const scrollToEntry = useEventSelection((state) => state.scrollToEntry);

@@ -129,8 +127,6 @@ export function useRundownKeyboard({
      { preventDefault: true, usePhysicalKeys: true },
    ],

-    ['alt + L', () => jumpToCurrent(), { preventDefault: true, usePhysicalKeys: true }],
-
    [
      'alt + mod + ArrowDown',
      () => commands.moveEntry(cursor, 'down'),
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ $skip-opacity: 0.2;
  background-color: $block-bg;
  margin-block: 0.25rem;
  overflow: initial;
-  position: relative;

  display: grid;
  grid-template-areas:
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@ $skip-opacity: 0.2;
    'binder pb-actions estatus estatus'
    'binder ...        ...     ...';

-  grid-template-columns: $block-binder-width 3rem minmax(0, 1fr) 3rem;
+  grid-template-columns: $block-binder-width 3rem 1fr 3rem;
  grid-template-rows: 0.125rem 2rem 2rem auto 0.125rem;
  align-items: center;
  padding-right: $block-clearance;
@@ -137,7 +136,6 @@ $skip-opacity: 0.2;
  align-items: center;
  gap: $block-clearance;
  height: 100%;
-  min-width: 0;
 }

 .eventTimers.editMode:hover {
@@ -157,7 +155,7 @@ $skip-opacity: 0.2;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: space-between;

-  .warningMeta {
+  .nextTag {
    font-size: 1rem;
    color: $orange-500;
    letter-spacing: 0.03px;
@@ -233,10 +231,6 @@ $skip-opacity: 0.2;
    color: var(--status-color-active-override, $active-indicator);
  }

-  .statusIcon.countToEndStatus {
-    color: $orange-400;
-  }
-
  .statusIcon.warning {
    color: $orange-500;
  }
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import { TbFlagFilled, TbListNumbers } from 'react-icons/tb';
 import { useEntryActionsContext } from '../../../common/context/EntryActionsContext';
 import { useContextMenu } from '../../../common/hooks/useContextMenu';
 import { useEntryCopy } from '../../../common/stores/entryCopyStore';
-import { deviceAlt, deviceMod } from '../../../common/utils/deviceUtils';
+import { deviceMod } from '../../../common/utils/deviceUtils';
 import { cx, getAccessibleColour } from '../../../common/utils/styleUtils';
 import { useRenumberCuesDialogStore } from '../renumber-cues-dialog/RenumberCuesDialog';
 import { useEventIdSwapping } from '../useEventIdSwapping';
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ export default function RundownEvent({
            type: 'item',
            label: 'Delete',
            icon: IoTrash,
-            shortcut: `${deviceAlt}+Backspace`,
+            shortcut: `${deviceMod}+Del`,
            onClick: () => {
              clearSelectedEvents();
              deleteEntry(Array.from(selectedEvents));
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ export default function RundownEvent({
            type: 'item',
            label: 'Delete',
            icon: IoTrash,
-            shortcut: `${deviceAlt}+Backspace`,
+            shortcut: `${deviceMod}+Del`,
            onClick: () => {
              deleteEntry([eventId]);
              unselect(eventId);
@@ -115,12 +115,12 @@ function RundownEventInner({
          delay={delay}
          timeStrategy={timeStrategy}
          linkStart={linkStart}
+          countToEnd={countToEnd}
        />
      </div>
      <div className={style.titleSection}>
        <TitleEditor title={title} entryId={eventId} placeholder='Event title' className={style.eventTitle} />
-        {isNext && <span className={style.warningMeta}>UP NEXT</span>}
-        {!isNext && countToEnd && <span className={style.warningMeta}>COUNT TO END</span>}
+        {isNext && <span className={style.nextTag}>UP NEXT</span>}
      </div>
      <EventBlockPlayback
        eventId={eventId}
@@ -157,13 +157,7 @@ function RundownEventInner({
            <EndActionIcon action={endAction} className={style.statusIcon} />
          </Tooltip>
          <Tooltip text={`${countToEnd ? 'Count to End' : 'Count duration'}`} render={<span />}>
-            <LuArrowDownToLine
-              className={cx([
-                style.statusIcon,
-                countToEnd ? style.active : style.disabled,
-                countToEnd && style.countToEndStatus,
-              ])}
-            />
+            <LuArrowDownToLine className={`${style.statusIcon} ${countToEnd ? style.active : style.disabled}`} />
          </Tooltip>
          <Tooltip text={automationTooltip} render={<span />}>
            <IoFlash className={automationIconClasses} />
@@ -1,33 +1,10 @@
-import { MILLIS_PER_HOUR, MILLIS_PER_MINUTE } from 'ontime-utils';
-
 import { formatDelay } from '../rundownEvent.utils';

 describe('formatDelay()', () => {
  it('adds a given delay to the start time', () => {
-    const timeStart = 1 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE; // 00:01
-    const delay = 1 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE; // 00:01
+    const timeStart = 60000; // 1 min
+    const delay = 60000; // 1 min
    const result = formatDelay(timeStart, delay);
    expect(result).toEqual('New start 00:02');
  });
-
-  it('wraps negative delayed starts under midnight', () => {
-    const timeStart = 1 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE; // 00:01
-    const delay = -2 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE; // -00:02
-    const result = formatDelay(timeStart, delay);
-    expect(result).toEqual('New start 23:59');
-  });
-
-  it('wraps later-day negative delays using delay as the source of truth', () => {
-    const timeStart = 1 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR; // 01:00
-    const delay = -(1 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR + 30 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE); // -01:30
-    const result = formatDelay(timeStart, delay);
-    expect(result).toEqual('New start 23:30');
-  });
-
-  it('displays positive delays as wall-clock time', () => {
-    const timeStart = 1 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR; // 01:00
-    const delay = 1 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR + 30 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE; // 01:30
-    const result = formatDelay(timeStart, delay);
-    expect(result).toEqual('New start 02:30');
-  });
 });
@@ -3,5 +3,7 @@
  width: 0;
  border-radius: 1px 0 0 1px;

+  transition: 1s linear;
+  transition-property: width;
  background-color: $gray-200;
 }
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-import { useAnimatedProgress } from '../../../../common/hooks/useAnimatedProgress';
 import { useTimer } from '../../../../common/hooks/useSocket';
+import { getProgress } from '../../../../common/utils/getProgress';

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

 export default function RundownEventProgressBar() {
  const timer = useTimer();

-  const progress = useAnimatedProgress(timer.current, timer.duration);
+  const progress = getProgress(timer.current, timer.duration);

  return <div className={style.progressBar} style={{ width: `${progress}%` }} />;
 }
@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
 import { millisToString, removeTrailingZero } from 'ontime-utils';

-import { formatDuration, normaliseWallClock } from '../../../common/utils/time';
+import { formatDuration } from '../../../common/utils/time';

 export function formatDelay(timeStart: number, delay: number): string | undefined {
  if (!delay) return;

-  const delayedStart = normaliseWallClock(timeStart + delay);
+  const delayedStart = Math.max(0, timeStart + delay);

  const timeTag = removeTrailingZero(millisToString(delayedStart));
  return `New start ${timeTag}`;
 }
-
 export function formatGap(gap: number, isNextDay: boolean) {
  if (gap === 0) {
    if (isNextDay) {
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import Tag from '../../../common/components/tag/Tag';
 import { useEntryActionsContext } from '../../../common/context/EntryActionsContext';
 import { useContextMenu } from '../../../common/hooks/useContextMenu';
 import { useEntryCopy } from '../../../common/stores/entryCopyStore';
-import { deviceAlt, deviceMod } from '../../../common/utils/deviceUtils';
+import { deviceMod } from '../../../common/utils/deviceUtils';
 import { getOffsetState } from '../../../common/utils/offset';
 import { cx, getAccessibleColour } from '../../../common/utils/styleUtils';
 import { formatDuration, formatTime } from '../../../common/utils/time';
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export default function RundownGroup({ data, hasCursor, collapsed, onCollapse }:
      type: 'item',
      label: 'Delete Group',
      icon: IoTrash,
-      shortcut: `${deviceAlt}+Backspace`,
+      shortcut: `${deviceMod}+Del`,
      onClick: () => deleteEntry([data.id]),
    },
  ]);
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import useReactiveTextInput from '../../../common/components/input/text-input/us
 import { useEntryActionsContext } from '../../../common/context/EntryActionsContext';
 import { useContextMenu } from '../../../common/hooks/useContextMenu';
 import { useEntryCopy } from '../../../common/stores/entryCopyStore';
-import { deviceAlt } from '../../../common/utils/deviceUtils';
+import { deviceMod } from '../../../common/utils/deviceUtils';
 import { cx, getAccessibleColour } from '../../../common/utils/styleUtils';
 import { useEventSelection } from '../useEventSelection';

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export default function RundownMilestone({ colour, cue, entryId, hasCursor, titl
      type: 'item',
      label: 'Delete',
      icon: IoTrash,
-      shortcut: `${deviceAlt}+Backspace`,
+      shortcut: `${deviceMod}+Del`,
      onClick: () => deleteEntry([entryId]),
    },
  ]);
@@ -4,15 +4,10 @@

 .timerNote {
  width: 1.25em;
-  flex: 0 0 1.25em;
  color: $blue-500;
  font-size: 1.5em;
 }

-.timerNotePlaceholder {
-  visibility: hidden;
-}
-
 .inactive {
  color: $muted-gray;
 }
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import style from './TimeInputFlow.module.scss';

 interface TimeInputFlowProps {
  eventId: string;
+  countToEnd: boolean;
  timeStart: number;
  timeEnd: number;
  duration: number;
@@ -21,12 +22,12 @@ interface TimeInputFlowProps {
  linkStart: boolean;
  delay: number;
  showLabels?: boolean;
-  showWarnings?: boolean;
 }

 export default memo(TimeInputFlow);
 function TimeInputFlow({
  eventId,
+  countToEnd,
  timeStart,
  timeEnd,
  duration,
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@ function TimeInputFlow({
  linkStart,
  delay,
  showLabels,
-  showWarnings = true,
 }: TimeInputFlowProps) {
  const { updateEntry, updateTimer } = useEntryActionsContext();

@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ function TimeInputFlow({
    warnings.push('Over midnight');
  }

+  if (countToEnd) {
+    warnings.push('Count to End');
+  }
+
  const hasDelay = delay !== 0;
  const isLockedEnd = timeStrategy === TimeStrategy.LockEnd;
  const isLockedDuration = timeStrategy === TimeStrategy.LockDuration;
@@ -132,19 +136,11 @@ function TimeInputFlow({
        </TimeInputGroup>
      </div>

-      {showWarnings &&
-        (warnings.length > 0 ? (
-          <Tooltip
-            text={warnings.join(' - ')}
-            className={style.timerNote}
-            data-testid='event-warning'
-            render={<span />}
-          >
-            <IoAlertCircleOutline />
-          </Tooltip>
-        ) : (
-          <span className={`${style.timerNote} ${style.timerNotePlaceholder}`} aria-hidden='true' />
-        ))}
+      {warnings.length > 0 && (
+        <Tooltip text={warnings.join(' - ')} className={style.timerNote} data-testid='event-warning' render={<span />}>
+          <IoAlertCircleOutline />
+        </Tooltip>
+      )}
    </>
  );
 }
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ type ScheduleTimeProps = {
 //TODO: consider relative mode
 export function ScheduleTime(props: ScheduleTimeProps) {
  const { event, showExpected } = props;
-  const { timeStart, duration, delay, expectedStart, expectedEnd } = event;
+  const { timeStart, duration, delay, expectedStart, countToEnd } = event;

  const plannedStart = timeStart + delay + event.dayOffset * dayInMs;

