Booth power planning worksheet
A printable worksheet for inventorying powered booth equipment, mapping outlet locations, and preparing a clear electrical-service request.
Use this worksheet to turn a device list and booth layout into one clear request for the event’s electrical provider. Record what each mains-powered item requires, show where power is needed, and ask the provider to confirm the service rather than choosing a circuit from a generic rule.
This is a region-neutral planning worksheet for a small booth with ordinary displays, computers, chargers, playback devices, and lighting. It does not select a voltage, circuit, connector, cable, or safety standard because those requirements depend on the equipment, venue, and local rules.
How to use the worksheet
Get the event’s exhibitor manual and electrical order form before completing the worksheet. Use the same service names and units that appear on that form, because providers may sell service by watts, volt-amperes, amperes, circuits, outlet locations, or a local combination of those terms.
Complete the device inventory first, then group the devices by their physical locations in the booth. Send the completed inventory and layout to the official provider, record the service they approve in the order summary, and keep that confirmation with the setup documents.
Do not combine watts, volt-amperes, and amperes into one total or assume they are interchangeable. If a rating is unclear, copy the full label into the notes and ask the equipment manufacturer or electrical provider to interpret it.
Print or copy this section
Booth power worksheet
Event details
| Field | Complete before ordering |
|---|---|
| Event and venue | [event name, venue, and city] |
| Booth number and dimensions | [booth number and width × depth] |
| Public show dates | [dates] |
| Exhibitor move-in window | [date and time] |
| Electrical provider | [company or venue department] |
| Order deadline | [date, time zone, and late-order consequence] |
| Provider contact | [name or service desk, email, and phone] |
| Internal owner | [person submitting and checking the order] |
1. Inventory every mains-powered item
Record the input rating from the device, its external power supply, or the manufacturer’s technical documentation. The IEC’s overview of equipment-rating markings identifies voltage, current, frequency, and power as supply characteristics that may appear on electrical equipment.
Use the rating for the part that connects to venue power. For example, record a laptop power adapter as one mains-powered item, but do not also count the laptop as a second load; similarly, record one multi-port charger rather than counting each phone connected behind it.
| ID | Device and exact model | Qty. | Input rating per item | Unit shown | Subtotal in same unit | Overnight? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | W / VA / A | Yes / No | ||||
| D2 | W / VA / A | Yes / No | ||||
| D3 | W / VA / A | Yes / No | ||||
| D4 | W / VA / A | Yes / No | ||||
| D5 | W / VA / A | Yes / No | ||||
| D6 | W / VA / A | Yes / No | ||||
| D7 | W / VA / A | Yes / No | ||||
| D8 | W / VA / A | Yes / No |
Calculate each subtotal as quantity × input rating per item, without changing its unit. If the label shows a voltage range, frequency, phase, or more than one operating mode, copy that information below rather than selecting the most convenient number.
Equipment notes and copied label details:
Inventory totals
Keep unlike units separate. These totals describe the known connected equipment; they are not yet an approved service order.
| Total type | Known equipment total | Provider’s allowance or adjustment | Provider-confirmed planning total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watts (W) | |||
| Volt-amperes (VA) | |||
| Amperes (A), with voltage noted |
Items still missing a verified rating: [device IDs or “none”]
2. Group devices into power zones
Give every place that needs power an outlet ID, then assign the device IDs from the inventory to it. A booth can have enough total capacity and still fail at setup because the outlet was installed at the back while the screen, demo counter, or light is elsewhere.
| Outlet ID | Physical location | Device IDs served | Access needed | Cable route or obstruction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Show hours / Continuous | |||
| P2 | Show hours / Continuous | |||
| P3 | Show hours / Continuous | |||
| P4 | Show hours / Continuous |
Draw the booth from above in the space below. Label the aisle, booth boundaries, dimensions, fixed furniture, each device ID, each requested outlet ID, and the intended cable route; include measurements from two fixed edges when the provider requests exact placement.
3. Confirm the venue rules
Use the exhibitor manual to answer each question, then ask the provider to resolve every blank. Requirements differ materially between events: one provider may require a scaled electrical plan and control all distribution work, while another may permit exhibitor distribution under specified conditions.
- What voltage, frequency, phase, and connector will the provider supply?
- Which service or circuit size covers the submitted equipment totals?
- Must any device have a dedicated circuit?
- How many outlets or service drops are included, and where will they be installed?
- Is the service dedicated to this booth, or can any part of it be shared?
- When is standard power switched on and off each day?
- Which device IDs need separately ordered continuous or overnight power?
- Is floor, overhead, or another service route available at each requested location?
- Who is permitted to install outlets, distribute power, and make connections?