@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ export function ScheduleTime(props: ScheduleTimeProps) {

  const expectedStateClass = `sub__schedule--${getOffsetState(expectedStart - plannedStart)}`;
  const plannedEnd = plannedStart + duration + delay;
+  const expectedEnd = countToEnd ? Math.max(expectedStart + duration, plannedEnd) : expectedStart + duration;
  const expectedEndClass = `sub__schedule--${getOffsetState(expectedEnd - plannedEnd)}`;

  return (
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
-import { getExpectedEnd, getExpectedStart } from 'ontime-utils';
+import { MaybeNumber, OntimeEvent } from 'ontime-types';
+import { getExpectedStart } from 'ontime-utils';
 import { IoPencil } from 'react-icons/io5';

 import Button from '../../common/components/buttons/Button';
 import useReport from '../../common/hooks-query/useReport';
 import { useFadeOutOnInactivity } from '../../common/hooks/useFadeOutOnInactivity';
 import { useExpectedStartData } from '../../common/hooks/useSocket';
+import { ExtendedEntry } from '../../common/utils/rundownMetadata';
 import { cx } from '../../common/utils/styleUtils';
 import SuperscriptTime from '../common/superscript-time/SuperscriptTime';
 import { getPropertyValue } from '../common/viewUtils';
 import { useCountdownOptions } from './countdown.options';
-import { CountdownEvent, CountdownTarget, useSubscriptionDisplayData } from './countdown.utils';
+import { CountdownTarget, useSubscriptionDisplayData } from './countdown.utils';
 import { ScheduleTime } from './CountdownSubscriptions';

 import './SingleEventCountdown.scss';
@@ -36,10 +38,8 @@ export default function SingleEventCountdown({ subscribedEvent, goToEditMode }:
    mode,
  });

-  const expectedEnd = getExpectedEnd(subscribedEvent, expectedStart, currentDay);
-
  const { endedAt } = reportData[subscribedEvent.reportId ?? subscribedEvent.id] ?? { endedAt: null };
-  const countdownEvent = { ...subscribedEvent, expectedStart, endedAt, expectedEnd };
+  const countdownEvent = { ...subscribedEvent, expectedStart, endedAt };
  const titleTmp = getPropertyValue(subscribedEvent, mainSource ?? 'title');
  const title = titleTmp?.length ? titleTmp : ' '; // insert utf-8 empty space to avoid the line collapsing;
  // while a group is live, surface the running event's title as the secondary line
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export default function SingleEventCountdown({ subscribedEvent, goToEditMode }:
 }

 interface SubscriptionStatusProps {
-  event: CountdownEvent;
+  event: ExtendedEntry<OntimeEvent> & { endedAt: MaybeNumber; expectedStart: number };
 }

 function SubscriptionStatus({ event }: SubscriptionStatusProps) {
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {
  isOntimeGroup,
  isPlayableEvent,
 } from 'ontime-types';
-import { MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, getExpectedEnd, getExpectedStart, millisToString, removeLeadingZero } from 'ontime-utils';
+import { MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, getExpectedStart, millisToString, removeLeadingZero } from 'ontime-utils';

 import { useCountdownSocket } from '../../common/hooks/useSocket';
 import { ExtendedEntry } from '../../common/utils/rundownMetadata';
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export type CountdownTarget = ExtendedEntry<OntimeEvent> & {
  liveEntry?: ExtendedEntry<OntimeEvent> | null; // the running child while a group is live
 };

-export type CountdownEvent = CountdownTarget & { expectedStart: number; endedAt: MaybeNumber; expectedEnd: number };
+export type CountdownEvent = CountdownTarget & { expectedStart: number; endedAt: MaybeNumber };

 /**
 * Resolves a subscription (event or group) into an event-shaped countdown target.
@@ -271,7 +271,6 @@ export function extendEventData(
    offset,
    mode,
  });
-  const expectedEnd = getExpectedEnd(event, expectedStart, currentDay);
  const { endedAt } = reportData[event.reportId ?? event.id] ?? { endedAt: null };
-  return { ...event, expectedStart, endedAt, expectedEnd };
+  return { ...event, expectedStart, endedAt };
 }
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function EditorLayoutOptions() {
      {
        type: 'item',
        label: 'Planning',
-        description: 'Edit focused list with planning stats',
+        description: 'Edit-focused list with planning stats',
        icon: layoutMode === EditorLayoutMode.PLANNING ? IoCheckmark : undefined,
        onClick: () => setLayoutMode(EditorLayoutMode.PLANNING),
      },
@@ -54,51 +54,17 @@
 }

 .footer {
-  width: 100%;
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: flex-end;
-  justify-content: space-between;
-  gap: 1rem;
  font-size: calc(1rem - 2px);
  color: $label-gray;
 }

-.filterHint {
-  text-align: right;
-}
-
 .em {
  color: $ui-white;
  margin-inline: 0.25rem;
 }

-.hints {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-wrap: wrap;
-  gap: 0.5rem 1rem;
-  color: $label-gray;
-  font-size: calc(1rem - 3px);
-}
-
-.hintItem {
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.25rem;
-}
-
 .scrollContainer {
  max-height: 70vh;
  overflow: auto;
  padding-top: 1rem;
 }
-
-@media (max-width: 680px) {
-  .footer {
-    align-items: flex-start;
-    flex-direction: column;
-  }
-
-  .filterHint {
-    text-align: left;
-  }
-}
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import { SupportedEntry } from 'ontime-types';
 import { KeyboardEvent, useState } from 'react';

 import Input from '../../../common/components/input/input/Input';
-import Kbd from '../../../common/components/kbd/Kbd';
 import Modal from '../../../common/components/modal/Modal';
 import useFinder from './useFinder';

@@ -97,25 +96,8 @@ export default function Finder({ isOpen, onClose }: FinderProps) {
      }
      footerElements={
        <div className={style.footer}>
-          <div className={style.hints}>
-            <span className={style.hintItem}>
-              <Kbd>↑</Kbd>
-              <Kbd>↓</Kbd>
-              Navigate
-            </span>
-            <span className={style.hintItem}>
-              <Kbd>Enter</Kbd>
-              Go
-            </span>
-            <span className={style.hintItem}>
-              <Kbd>Esc</Kbd>
-              Close
-            </span>
-          </div>
-          <div className={style.filterHint}>
-            Filter by <span className={style.em}>cue</span>, <span className={style.em}>index</span>, or
-            <span className={style.em}>title</span>
-          </div>
+          Use the keywords <span className={style.em}>cue</span>, <span className={style.em}>index</span> or
+          <span className={style.em}>title</span> to filter search.
        </div>
      }
    />
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@

  .timer-container {
    flex: 1;
-    display: flex;
-    flex-direction: column;
-    justify-content: center;
+    align-content: center;
+    justify-self: center;
+    align-self: center;

    width: 100%;
    overflow: hidden;
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { Day } from 'ontime-types';
 import { CSSProperties, RefObject } from 'react';

-import { useAnimatedProgress } from '../../common/hooks/useAnimatedProgress';
 import { useExpectedStartData, useTimer } from '../../common/hooks/useSocket';
+import { getProgress } from '../../common/utils/getProgress';
 import { alpha, cx } from '../../common/utils/styleUtils';
 import { formatDuration, formatTime, getExpectedTimesFromExtendedEvent } from '../../common/utils/time';
 import { useTranslation } from '../../translation/TranslationProvider';
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ function TimelineEntryStatus({
 /** Generates a block level progress bar */
 function ActiveBlock() {
  const { current, duration } = useTimer();
-  const progress = useAnimatedProgress(current, duration);
+  const progress = getProgress(current, duration);
  return (
    <div data-status='live' className={style.timelineBlock} style={{ '--progress': `${progress}%` } as CSSProperties} />
  );
@@ -82,9 +82,9 @@

  .timer-container {
    flex: 1;
-    display: flex;
-    flex-direction: column;
-    justify-content: center;
+    align-content: center;
+    justify-self: center;
+    align-self: center;

    width: 100%;
    overflow: hidden;
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "ontime-electron",
-  "version": "4.11.0",
+  "version": "4.10.0",
  "author": "Carlos Valente",
  "description": "Time keeping for live events",
  "repository": "https://github.com/cpvalente/ontime",
@@ -125,13 +125,6 @@
          "**/*",
          "*{.ts}"
        ]
-      },
-      {
-        "from": "../server/src/html/",
-        "to": "extraResources/html/",
-        "filter": [
-          "**/*"
-        ]
      }
    ]
  }
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "@getontime/resolver",
-  "version": "4.11.0",
+  "version": "4.10.0",
  "type": "module",
  "repository": "https://github.com/cpvalente/ontime",
  "types": "./dist/main.d.ts",
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 {
  "$schema": "../../node_modules/oxlint/configuration_schema.json",
  "extends": ["../../.oxlintrc.json"],
-  "plugins": ["unicorn", "typescript", "oxc", "vitest", "node", "promise"]
+  "plugins": ["unicorn", "typescript", "oxc", "vitest", "node", "promise"],
+  "rules": {
+    "no-restricted-imports": [
+      "error",
+      {
+        "patterns": ["ontime-types/src/*", "ontime-utils/src/*"]
+      }
+    ]
+  }
 }
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  "name": "ontime-server",
  "type": "module",
  "main": "src/index.ts",
-  "version": "4.11.0",
+  "version": "4.10.0",
  "exports": "./src/index.js",
  "dependencies": {
    "@googleapis/sheets": "^5.0.5",
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
    "osc-min": "2.1.2",
    "sanitize-filename": "^1.6.3",
    "ws": "^8.18.0",
-    "xlsx": "^0.18.5"
+    "xlsx": "^0.18.5",
+    "zod": "catalog:"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@types/cookie-parser": "1.4.10",
@@ -163,70 +163,5 @@ describe('parseOutput', () => {
        secondarySource: 'secondary',
      });
    });
-
-    it('parses message-secondary with a text value', () => {
-      expect(
-        parseOutput({
-          type: 'ontime',
-          action: 'message-secondary',
-          text: 'hello',
-        }),
-      ).toMatchObject({
-        text: 'hello',
-      });
-      expect(
-        parseOutput({
-          type: 'ontime',
-          action: 'message-secondary',
-          secondarySource: undefined,
-          text: 'hello',
-        }),
-      ).toMatchObject({
-        text: 'hello',
-      });
-      expect(
-        parseOutput({
-          type: 'ontime',
-          action: 'message-secondary',
-          secondarySource: 'secondary',
-          text: 'hello',
-        }),
-      ).toMatchObject({
-        secondarySource: 'secondary',
-        text: 'hello',
-      });
-      // an empty text is treated as no change
-      expect(
-        parseOutput({
-          type: 'ontime',
-          action: 'message-secondary',
-          secondarySource: 'secondary',
-          text: '',
-        }),
-      ).toMatchObject({
-        secondarySource: 'secondary',
-        text: undefined,
-      });
-      // text can be set while clearing the secondary source
-      expect(
-        parseOutput({
-          type: 'ontime',
-          action: 'message-secondary',
-          secondarySource: null,
-          text: 'hello',
-        }),
-      ).toMatchObject({
-        secondarySource: null,
-        text: 'hello',
-      });
-      expect(() =>
-        parseOutput({
-          type: 'ontime',
-          action: 'message-secondary',
-          secondarySource: 'secondary',
-          text: 123,
-        }),
-      ).toThrow('Unexpected payload type:');
-    });
  });
 });
@@ -1,113 +0,0 @@
-import { runtimeStorePlaceholder } from 'ontime-types';
-
-import * as messageService from '../../../services/message-service/message.service.js';
-import { toOntimeAction } from '../clients/ontime.client.js';
-
-vi.mock('../../../services/message-service/message.service.js', () => ({
-  patch: vi.fn(),
-}));
-
-describe('toOntimeAction()', () => {
-  beforeEach(() => {
-    vi.clearAllMocks();
-  });
-
-  it('parses templates in primary message text', () => {
-    toOntimeAction(
-      {
-        type: 'ontime',
-        action: 'message-set',
-        text: 'Current: {{timer.current}}',
-        visible: true,
-      },
-      {
-        ...runtimeStorePlaceholder,
-        timer: {
-          ...runtimeStorePlaceholder.timer,
-          current: 42,
-        },
-      },
-    );
-
-    expect(messageService.patch).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
-      timer: {
-        text: 'Current: 42',
-        visible: true,
-      },
-    });
-  });
-
-  it('parses templates in secondary message text', () => {
-    toOntimeAction(
-      {
-        type: 'ontime',
-        action: 'message-secondary',
-        secondarySource: 'secondary',
-        text: 'Next: {{eventNext.title}}',
-      },
-      {
-        ...runtimeStorePlaceholder,
-        eventNext: {
-          id: 'next-event',
-          type: 'event',
-          cue: '2',
-          title: 'Keynote',
-          note: '',
-          timeStart: 0,
-          timeEnd: 0,
-          duration: 0,
-          timerType: 'count-down',
-          colour: '',
-          delay: 0,
-          isPublic: true,
-          skip: false,
-          endAction: 'none',
-          revision: 0,
-          custom: {},
-        },
-      },
-    );
-
-    expect(messageService.patch).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
-      timer: {
-        secondarySource: 'secondary',
-      },
-      secondary: 'Next: Keynote',
-    });
-  });
-
-  it('can set secondary message text without changing the secondary source', () => {
-    toOntimeAction(
-      {
-        type: 'ontime',
-        action: 'message-secondary',
-        text: 'Next: {{eventNext.title}}',
-      },
-      {
-        ...runtimeStorePlaceholder,
-        eventNext: {
-          id: 'next-event',
-          type: 'event',
-          cue: '2',
-          title: 'Keynote',
-          note: '',
-          timeStart: 0,
-          timeEnd: 0,
-          duration: 0,
-          timerType: 'count-down',
-          colour: '',
-          delay: 0,
-          isPublic: true,
-          skip: false,
-          endAction: 'none',
-          revision: 0,
-          custom: {},
-        },
-      },
-    );
-
-    expect(messageService.patch).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
-      secondary: 'Next: Keynote',
-    });
-  });
-});
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ function send(output: AutomationOutput[], store: RuntimeStore) {
    } else if (isHTTPOutput(payload)) {
      emitHTTP(payload, store);
    } else if (isOntimeAction(payload)) {
-      toOntimeAction(payload, store);
+      toOntimeAction(payload);
    } else {
      logger.warning(LogOrigin.Tx, `Unknown output type: ${payload}`);
    }
@@ -225,28 +225,13 @@ function parseOntimeAction(maybeOntimeAction: object): OntimeAction {
  }

  if (maybeOntimeAction.action === 'message-secondary') {
-    // the secondary text is optional, an empty string is treated as no change
-    let text: string | undefined = undefined;
-    if ('text' in maybeOntimeAction) {
-      assert.isString(maybeOntimeAction.text);
-      text = indeterminateText(maybeOntimeAction.text);
-    }
-
-    if (!('secondarySource' in maybeOntimeAction) || maybeOntimeAction.secondarySource === undefined) {
-      return {
-        type: 'ontime',
-        action: 'message-secondary',
-        text,
-      };
-    }
-
+    assert.hasKeys(maybeOntimeAction, ['secondarySource']);
    // null is used to clear the secondary source
    if (maybeOntimeAction.secondarySource === null) {
      return {
        type: 'ontime',
        action: 'message-secondary',
        secondarySource: null,
-        text,
      };
    }

@@ -255,7 +240,6 @@ function parseOntimeAction(maybeOntimeAction: object): OntimeAction {
      type: 'ontime',
      action: 'message-secondary',
      secondarySource: chooseSecondarySource(maybeOntimeAction.secondarySource),
-      text,
    };
  }

@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
-import { LogOrigin, OntimeAction, RuntimeStore } from 'ontime-types';
+import { LogOrigin, OntimeAction } from 'ontime-types';
 import { parseUserTime } from 'ontime-utils';
-import { DeepReadonly } from 'ts-essentials';

 import { logger } from '../../../classes/Logger.js';
 import { auxTimerService } from '../../../services/aux-timer-service/AuxTimerService.js';
 import * as messageService from '../../../services/message-service/message.service.js';
 import { runtimeService } from '../../../services/runtime-service/runtime.service.js';
-import { parseTemplateNested } from '../automation.utils.js';

-export function toOntimeAction(action: OntimeAction, store: DeepReadonly<RuntimeStore>) {
+export function toOntimeAction(action: OntimeAction) {
  const actionType = action.action;
  switch (actionType) {
    // Aux timer actions
@@ -57,25 +55,18 @@ export function toOntimeAction(action: OntimeAction, store: DeepReadonly<Runtime
    case 'message-set': {
      messageService.patch({
        timer: {
-          text: action.text ? parseTemplateNested(action.text, store) : action.text,
+          text: action.text,
          visible: action.visible,
        },
      });
      break;
    }
    case 'message-secondary': {
-      const secondary = action.text ? parseTemplateNested(action.text, store) : action.text;
-      const patch =
-        action.secondarySource === undefined
-          ? { secondary }
-          : {
-              timer: {
-                secondarySource: action.secondarySource,
-              },
-              secondary,
-            };
-
-      messageService.patch(patch);
+      messageService.patch({
+        timer: {
+          secondarySource: action.secondarySource,
+        },
+      });
      break;
    }

@@ -432,40 +432,6 @@ describe('processRundown()', () => {
    expect(initResult.totalDuration).toBe(500 - 100);
  });

-  it('skipped events do not advance day offsets or affect gaps', () => {
-    const rundown = makeRundown({
-      order: ['1', 'skipped', '2'],
-      entries: {
-        '1': makeOntimeEvent({
-          id: '1',
-          timeStart: 22 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR + 30 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, // 22:30:00
-          timeEnd: 30 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, // 00:30:00
-          duration: 2 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR, // 02:00:00
-        }),
-        skipped: makeOntimeEvent({
-          id: 'skipped',
-          skip: true,
-          timeStart: 22 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR + 30 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, // 22:30:00
-          timeEnd: 30 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, // 00:30:00
-          duration: 2 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR, // 02:00:00
-        }),
-        '2': makeOntimeEvent({
-          id: '2',
-          timeStart: 30 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, // 00:30:00
-          timeEnd: 8 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR + 30 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, // 08:30:00
-          duration: 8 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR, // 08:00:00
-        }),
-      },
-    });
-
-    const initResult = processRundown(rundown, {});
-
-    expect((initResult.entries.skipped as OntimeEvent).dayOffset).toBe(0);
-    expect((initResult.entries.skipped as OntimeEvent).gap).toBe(0);
-    expect((initResult.entries['2'] as OntimeEvent).dayOffset).toBe(1);
-    expect((initResult.entries['2'] as OntimeEvent).gap).toBe(0);
-  });
-
  it('calculates total duration across days with gap', () => {
    const rundown = makeRundown({
      order: ['1', '2', '3'],
@@ -714,17 +680,17 @@ describe('processRundown()', () => {
 });

 describe('rundownMutation.add()', () => {
-  test('adds an event to an empty rundown', () => {
+  test('adds an event an empty rundown', () => {
    const mockEvent = makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'mock', cue: 'mock' });
    const rundown = makeRundown({});

-    rundownMutation.add(rundown, mockEvent, null, null, null);
+    rundownMutation.add(rundown, mockEvent, null, null);

    expect(rundown.order.length).toBe(1);
    expect(rundown.entries['mock']).toMatchObject(mockEvent);
  });

-  test('adds an event at the end if no afterId is given', () => {
+  test('adds an event at the top if no afterId is given', () => {
    const mockEvent = makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'mock', cue: 'mock' });
    const rundown = makeRundown({
      flatOrder: ['1'],
@@ -734,28 +700,28 @@ describe('rundownMutation.add()', () => {
      },
    });

-    rundownMutation.add(rundown, mockEvent, null, null, null);
+    rundownMutation.add(rundown, mockEvent, null, null);

-    expect(rundown.order).toStrictEqual(['1', 'mock']);
-    expect(rundown.flatOrder).toStrictEqual(['1', 'mock']);
+    expect(rundown.order).toStrictEqual(['mock', '1']);
+    expect(rundown.flatOrder).toStrictEqual(['mock', '1']);
    expect(rundown.entries['mock']).toMatchObject(mockEvent);
  });

-  test('adds an event at the end of the group if parent is provided but no after', () => {
+  test('adds an event at the top of the group if no after is given', () => {
    const mockEvent = makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'mock', cue: 'mock' });
    const rundown = makeRundown({
      flatOrder: ['1', '1a'],
      order: ['1'],
      entries: {
-        '1': makeOntimeGroup({ id: '1', entries: ['1a'] }),
+        '1': makeOntimeGroup({ id: '1' }),
        '1a': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '1a', parent: '1' }),
      },
    });

-    rundownMutation.add(rundown, mockEvent, rundown.entries['1'] as OntimeGroup, null, null);
+    rundownMutation.add(rundown, mockEvent, null, rundown.entries['1'] as OntimeGroup);

    expect(rundown.order).toStrictEqual(['1']);
-    expect(rundown.flatOrder).toStrictEqual(['1', '1a', 'mock']);
+    expect(rundown.flatOrder).toStrictEqual(['1', 'mock', '1a']);
    expect(rundown.entries['mock']).toMatchObject(mockEvent);
  });

@@ -765,12 +731,12 @@ describe('rundownMutation.add()', () => {
      flatOrder: ['1', '1a'],
      order: ['1'],
      entries: {
-        '1': makeOntimeGroup({ id: '1', entries: ['1a'] }),
+        '1': makeOntimeGroup({ id: '1' }),
        '1a': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '1a', parent: '1' }),
      },
    });

-    rundownMutation.add(rundown, mockEvent, rundown.entries['1'] as OntimeGroup, '1a', null);
+    rundownMutation.add(rundown, mockEvent, '1a', rundown.entries['1'] as OntimeGroup);

    expect(rundown.order).toStrictEqual(['1']);
    expect(rundown.flatOrder).toStrictEqual(['1', '1a', 'mock']);
@@ -1839,49 +1805,6 @@ describe('rundownMutation.clone()', () => {
      parent: null,
    });
  });
-
-  it('clones an event and appends it with after true', () => {
-    const testRundown = makeRundown({
-      order: ['1', '2'],
-      entries: {
-        '1': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '1', cue: 'event1', parent: null }),
-        '2': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '2', cue: 'event2', parent: null }),
-      },
-    });
-
-    const newEntry = rundownMutation.clone(testRundown, testRundown.entries['1'], { after: true });
-
-    expect(testRundown.order).toStrictEqual(['1', '2', newEntry.id]);
-  });
-
-  it('clones an event and prepends it with before true', () => {
-    const testRundown = makeRundown({
-      order: ['1', '2'],
-      entries: {
-        '1': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '1', cue: 'event1', parent: null }),
-        '2': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '2', cue: 'event2', parent: null }),
-      },
-    });
-
-    const newEntry = rundownMutation.clone(testRundown, testRundown.entries['2'], { before: true });
-
-    expect(testRundown.order).toStrictEqual([newEntry.id, '1', '2']);
-  });
-
-  it('clones a group and appends it with after true', () => {
-    const testRundown = makeRundown({
-      order: ['1', '2'],
-      entries: {
-        '1': makeOntimeGroup({ id: '1', title: 'top', entries: ['1a'] }),
-        '1a': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '1a', cue: 'nested', parent: '1' }),
-        '2': makeOntimeEvent({ id: '2', cue: 'event2', parent: null }),
-      },
-    });
-
-    const newEntry = rundownMutation.clone(testRundown, testRundown.entries['1'], { after: true });
-
-    expect(testRundown.order).toStrictEqual(['1', '2', newEntry.id]);
-  });
 });

 describe('rundownMutation.group()', () => {
@@ -1,18 +1,8 @@
-import {
-  EndAction,
-  OntimeEvent,
-  OntimeGroup,
-  OntimeMilestone,
-  TimeStrategy,
-  TimerLifeCycle,
-  TimerType,
-  Trigger,
-} from 'ontime-types';
+import { EndAction, OntimeEvent, TimeStrategy, TimerType } from 'ontime-types';
 import { MILLIS_PER_HOUR, createEvent } from 'ontime-utils';
 import { assertType } from 'vitest';

-import { makeOntimeEvent, makeOntimeGroup, makeOntimeMilestone, makeRundown } from '../__mocks__/rundown.mocks.js';
-import { parseRundown } from '../rundown.parser.js';
+import { makeOntimeEvent, makeOntimeGroup, makeRundown } from '../__mocks__/rundown.mocks.js';
 import {
  calculateDayOffset,
  deleteById,
@@ -20,8 +10,6 @@ import {
  getIntegerAndFraction,
  hasChanges,
  makeDeepClone,
-  mergeRundownPreservingFields,
-  isLoadedPlayable,
 } from '../rundown.utils.js';

 describe('test event validator', () => {
@@ -299,314 +287,3 @@ describe('getIntegerAndFraction()', () => {
    expect(getIntegerAndFraction('123.')).toStrictEqual({ integer: 123, faction: 0, precision: 0 });
  });
 });
-
-/**
- * The merge strategy takes the incoming (spreadsheet) rundown as the source of truth for structure
- * and order. For a matched event it only applies the fields the spreadsheet mapped (providedFields);
- * any field it does not provide (e.g. automations) is kept from the existing event.
- */
-describe('mergeRundownPreservingFields()', () => {
-  const automation: Trigger = {
-    id: 'trigger-onair',
-    title: 'Go on air',
-    trigger: TimerLifeCycle.onStart,
-    automationId: 'automation-onair',
-  };
-
-  it('keeps the current rundown identity but takes structure and order from the incoming rundown', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      title: 'Main show',
-      revision: 3,
-      order: ['welcome', 'keynote'],
-      entries: {
-        welcome: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'welcome', title: 'Welcome' }),
-        keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', title: 'Keynote' }),
-      },
-    });
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      title: 'From spreadsheet',
-      revision: 0,
-      order: ['welcome', 'lunch'],
-      entries: {
-        welcome: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'welcome', title: 'Welcome' }),
-        lunch: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'lunch', title: 'Lunch' }),
-      },
-    });
-
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title'], custom: [] });
-
-    // identity and revision come from the current rundown
-    expect(merged.id).toBe('show-rundown');
-    expect(merged.title).toBe('Main show');
-    expect(merged.revision).toBe(4);
-    // structure and order come from the incoming rundown
-    expect(merged.order).toEqual(['welcome', 'lunch']);
-    expect(merged.flatOrder).toEqual(incoming.flatOrder);
-  });
-
-  it('deletes current entries that are absent from the incoming rundown', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['welcome', 'keynote'],
-      entries: {
-        welcome: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'welcome' }),
-        keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote' }),
-      },
-    });
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['welcome'],
-      entries: { welcome: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'welcome' }) },
-    });
-
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title'], custom: [] });
-
-    expect(merged.entries.welcome).toBeDefined();
-    expect(merged.entries.keynote).toBeUndefined();
-  });
-
-  it('replaces an entry entirely with the incoming data when the id is kept but the type changes', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', title: 'Keynote', triggers: [automation] }) },
-    });
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeGroup({ id: 'keynote', title: 'Keynote group' }) },
-    });
-
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title'], custom: [] });
-
-    // the incoming group fully replaces the previous event, no old data is carried over
-    expect(merged.entries.keynote).toEqual(incoming.entries.keynote);
-  });
-
-  it('applies the provided fields to a matched event, including when the incoming value is empty', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', title: 'Keynote', note: 'in the green room' }) },
-    });
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', title: 'Opening keynote', note: '' }) },
-    });
-
-    // the sheet mapped title and note
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title', 'note'], custom: [] });
-    const keynote = merged.entries.keynote as OntimeEvent;
-
-    expect(keynote.title).toBe('Opening keynote');
-    // an empty provided value replaces the current one
-    expect(keynote.note).toBe('');
-  });
-
-  it('keeps fields the sheet did not map on a matched event, regardless of the incoming values', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: {
-        keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', title: 'Keynote', note: 'green room', triggers: [automation] }),
-      },
-    });
-    // the preview always fully populates an entry, so the incoming carries a note and triggers; what
-    // the sheet actually supplied is providedFields, not the values that happen to be on the entry
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: {
-        keynote: makeOntimeEvent({
-          id: 'keynote',
-          title: 'Opening keynote',
-          note: 'from a stale column',
-          triggers: [],
-        }),
-      },
-    });
-
-    // only title is mapped, so note and automations keep the existing values, not the incoming ones
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title'], custom: [] });
-    const keynote = merged.entries.keynote as OntimeEvent;
-
-    expect(keynote.title).toBe('Opening keynote');
-    expect(keynote.note).toBe('green room');
-    expect(keynote.triggers).toEqual([automation]);
-  });
-
-  it('patches the provided custom fields on a matched event and keeps the unmapped ones', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: {
-        keynote: makeOntimeEvent({
-          id: 'keynote',
-          title: 'Keynote',
-          custom: { lighting: 'warm', song: 'intro theme' },
-        }),
-      },
-    });
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: {
-        keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', title: 'Opening keynote', custom: { lighting: 'cold' } }),
-      },
-    });
-
-    // the sheet mapped the title and the lighting custom field, but not song
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title'], custom: ['lighting'] });
-    const keynote = merged.entries.keynote as OntimeEvent;
-
-    expect(keynote.title).toBe('Opening keynote');
-    expect(keynote.custom.lighting).toBe('cold');
-    // an unmapped custom field is kept from the existing event
-    expect(keynote.custom.song).toBe('intro theme');
-  });
-
-  it('infers the time strategy from the provided times when the sheet is unambiguous', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', timeStrategy: TimeStrategy.LockEnd }) },
-    });
-    // the sheet provides only a duration, so the strategy is unambiguously LockDuration
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', duration: 60000 }) },
-    });
-
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['duration'], custom: [] });
-
-    expect((merged.entries.keynote as OntimeEvent).timeStrategy).toBe(TimeStrategy.LockDuration);
-  });
-
-  it('keeps the existing time strategy when the provided times are ambiguous', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', timeStrategy: TimeStrategy.LockEnd }) },
-    });
-    // the sheet provides both an end and a duration, so the strategy cannot be inferred from them
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', timeEnd: 60000, duration: 60000 }) },
-    });
-
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['timeEnd', 'duration'], custom: [] });
-
-    expect((merged.entries.keynote as OntimeEvent).timeStrategy).toBe(TimeStrategy.LockEnd);
-  });
-
-  it('merges a matched group, keeping the fields the sheet cannot express', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['session'],
-      entries: { session: makeOntimeGroup({ id: 'session', title: 'Old session', targetDuration: 3_600_000 }) },
-    });
-    // the sheet cannot express a group's target duration, so the incoming group does not carry one
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['session'],
-      entries: { session: makeOntimeGroup({ id: 'session', title: 'New session', targetDuration: null }) },
-    });
-
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title'], custom: [] });
-    const session = merged.entries.session as OntimeGroup;
-
-    expect(session.title).toBe('New session');
-    expect(session.targetDuration).toBe(3_600_000);
-  });
-
-  it('merges a matched milestone, keeping the fields the sheet did not map', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['reminder'],
-      entries: { reminder: makeOntimeMilestone({ id: 'reminder', title: 'Reminder', note: 'call talent' }) },
-    });
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['reminder'],
-      entries: { reminder: makeOntimeMilestone({ id: 'reminder', title: 'Green room reminder', note: 'ignored' }) },
-    });
-
-    // only title is mapped, so the milestone's note keeps the existing value
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title'], custom: [] });
-    const reminder = merged.entries.reminder as OntimeMilestone;
-
-    expect(reminder.title).toBe('Green room reminder');
-    expect(reminder.note).toBe('call talent');
-  });
-
-  it('does not mutate the current rundown and deep-clones the kept automations', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', triggers: [automation] }) },
-    });
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', triggers: [] }) },
-    });
-
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title'], custom: [] });
-
-    // kept automations are a copy, not a shared reference to the current rundown
-    (merged.entries.keynote as OntimeEvent).triggers.push({ ...automation, id: 'trigger-extra' });
-    expect((current.entries.keynote as OntimeEvent).triggers).toEqual([automation]);
-  });
-
-  it('keeps the not-provided fields through a parseRundown round-trip', () => {
-    const current = makeRundown({
-      id: 'show-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: {
-        keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', triggers: [automation], timeStrategy: TimeStrategy.LockEnd }),
-      },
-    });
-    const incoming = makeRundown({
-      id: 'spreadsheet-rundown',
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', title: 'Keynote', triggers: [] }) },
-    });
-
-    const merged = mergeRundownPreservingFields(incoming, current, { event: ['title'], custom: [] });
-    const parsed = parseRundown(merged, {});
-    const keynote = parsed.entries.keynote as OntimeEvent;
-
-    expect(keynote.triggers).toEqual([automation]);
-    expect(keynote.timeStrategy).toBe(TimeStrategy.LockEnd);
-  });
-});
-
-describe('isLoadedPlayable()', () => {
-  it('returns true when the loaded event still exists and is playable', () => {
-    const rundown = makeRundown({ order: ['keynote'], entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote' }) } });
-    expect(isLoadedPlayable('keynote', rundown)).toBe(true);
-  });
-
-  it('returns false when the loaded event was removed', () => {
-    const rundown = makeRundown({ order: ['welcome'], entries: { welcome: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'welcome' }) } });
-    expect(isLoadedPlayable('keynote', rundown)).toBe(false);
-  });
-
-  it('returns false when the loaded event is now skipped', () => {
-    const rundown = makeRundown({
-      order: ['keynote'],
-      entries: { keynote: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'keynote', skip: true }) },
-    });
-    expect(isLoadedPlayable('keynote', rundown)).toBe(false);
-  });
-
-  it('returns false when the matched entry is no longer an event', () => {
-    const rundown = makeRundown({ order: ['keynote'], entries: { keynote: makeOntimeGroup({ id: 'keynote' }) } });
-    expect(isLoadedPlayable('keynote', rundown)).toBe(false);
-  });
-});
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-import type { OntimeGroup } from 'ontime-types';
-import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest';
-
-import { makeOntimeEvent, makeOntimeGroup, makeRundown } from '../__mocks__/rundown.mocks.js';
-import { assertInsertAnchorExists, assertInsertAnchorInOrder } from '../rundown.validation.js';
-
-const rundown = makeRundown({
-  order: ['top', 'group'],
-  entries: {
-    top: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'top', parent: null }),
-    group: makeOntimeGroup({ id: 'group', entries: ['nested'] }),
-    nested: makeOntimeEvent({ id: 'nested', parent: 'group' }),
-  },
-});
-
-describe('insertion anchor validation', () => {
-  test('rejects a missing anchor', () => {
-    expect(() => assertInsertAnchorInOrder(rundown, null, { before: 'missing' })).toThrow(
-      'Insertion anchor with ID missing does not exist',
-    );
-  });
-
-  test('rejects an anchor from a different order', () => {
-    expect(() => assertInsertAnchorInOrder(rundown, null, { after: 'nested' })).toThrow(
-      'Insertion anchor with ID nested is not in the target order',
-    );
-  });
-
-  test('accepts a group-local anchor', () => {
-    const group = rundown.entries.group as OntimeGroup;
-
-    expect(() => assertInsertAnchorInOrder(rundown, group, { before: 'nested' })).not.toThrow();
-  });
-
-  test('checks clone anchors exist', () => {
-    expect(() => assertInsertAnchorExists(rundown, { after: 'missing' })).toThrow(
-      'Insertion anchor with ID missing does not exist',
-    );
-  });
-});
@@ -439,27 +439,21 @@ function clone(rundown: Rundown, entry: OntimeEntry, options?: InsertOptions): O
      rundown.entries[nestedEntry.id] = nestedEntry;
    }

-    const position: { after: EntryId | null; before: EntryId | null } = (() => {
-      if (options?.after === undefined && options?.before === undefined) {
-        return { after: entry.id, before: null };
+    // by default we insert after the cloned element
+    let atIndex = rundown.order.indexOf(entry.id) + 1;
+
+    const referenceId = options?.after ?? options?.before;
+    if (referenceId) {
+      // trying to insert relatively to another entry
+      const referenceEntry = rundown.entries[referenceId];
+      if (referenceEntry) {
+        if (options?.after) {
+          atIndex = rundown.order.indexOf(referenceId) + 1;
+        } else if (options?.before) {
+          atIndex = rundown.order.indexOf(referenceId);
+        }
      }
-
-      const after = getInsertAfterId(rundown, null, options.after, options.before);
-      const before = options.before === true ? (after ?? null) : (options.before ?? null);
-      return { after, before };
-    })();
-
-    const atIndex = (() => {
-      if (position.before !== null) {
-        return rundown.order.indexOf(position.before);
-      }
-
-      if (position.after !== null) {
-        return rundown.order.indexOf(position.after) + 1;
-      }
-
-      return rundown.order.length;
-    })();
+    }

    // we only need to insert the group, the nested entries will be resolved by the rundown engine
    rundown.order = insertAtIndex(atIndex, newGroup.id, rundown.order);
@@ -467,33 +461,41 @@ function clone(rundown: Rundown, entry: OntimeEntry, options?: InsertOptions): O
    return newGroup;
  } else {
    const clonedEntry = cloneSimpleRundownEntry(entry, getUniqueId(rundown));
-    const parent = (() => {
-      const referenceId = (() => {
-        if (typeof options?.after === 'string') return options.after;
-        if (typeof options?.before === 'string') return options.before;
-        return undefined;
-      })();

-      const referenceEntry = referenceId ? rundown.entries[referenceId] : entry;
-      const parentId = referenceEntry && !isOntimeGroup(referenceEntry) ? referenceEntry.parent : null;
-      if (parentId === null) return null;
+    let parent: OntimeGroup | null = null;

-      const maybeParent = rundown.entries[parentId];
-      return isOntimeGroup(maybeParent) ? maybeParent : null;
-    })();
+    // trying to insert relatively to another entry, check that entries parent
+    const referenceId = options?.after ?? options?.before;

-    const position = (() => {
-      // if no position is given, we add immediately after the element
-      if (options?.after === undefined && options?.before === undefined) {
-        return { after: entry.id, before: null };
+    /**
+     * if we have a positioning reference, and that reference has a parent
+     * we need to maintain the same parent for the cloned entry
+     */
+    if (referenceId) {
+      const referenceEntry = rundown.entries[referenceId];
+
+      if (referenceEntry && !isOntimeGroup(referenceEntry)) {
+        if (referenceEntry.parent) {
+          const maybeParent = rundown.entries[referenceEntry.parent];
+          if (maybeParent && isOntimeGroup(maybeParent)) {
+            parent = maybeParent;
+          }
+        }
      }
+    } else if (entry.parent) {
+      const maybeParent = rundown.entries[entry.parent];
+      if (maybeParent && isOntimeGroup(maybeParent)) {
+        parent = maybeParent;
+      }
+    }

-      const after = getInsertAfterId(rundown, parent, options.after, options.before);
-      const before = options?.before === true ? after : (options.before ?? null);
-      return { after, before };
-    })();
+    // if we have resolved a parent, we add it to the cloned entry
+    let after = getInsertAfterId(rundown, parent, options?.after, options?.before);
+    if (!after) {
+      after = entry.id;
+    }

-    return addToRundown(rundown, clonedEntry, parent, position.after, position.before);
+    return addToRundown(rundown, clonedEntry, after, parent);
  }
 }

@@ -279,22 +279,14 @@ function processEntry<T extends OntimeEntry>(
    // 2. handle custom fields - mutates entry
    sanitiseCustomFields(customFields, entry);

-    /*
-     * we initialise data so that is not calculated for skipped events
-     * consider especially the day offset, while skipped events have no
-     * day offset, we match it to the previous element to avoid
-     * pushing confusing data to the UI
-     */
-    entry.dayOffset = (rundownMetadata.previousEvent?.dayOffset ?? 0) as Day;
-    entry.delay = 0;
-    entry.gap = 0;
-
+    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(entry)) {
-      rundownMetadata.totalDays += calculateDayOffset(entry, rundownMetadata.previousEvent);
-      entry.dayOffset = rundownMetadata.totalDays as Day;
      rundownMetadata.playableEventOrder.push(entry.id);

      // first start is always the first event
@@ -1,15 +1,7 @@
 import type { Request, Response, Router } from 'express';
 import express from 'express';
 import { matchedData } from 'express-validator';
-import {
-  ErrorResponse,
-  OntimeEntry,
-  ProjectRundowns,
-  ProjectRundownsList,
-  RenumberCues,
-  Rundown,
-  RundownImportPayload,
-} from 'ontime-types';
+import { ErrorResponse, OntimeEntry, ProjectRundownsList, RenumberCues, Rundown } from 'ontime-types';
 import { getErrorMessage } from 'ontime-utils';

 import { getDataProvider } from '../../classes/data-provider/DataProvider.js';
@@ -20,9 +12,7 @@ import {
  applyDelay,
  batchEditEntries,
  cloneEntry,
-  applyImportToRundown,
  createNewRundown,
-  createRundownFromImport,
  deleteAllEntries,
  deleteEntries,
  deleteRundown,
@@ -46,7 +36,6 @@ import {
  entryReorderValidator,
  entrySwapValidator,
  rundownArrayOfIds,
-  rundownImportValidator,
  rundownPatchValidator,
  rundownPostValidator,
 } from './rundown.validation.js';
@@ -158,39 +147,6 @@ router.delete('/:id', paramsWithId, async (req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRu
  }
 });

-/**
- * Applies an imported rundown: override or merge into an existing rundown, or create a new one.
- */
-router.post(
-  '/import',
-  rundownImportValidator,
-  async (req: Request, res: Response<ProjectRundownsList | ErrorResponse>) => {
-    try {
-      const { mode, targetRundownId, rundown, customFields, providedFields } = matchedData<RundownImportPayload>(req);
-      let projectRundowns: ProjectRundowns;
-      if (mode === 'new') {
-        projectRundowns = await createRundownFromImport(rundown, customFields);
-      } else {
-        // the validator guarantees this for override/merge, the guard narrows the type and adds defence in depth
-        if (!targetRundownId) {
-          throw new Error('targetRundownId is required when mode is override or merge');
-        }
-        projectRundowns = await applyImportToRundown(
-          mode,
-          targetRundownId,
-          rundown,
-          customFields,
-          providedFields ?? { event: [], custom: [] },
-        );
-      }
-      res.status(200).json({ loaded: getCurrentRundown().id, rundowns: normalisedToRundownArray(projectRundowns) });
-    } catch (error) {
-      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-      res.status(400).send({ message });
-    }
-  },
-);
-
 // #endregion operations on project rundowns ======================

 // #region operations on rundown entries ==========================
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import {
  CustomFields,
  EntryId,
  EventPostPayload,
-  ImportedFields,
  InsertOptions,
  LogOrigin,
  OntimeEntry,
@@ -13,7 +12,6 @@ import {
  ProjectRundowns,
  RefetchKey,
  Rundown,
-  RundownImportMergeStrategy,
  isOntimeDelay,
  isOntimeEvent,
  isOntimeGroup,
@@ -27,7 +25,6 @@ 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';
-import { parseCustomFields } from '../custom-fields/customFields.parser.js';
 import {
  createTransaction,
  customFieldMutation,
@@ -36,19 +33,8 @@ import {
  rundownMutation,
  updateBackgroundRundown,
 } from './rundown.dao.js';
-import { parseRundown } from './rundown.parser.js';
 import type { RundownMetadata } from './rundown.types.js';
-import {
-  generateEvent,
-  getFirstInsertId,
-  getIntegerAndFraction,
-  getLastInsertId,
-  getPreviousInsertId,
-  hasChanges,
-  mergeRundownPreservingFields,
-  isLoadedPlayable,
-} from './rundown.utils.js';
-import { assertInsertAnchorExists, assertInsertAnchorInOrder, assertSingleInsertAnchor } from './rundown.validation.js';
+import { generateEvent, getIntegerAndFraction, hasChanges } from './rundown.utils.js';

 /**
 * creates a new entry with given data
@@ -56,8 +42,6 @@ import { assertInsertAnchorExists, assertInsertAnchorInOrder, assertSingleInsert
 export async function addEntry(rundownId: string, eventData: EventPostPayload): Promise<OntimeEntry> {
  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });

-  assertSingleInsertAnchor(eventData);
-
  // we allow the user to provide an ID, but make sure it is unique
  if (eventData?.id && Object.hasOwn(rundown.entries, eventData.id)) {
    throw new Error(`Event with ID ${eventData.id} already exists`);
@@ -74,29 +58,14 @@ export async function addEntry(rundownId: string, eventData: EventPostPayload):
    parent = maybeParent;
  }

-  assertInsertAnchorInOrder(rundown, parent, eventData);
-
  // normalise the position of the event in the rundown order
-  const insertPosition = (() => {
-    if (eventData.before !== undefined) {
-      const beforeId = getFirstInsertId(rundown, parent, eventData.before);
-      return { afterId: null, beforeId, cueAfterId: getPreviousInsertId(rundown, parent, beforeId) };
-    }
-
-    // if after is an ID, we will try and find the entry
-    if (eventData.after !== undefined && eventData.after !== true) {
-      const afterId = getInsertAfterId(rundown, parent, eventData.after);
-      return { afterId, beforeId: null, cueAfterId: afterId };
-    }
-
-    return { afterId: null, beforeId: null, cueAfterId: getLastInsertId(rundown, parent) };
-  })();
+  const afterId = getInsertAfterId(rundown, parent, eventData?.after, eventData?.before);

  // generate a fully formed entry from the patch
-  const newEntry = generateEvent(rundown, eventData, insertPosition.cueAfterId, parent?.id);
+  const newEntry = generateEvent(rundown, eventData, afterId, parent?.id);

  // make mutations to rundown
-  rundownMutation.add(rundown, newEntry, parent, insertPosition.afterId, insertPosition.beforeId);
+  rundownMutation.add(rundown, newEntry, afterId, parent);

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

@@ -416,10 +385,7 @@ export async function swapEvents(rundownId: string, fromId: EntryId, toId: Entry
 * @throws if the entry to clone does not exist
 */
 export async function cloneEntry(rundownId: string, entryId: EntryId, options: InsertOptions): Promise<Rundown> {
-  assertSingleInsertAnchor(options);
-
  const { rundown, commit } = createTransaction({ rundownId, mutableRundown: true });
-  assertInsertAnchorExists(rundown, options);
  const originalEntry = rundown.entries[entryId];

  if (!originalEntry) {
@@ -690,8 +656,8 @@ export async function loadRundown(id: string) {
 }

 /**
- * Sets a new rundown in the cache and marks it as the currently loaded one.
- * Switching to a rundown always stops playback.
+ * Sets a new rundown in the cache
+ * and marks it as the currently loaded one
 */
 export async function initRundown(
  rundown: Readonly<Rundown>,
@@ -713,25 +679,6 @@ export async function initRundown(
  });
 }

-/**
- * Applies a rebuilt version of the currently loaded rundown in place.
- * Unlike switching rundowns, this maintains playback when possible
- */
-function applyChangeToCurrentRundown(rundown: Readonly<Rundown>, customFields: Readonly<CustomFields>) {
-  const loadedEvent = runtimeService.getLoadedEventId();
-  if (loadedEvent && !isLoadedPlayable(loadedEvent, rundown)) {
-    runtimeService.stop();
-  }
-  const { rundownMetadata, revision } = rundownCache.init(rundown, customFields);
-  updateRuntimeOnChange(rundownMetadata);
-
-  setImmediate(() => {
-    // notifying the timer hot-reloads the playing event and keeps playback
-    notifyChanges(rundown.id, rundownMetadata, revision, { timer: true, external: true, reload: true });
-    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.ProjectRundowns);
-  });
-}
-
 export async function createNewRundown(title: string) {
  const emptyRundown = makeNewRundown();
  emptyRundown.title = title;
@@ -796,86 +743,6 @@ export async function duplicateExistingRundown(id: string) {
  return dataProvider.getProjectRundowns();
 }

-/**
- * Validates an imported rundown against the resulting custom fields, then commits those custom
- * fields. The rundown is validated before the custom-field mutation, so a payload that fails
- * validation cannot leave a partial custom-field write behind.
- * @throws if the rundown or custom fields fail validation
- */
-async function parseImportAndCommitCustomFields(
-  source: Readonly<Rundown>,
-  incomingCustomFields: CustomFields,
-): Promise<Rundown> {
-  const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
-  const parsedCustomFields = parseCustomFields({ customFields: incomingCustomFields });
-  const mergedCustomFields = { ...dataProvider.getCustomFields(), ...parsedCustomFields };
-  const parsed = parseRundown(source, mergedCustomFields);
-  await dataProvider.mergeIntoData({ customFields: parsedCustomFields });
-  return parsed;
-}
-
-/**
- * Applies an imported rundown onto an existing rundown, keeping the existing identity while
- * taking structure and order from the incoming data.
- * - 'override' replaces all content with the incoming data
- * - 'merge' updates matched entries with only the fields the spreadsheet provided, keeping the rest
- *   (e.g. automations) from the existing entry
- *
- * When targeting the loaded rundown this is treated as a change, not a switch, so playback is
- * maintained when the playing event survives.
- * @throws if the target rundown does not exist
- */
-export async function applyImportToRundown(
-  strategy: RundownImportMergeStrategy,
-  targetRundownId: string,
-  incomingRundown: Rundown,
-  incomingCustomFields: CustomFields,
-  providedFields: ImportedFields,
-): Promise<ProjectRundowns> {
-  const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
-  // throws if the rundown was deleted between preview and apply
-  const existing = dataProvider.getRundown(targetRundownId);
-
-  const source =
-    strategy === 'merge'
-      ? mergeRundownPreservingFields(incomingRundown, existing, providedFields)
-      : { ...incomingRundown, id: existing.id, title: existing.title, revision: existing.revision + 1 };
-  const parsed = await parseImportAndCommitCustomFields(source, incomingCustomFields);
-
-  if (isCurrentRundown(targetRundownId)) {
-    // applying to the loaded rundown is a change, not a switch: maintain playback when possible
-    applyChangeToCurrentRundown(parsed, dataProvider.getCustomFields());
-  } else {
-    await dataProvider.setRundown(parsed.id, parsed);
-    setImmediate(() => {
-      sendRefetch(RefetchKey.ProjectRundowns);
-    });
-  }
-
-  return dataProvider.getProjectRundowns();
-}
-
-/**
- * Creates a new rundown from an imported rundown and loads it,
- * so the user immediately sees the imported data.
- * Loading a rundown stops playback (as with any rundown switch).
- */
-export async function createRundownFromImport(
-  incomingRundown: Rundown,
-  incomingCustomFields: CustomFields,
-): Promise<ProjectRundowns> {
-  const dataProvider = getDataProvider();
-
-  // assign a fresh id so we never collide with an existing rundown
-  const parsed = await parseImportAndCommitCustomFields({ ...incomingRundown, id: generateId() }, incomingCustomFields);
-  parsed.revision = 0;
-
-  // initRundown persists the new rundown, makes it the loaded rundown and notifies clients
-  await initRundown(parsed, dataProvider.getCustomFields(), true);
-
-  return dataProvider.getProjectRundowns();
-}
-
 /**
 * Deletes a rundown
 * @throws if attempting to delete the loaded rundown or the last rundown in the project
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import {
  CustomFields,
  EntryCustomFields,
  EntryId,
-  ImportedFields,
  OntimeBaseEvent,
  OntimeDelay,
  OntimeEntry,
@@ -12,14 +11,12 @@ import {
  ProjectRundown,
  ProjectRundowns,
  Rundown,
-  RundownEntries,
  SupportedEntry,
  TimeStrategy,
  isOntimeDelay,
  isOntimeEvent,
  isOntimeGroup,
  isOntimeMilestone,
-  isPlayableEvent,
 } from 'ontime-types';
 import {
  createDelay,
@@ -70,50 +67,6 @@ export function generateEvent(
  throw new Error('Invalid event type');
 }

-/**
- * Gets the last valid insertion reference for a top-level rundown or group order.
- * Used when appending entries and when generating cues from the preceding entry.
- */
-export function getLastInsertId(rundown: Rundown, parent: OntimeGroup | null): EntryId | null {
-  const insertionList = parent ? parent.entries : rundown.order;
-  return insertionList[insertionList.length - 1] ?? null;
-}
-
-/**
- * Resolves a `before` insertion option to the first entry in the relevant order when `true` is provided.
- * String values are already explicit anchors and are returned unchanged.
- */
-export function getFirstInsertId(rundown: Rundown, parent: OntimeGroup | null, before: EntryId | true): EntryId | null {
-  if (before !== true) {
-    return before;
-  }
-
-  const insertionList = parent ? parent.entries : rundown.order;
-  return insertionList[0] ?? null;
-}
-
-/**
- * Gets the sibling before a `before` insertion anchor in the top-level or group order.
- * Returns `null` when the new entry will be inserted at the start.
- */
-export function getPreviousInsertId(
-  rundown: Rundown,
-  parent: OntimeGroup | null,
-  beforeId: EntryId | null,
-): EntryId | null {
-  if (beforeId === null) {
-    return null;
-  }
-
-  const insertionList = parent ? parent.entries : rundown.order;
-  const beforeIndex = insertionList.indexOf(beforeId);
-  if (beforeIndex < 1) {
-    return null;
-  }
-
-  return insertionList[beforeIndex - 1] ?? null;
-}
-
 export function createEventPatch(originalEvent: OntimeEvent, patchEvent: Partial<OntimeEvent>): OntimeEvent {
  if (Object.keys(patchEvent).length === 0) {
    return originalEvent;
@@ -272,83 +225,6 @@ export function getUniqueId(rundown: Rundown): EntryId {
  return id;
 }

-/**
- * Builds an entry patch containing exactly the fields the spreadsheet supplied, for both built-in
- * and custom fields. Everything the sheet did not map is left out, so applying the patch keeps the
- * existing value for those fields.
- */
-function buildImportPatch(entry: OntimeEntry, providedFields: ImportedFields): Partial<OntimeEntry> {
-  const source = entry as Record<string, unknown>;
-  const patch: Record<string, unknown> = {};
-  for (const field of providedFields.event) {
-    patch[field] = source[field];
-  }
-  if (providedFields.custom.length > 0) {
-    const entryCustom = (source.custom ?? {}) as EntryCustomFields;
-    const custom: EntryCustomFields = {};
-    for (const key of providedFields.custom) {
-      custom[key] = entryCustom[key] ?? '';
-    }
-    patch.custom = custom;
-  }
-  return patch as Partial<OntimeEntry>;
-}
-
-/**
- * Merges an imported rundown into an existing one
- * - the incoming rundown is the source of truth for entry identity and structure (order + grouping)
- * - a matched entry of the same type is merged field-by-field: a field the sheet provided overwrites
- *   (even when empty), a field the sheet cannot express (an event's automations, a group's target
- *   duration, an unmapped custom field) is kept from the existing entry
- * - a new id, or an id whose type changed, takes the incoming entry wholesale
- * - existing entries absent from the incoming rundown are dropped
- */
-export function mergeRundownPreservingFields(
-  incoming: Readonly<Rundown>,
-  existing: Readonly<Rundown>,
-  providedFields: ImportedFields,
-): Rundown {
-  const entries: RundownEntries = {};
-
-  for (const [id, incomingEntry] of Object.entries(incoming.entries)) {
-    const existingEntry = existing.entries[id];
-
-    // a new id, or one whose type changed, is not compatible for a merge: take the incoming data
-    if (existingEntry === undefined || existingEntry.type !== incomingEntry.type) {
-      entries[id] = incomingEntry;
-      continue;
-    }
-
-    // merge the sheet's data onto the existing entry through the canonical patch function, which
-    // keeps every unmapped field and infers an event's time strategy from the provided times
-    const merged = applyPatchToEntry(existingEntry, buildImportPatch(incomingEntry, providedFields));
-    // grouping comes from the sheet structure, not a data column: a group owns its children, every
-    // other entry knows its parent
-    const structure = isOntimeGroup(incomingEntry)
-      ? { entries: incomingEntry.entries }
-      : { parent: incomingEntry.parent };
-    entries[id] = structuredClone({ ...merged, ...structure });
-  }
-
-  return {
-    id: existing.id,
-    title: existing.title,
-    order: [...incoming.order],
-    flatOrder: [...incoming.flatOrder],
-    revision: existing.revision + 1,
-    entries,
-  };
-}
-
-/**
- * Whether the currently playing event survives a change to its rundown,
- * i.e. it still exists and is playable in the new version.
- */
-export function isLoadedPlayable(loadedEventId: EntryId, rundown: Readonly<Rundown>): boolean {
-  const entry = rundown.entries[loadedEventId];
-  return entry !== undefined && isOntimeEvent(entry) && isPlayableEvent(entry);
-}
-
 /** List of event properties which do not need the rundown to be regenerated */
 enum RegenerateWhitelist {
  'id', // adding it for completeness, users cannot change ID
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { body, param } from 'express-validator';
-import type { EntryId, InsertOptions, OntimeGroup, Rundown } from 'ontime-types';

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

@@ -12,53 +11,20 @@ export const rundownPatchValidator = [
  requestValidationFunction,
 ];

-export const rundownImportValidator = [
-  body('mode').isString().isIn(['override', 'merge', 'new']),
-  body('targetRundownId')
-    .if(body('mode').isIn(['override', 'merge']))
-    .isString()
-    .trim()
-    .notEmpty()
-    .withMessage('targetRundownId is required when mode is override or merge'),
-  body('rundown').isObject(),
-  body('rundown.entries').isObject(),
-  body('rundown.order').isArray(),
-  body('rundown.flatOrder').isArray(),
-  body('customFields').isObject(),
-  body('providedFields').optional().isObject(),
-  body('providedFields.event').optional().isArray(),
-  body('providedFields.event.*').isString(),
-  body('providedFields.custom').optional().isArray(),
-  body('providedFields.custom.*').isString(),
-  requestValidationFunction,
-];
-
 // #endregion operations on project rundowns ======================
 // #region operations on rundown entries ==========================

 export const entryPostValidator = [
  body('type').isString().isIn(['event', 'delay', 'group', 'milestone']),
-  body('after')
-    .optional()
-    .custom((value) => value === true || typeof value === 'string')
-    .withMessage('Allowed values for after are an ID or true.'),
-  body('before')
-    .optional()
-    .custom((value) => value === true || typeof value === 'string')
-    .withMessage('Allowed values for before are an ID or true.'),
+  body('after').optional().isString(),
+  body('before').optional().isString(),

  requestValidationFunction,
 ];

 export const clonePostValidator = [
-  body('after')
-    .optional()
-    .custom((value) => value === true || typeof value === 'string')
-    .withMessage('Allowed values for after are an ID or true.'),
-  body('before')
-    .optional()
-    .custom((value) => value === true || typeof value === 'string')
-    .withMessage('Allowed values for before are an ID or true.'),
+  body('after').optional().isString(),
+  body('before').optional().isString(),

  requestValidationFunction,
 ];
@@ -106,44 +72,4 @@ export const entryRenumberValidator = [
  requestValidationFunction,
 ];

-/**
- * Ensures callers use a single insertion anchor so placement is unambiguous.
- */
-export function assertSingleInsertAnchor(options: InsertOptions) {
-  if (options.after !== undefined && options.before !== undefined) {
-    throw new Error('Use only one insertion anchor: after or before');
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * Ensures an ID anchor exists and belongs to the order it is intended to position within.
- */
-export function assertInsertAnchorInOrder(rundown: Rundown, parent: OntimeGroup | null, options: InsertOptions) {
-  const anchor = getStringInsertAnchor(options);
-  if (anchor === undefined) return;
-
-  if (!Object.hasOwn(rundown.entries, anchor)) {
-    throw new Error(`Insertion anchor with ID ${anchor} does not exist`);
-  }
-
-  const insertionList = parent ? parent.entries : rundown.order;
-  if (!insertionList.includes(anchor)) {
-    throw new Error(`Insertion anchor with ID ${anchor} is not in the target order`);
-  }
-}
-
-/** Ensures an ID anchor refers to an entry in the rundown. */
-export function assertInsertAnchorExists(rundown: Rundown, options: InsertOptions) {
-  const anchor = getStringInsertAnchor(options);
-  if (anchor !== undefined && !Object.hasOwn(rundown.entries, anchor)) {
-    throw new Error(`Insertion anchor with ID ${anchor} does not exist`);
-  }
-}
-
-function getStringInsertAnchor(options: InsertOptions): EntryId | undefined {
-  if (typeof options.after === 'string') return options.after;
-  if (typeof options.before === 'string') return options.before;
-  return undefined;
-}
-
 // #endregion operations on rundown entries =======================
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { runMiddleware } from '../../validation-utils/__tests__/testMiddleware.js';
+import { validateGenerateUrl } from '../session.validation.js';
+
+describe('validateGenerateUrl', () => {
+  it('accepts a valid payload and normalises req.body', () => {
+    const { nextCalled, req } = runMiddleware(validateGenerateUrl, {
+      body: {
+        baseUrl: 'https://ontime.example',
+        path: '/timer',
+        authenticate: true,
+        lockConfig: false,
+        lockNav: false,
+      },
+    });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(true);
+    expect(req.body).toMatchObject({ baseUrl: 'https://ontime.example', path: '/timer' });
+  });
+
+  it('accepts an optional preset field', () => {
+    const { nextCalled, req } = runMiddleware(validateGenerateUrl, {
+      body: {
+        baseUrl: 'https://ontime.example',
+        path: '/timer',
+        authenticate: true,
+        lockConfig: false,
+        lockNav: false,
+        preset: 'my-preset',
+      },
+    });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(true);
+    expect(req.body.preset).toBe('my-preset');
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a missing required field with a 422', () => {
+    const { nextCalled, statusCode } = runMiddleware(validateGenerateUrl, {
+      body: { path: '/timer', authenticate: true, lockConfig: false, lockNav: false },
+    });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(false);
+    expect(statusCode).toBe(422);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a wrong-typed field', () => {
+    const { nextCalled, statusCode } = runMiddleware(validateGenerateUrl, {
+      body: {
+        baseUrl: 'https://ontime.example',
+        path: '/timer',
+        authenticate: 'yes', // should be boolean
+        lockConfig: false,
+        lockNav: false,
+      },
+    });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(false);
+    expect(statusCode).toBe(422);
+  });
+});
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type { ErrorResponse, GetInfo, GetUrl, SessionStats } from 'ontime-types'
 import { getErrorMessage } from 'ontime-utils';

 import * as sessionService from './session.service.js';
+import type { GenerateUrlInput } from './session.validation.js';
 import { validateGenerateUrl } from './session.validation.js';

 export const router: Router = express.Router();
@@ -28,17 +29,21 @@ router.get('/info', (_req: Request, res: Response<GetInfo | ErrorResponse>) => {
  }
 });

-router.post('/url', validateGenerateUrl, (req: Request, res: Response<GetUrl | ErrorResponse>) => {
-  try {
-    const url = sessionService.generateShareUrl(req.body.baseUrl, req.body.path, {
-      authenticate: req.body.authenticate,
-      lockConfig: req.body.lockConfig,
-      lockNav: req.body.lockNav,
-      preset: req.body.preset,
-    });
-    res.status(200).send({ url: url.toString() });
-  } catch (error) {
-    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-    res.status(500).send({ message });
-  }
-});
+router.post(
+  '/url',
+  validateGenerateUrl,
+  (req: Request<unknown, GetUrl | ErrorResponse, GenerateUrlInput>, res: Response<GetUrl | ErrorResponse>) => {
+    try {
+      const url = sessionService.generateShareUrl(req.body.baseUrl, req.body.path, {
+        authenticate: req.body.authenticate,
+        lockConfig: req.body.lockConfig,
+        lockNav: req.body.lockNav,
+        preset: req.body.preset,
+      });
+      res.status(200).send({ url: url.toString() });
+    } catch (error) {
+      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+      res.status(500).send({ message });
+    }
+  },
+);
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
-import { body } from 'express-validator';
+import { z } from 'zod';

-import { requestValidationFunction } from '../validation-utils/validationFunction.js';
+import { validateBody } from '../validation-utils/validate.js';

-export const validateGenerateUrl = [
-  body('baseUrl').isString().trim().notEmpty(),
-  body('path').isString().trim().notEmpty(),
-
-  body('authenticate').isBoolean(),
-  body('lockConfig').isBoolean(),
-  body('lockNav').isBoolean(),
-  body('preset').optional().isString().trim().notEmpty(),
-
-  requestValidationFunction,
-];
+const generateUrlSchema = z.object({
+  baseUrl: z.string().trim().min(1),
+  path: z.string().trim().min(1),
+  authenticate: z.boolean(),
+  lockConfig: z.boolean(),
+  lockNav: z.boolean(),
+  preset: z.string().trim().min(1).optional(),
+});
+export type GenerateUrlInput = z.infer<typeof generateUrlSchema>;
+export const validateGenerateUrl = validateBody(generateUrlSchema);
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import { OntimeView } from 'ontime-types';
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { runMiddleware } from '../../validation-utils/__tests__/testMiddleware.js';
+import { validateNewPreset, validatePresetParam } from '../urlPresets.validation.js';
+
+const validPreset = {
+  enabled: true,
+  alias: 'my-preset',
+  target: OntimeView.Cuesheet,
+  search: '',
+  displayInNav: true,
+};
+
+describe('validateNewPreset', () => {
+  it('accepts a valid preset', () => {
+    const { nextCalled } = runMiddleware(validateNewPreset, { body: validPreset });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('accepts optional cuesheet options', () => {
+    const { nextCalled, req } = runMiddleware(validateNewPreset, {
+      body: { ...validPreset, options: { read: 'a', write: 'b' } },
+    });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(true);
+    expect(req.body.options).toEqual({ read: 'a', write: 'b' });
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a missing required field', () => {
+    const { alias: _alias, ...withoutAlias } = validPreset;
+    const { nextCalled, statusCode } = runMiddleware(validateNewPreset, { body: withoutAlias });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(false);
+    expect(statusCode).toBe(422);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects "editor" as a target — URL presets cannot point at the editor view', () => {
+    const { nextCalled, statusCode } = runMiddleware(validateNewPreset, {
+      body: { ...validPreset, target: OntimeView.Editor },
+    });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(false);
+    expect(statusCode).toBe(422);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects an unknown target value', () => {
+    const { nextCalled, statusCode } = runMiddleware(validateNewPreset, {
+      body: { ...validPreset, target: 'not-a-real-view' },
+    });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(false);
+    expect(statusCode).toBe(422);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('validatePresetParam', () => {
+  it('accepts a non-empty alias param', () => {
+    const { nextCalled } = runMiddleware(validatePresetParam, { params: { alias: 'my-preset' } });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects an empty alias param', () => {
+    const { nextCalled, statusCode } = runMiddleware(validatePresetParam, { params: { alias: '' } });
+    expect(nextCalled).toBe(false);
+    expect(statusCode).toBe(422);
+  });
+});
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { getErrorMessage } from 'ontime-utils';

 import { sendRefetch } from '../../adapters/WebsocketAdapter.js';
 import { getDataProvider } from '../../classes/data-provider/DataProvider.js';
+import type { NewPresetInput, PresetAliasParam, UpdatePresetInput } from './urlPresets.validation.js';
 import { validateNewPreset, validatePresetParam, validateUpdatePreset } from './urlPresets.validation.js';

 export const router: Router = express.Router();
@@ -14,80 +15,98 @@ router.get('/', (_req: Request, res: Response<URLPreset[]>) => {
  res.status(200).send(presets as URLPreset[]);
 });

-router.post('/', validateNewPreset, async (req: Request, res: Response<URLPreset[] | ErrorResponse>) => {
-  try {
-    const newPreset: URLPreset = {
-      enabled: req.body.enabled,
-      alias: req.body.alias,
-      target: req.body.target,
-      search: req.body.search,
-      displayInNav: req.body.displayInNav,
-      options: req.body.options,
-    };
+router.post(
+  '/',
+  validateNewPreset,
+  async (
+    req: Request<unknown, URLPreset[] | ErrorResponse, NewPresetInput>,
+    res: Response<URLPreset[] | ErrorResponse>,
+  ) => {
+    try {
+      const newPreset: URLPreset = {
+        enabled: req.body.enabled,
+        alias: req.body.alias,
+        target: req.body.target,
+        search: req.body.search,
+        displayInNav: req.body.displayInNav,
+        options: req.body.options,
+      };

-    const currentPresets = getDataProvider().getUrlPresets();
-    if (currentPresets.some((preset) => preset.alias === newPreset.alias)) {
-      throw new Error(`Preset with alias ${newPreset.alias} already exists.`);
+      const currentPresets = getDataProvider().getUrlPresets();
+      if (currentPresets.some((preset) => preset.alias === newPreset.alias)) {
+        throw new Error(`Preset with alias ${newPreset.alias} already exists.`);
+      }
+
+      const newPresets = [...currentPresets, newPreset];
+
+      // Update the URL presets in the data provider
+      await getDataProvider().setUrlPresets(newPresets);
+      sendRefetch(RefetchKey.UrlPresets);
+      res.status(201).send(newPresets);
+    } catch (error) {
+      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+      res.status(400).send({ message });
    }
+  },
+);

-    const newPresets = [...currentPresets, newPreset];
+router.put(
+  '/:alias',
+  validateUpdatePreset,
+  async (
+    req: Request<PresetAliasParam, URLPreset[] | ErrorResponse, UpdatePresetInput>,
+    res: Response<URLPreset[] | ErrorResponse>,
+  ) => {
+    try {
+      const alias = req.params.alias;
+      const currentPresets = getDataProvider().getUrlPresets();
+      const existingPreset = currentPresets.find((preset) => preset.alias === alias);
+      if (!existingPreset) {
+        throw new Error(`Preset with alias ${alias} does not exist.`);
+      }

-    // Update the URL presets in the data provider
-    await getDataProvider().setUrlPresets(newPresets);
-    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.UrlPresets);
-    res.status(201).send(newPresets);
-  } catch (error) {
-    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-    res.status(400).send({ message });
-  }
-});
+      const updatedPreset: URLPreset = {
+        enabled: req.body.enabled,
+        alias: req.body.alias,
+        target: req.body.target,
+        search: req.body.search,
+        displayInNav: req.body.displayInNav,
+        options: req.body.options ?? existingPreset.options,
+      };

-router.put('/:alias', validateUpdatePreset, async (req: Request, res: Response<URLPreset[] | ErrorResponse>) => {
-  try {
-    const alias = req.params.alias;
-    const currentPresets = getDataProvider().getUrlPresets();
-    const existingPreset = currentPresets.find((preset) => preset.alias === alias);
-    if (!existingPreset) {
-      throw new Error(`Preset with alias ${alias} does not exist.`);
+      if (alias !== updatedPreset.alias) {
+        throw new Error('Changing alias is not permitted');
+      }
+
+      const newPresets = currentPresets.map((preset) => (preset.alias === alias ? updatedPreset : preset));
+
+      // Update the URL presets in the data provider
+      await getDataProvider().setUrlPresets(newPresets);
+      sendRefetch(RefetchKey.UrlPresets);
+      res.status(200).send(newPresets);
+    } catch (error) {
+      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+      res.status(400).send({ message });
    }
+  },
+);

-    const updatedPreset: URLPreset = {
-      enabled: req.body.enabled,
-      alias: req.body.alias,
-      target: req.body.target,
-      search: req.body.search,
-      displayInNav: req.body.displayInNav,
-      options: req.body.options ?? existingPreset.options,
-    };
+router.delete(
+  '/:alias',
+  validatePresetParam,
+  async (req: Request<PresetAliasParam>, res: Response<URLPreset[] | ErrorResponse>) => {
+    try {
+      const alias = req.params.alias;
+      const currentPresets = getDataProvider().getUrlPresets();
+      const newPresets = currentPresets.filter((preset) => preset.alias !== alias);

-    if (alias !== updatedPreset.alias) {
-      throw new Error('Changing alias is not permitted');
+      // Update the URL presets in the data provider
+      await getDataProvider().setUrlPresets(newPresets);
+      sendRefetch(RefetchKey.UrlPresets);
+      res.status(200).send(newPresets);
+    } catch (error) {
+      const message = getErrorMessage(error);
+      res.status(400).send({ message });
    }
-
-    const newPresets = currentPresets.map((preset) => (preset.alias === alias ? updatedPreset : preset));
-
-    // Update the URL presets in the data provider
-    await getDataProvider().setUrlPresets(newPresets);
-    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.UrlPresets);
-    res.status(200).send(newPresets);
-  } catch (error) {
-    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-    res.status(400).send({ message });
-  }
-});
-
-router.delete('/:alias', validatePresetParam, async (req: Request, res: Response<URLPreset[] | ErrorResponse>) => {
-  try {
-    const alias = req.params.alias;
-    const currentPresets = getDataProvider().getUrlPresets();
-    const newPresets = currentPresets.filter((preset) => preset.alias !== alias);
-
-    // Update the URL presets in the data provider
-    await getDataProvider().setUrlPresets(newPresets);
-    sendRefetch(RefetchKey.UrlPresets);
-    res.status(200).send(newPresets);
-  } catch (error) {
-    const message = getErrorMessage(error);
-    res.status(400).send({ message });
-  }
-});
+  },
+);
@@ -1,40 +1,36 @@
-import { body, param } from 'express-validator';
-import { OntimeView } from 'ontime-types';
+import { OntimeView, type OntimeViewPresettable } from 'ontime-types';
+import { z } from 'zod';

-import { requestValidationFunction } from '../validation-utils/validationFunction.js';
+import { validateBody, validateParams } from '../validation-utils/validate.js';
+
+// URL presets cannot target the editor (see OntimeViewPresettable) — the previous
+// express-validator check allowed any OntimeView value including 'editor', which URLPreset's
+// own type never permitted; narrowed here now that the field is properly typed end to end.
+const presettableViews = Object.values(OntimeView).filter(
+  (view): view is OntimeViewPresettable => view !== OntimeView.Editor,
+);
+
+const presetOptionsSchema = z.record(z.string(), z.string()).optional();

 /**
 * validate array of URL preset objects
 */
-export const validateNewPreset = [
-  body().isObject().withMessage('No data found in request'),
-  body('enabled').isBoolean(),
-  body('alias').isString().trim().notEmpty(),
-  body('target').isString().trim().notEmpty().isIn(Object.values(OntimeView)),
-  body('search').isString().trim(),
-  body('displayInNav').isBoolean(),
-
+const newPresetSchema = z.object({
+  enabled: z.boolean(),
+  alias: z.string().trim().min(1),
+  target: z.enum(presettableViews),
+  search: z.string().trim(),
+  displayInNav: z.boolean(),
  // options are currently only provided for cuesheet presets
-  body('options').optional().isObject(),
-  body('options.*').isString().trim(),
+  options: presetOptionsSchema,
+});
+export type NewPresetInput = z.infer<typeof newPresetSchema>;
+export const validateNewPreset = validateBody(newPresetSchema);

-  requestValidationFunction,
-];
+const presetAliasParamSchema = z.object({ alias: z.string().trim().min(1) });
+export type PresetAliasParam = z.infer<typeof presetAliasParamSchema>;
+export const validatePresetParam = validateParams(presetAliasParamSchema);

-export const validateUpdatePreset = [
-  param('alias').isString().trim().notEmpty(),
-  body().isObject().withMessage('No data found in request'),
-  body('enabled').isBoolean(),
-  body('alias').isString().trim().notEmpty(),
-  body('target').isString().trim().notEmpty().isIn(Object.values(OntimeView)),
-  body('search').isString().trim(),
-  body('displayInNav').isBoolean(),
-
-  // options are currently only provided for cuesheet presets
-  body('options').optional().isObject(),
-  body('options.*').isString().trim(),
-
-  requestValidationFunction,
-];
-
-export const validatePresetParam = [param('alias').isString().trim().notEmpty(), requestValidationFunction];
+// update reuses the same body shape as create, plus the alias param check
+export type UpdatePresetInput = NewPresetInput;
+export const validateUpdatePreset = [validateParams(presetAliasParamSchema), validateBody(newPresetSchema)];
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import type { NextFunction, Request, Response } from 'express';
+
+/**
+ * Exercises a single Express middleware (e.g. validateBody(schema)) against a minimal
+ * fake req/res, without standing up supertest or a running app — matches this codebase's
+ * convention of testing validation logic directly rather than through an HTTP layer.
+ */
+export function runMiddleware(
+  middleware: (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => void,
+  req: Partial<Request>,
+) {
+  let statusCode: number | undefined;
+  let payload: unknown;
+  const res = {
+    status(code: number) {
+      statusCode = code;
+      return this;
+    },
+    json(data: unknown) {
+      payload = data;
+    },
+  } as Response;
+
+  let nextCalled = false;
+  middleware(req as Request, res, () => {
+    nextCalled = true;
+  });
+
+  return { nextCalled, statusCode, payload, req: req as Request };
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import type { NextFunction, Request, Response } from 'express';
+import { z, type ZodType } from 'zod';
+
+type Target = 'body' | 'params';
+
+/**
+ * Builds an Express middleware that safe-parses req[target] against `schema`.
+ * - Uses safeParse: no throw/catch on the hot invalid-input path.
+ * - On success, replaces req[target] with the parsed value (defaults filled,
+ *   unknown keys stripped, .trim()/.transform() applied) and calls next().
+ * - On failure, responds 422 with { errors: [...] }.
+ */
+function validate<T extends ZodType>(target: Target, schema: T) {
+  return (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
+    const result = schema.safeParse(req[target]);
+    if (!result.success) {
+      const errors = result.error.issues.map((issue) => ({
+        location: target,
+        path: issue.path.join('.'),
+        message: issue.message,
+      }));
+      res.status(422).json({ errors });
+      return;
+    }
+    req[target] = result.data;
+    next();
+  };
+}
+
+export const validateBody = <T extends ZodType>(schema: T) => validate('body', schema);
+export const validateParams = <T extends ZodType>(schema: T) => validate('params', schema);
+
+/** Direct replacement for the old paramsWithId */
+export const idParamSchema = z.object({ id: z.string().trim().min(1) });
+export const validateIdParam = validateParams(idParamSchema);
+
+/**
+ * Direct replacement for requestValidationFunctionWithFile — unrelated to Zod (it's a
+ * check on multer's req.file, not on body/params shape), kept as its own middleware.
+ */
+export function requireUploadedFile(req: Request & { file?: unknown }, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
+  if (!req.file) {
+    res.status(422).json({ errors: 'File not found' });
+    return;
+  }
+  next();
+}
@@ -153,41 +153,6 @@ describe('mcp.service', () => {
    expect(result.created.map((entry) => entry.id)).toEqual(['entry-1', 'entry-2', 'entry-3', 'entry-4']);
  });

-  it('omits insert anchors when creating an entry without a position', async () => {
-    await createEntryForMcp({
-      type: SupportedEntry.Milestone,
-      title: 'End marker',
-    });
-
-    expect(addEntryMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      'loaded-rundown',
-      expect.objectContaining({ type: SupportedEntry.Milestone, title: 'End marker' }),
-    );
-    expect(addEntryMock.mock.calls[0][1]).not.toHaveProperty('after');
-    expect(addEntryMock.mock.calls[0][1]).not.toHaveProperty('before');
-  });
-
-  it('uses before true for the first batch entry and chains the rest', async () => {
-    await batchCreateEntriesForMcp({
-      before: true,
-      entries: [
-        { type: SupportedEntry.Event, title: 'First' },
-        { type: SupportedEntry.Event, title: 'Second' },
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(addEntryMock).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
-      1,
-      'loaded-rundown',
-      expect.objectContaining({ type: SupportedEntry.Event, title: 'First', before: true }),
-    );
-    expect(addEntryMock).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
-      2,
-      'loaded-rundown',
-      expect.objectContaining({ type: SupportedEntry.Event, title: 'Second', after: 'entry-1' }),
-    );
-  });
-
  it('rejects nested groups before creating entries', async () => {
    await expect(
      batchCreateEntriesForMcp({
--- a/Show More
+++ b/Show More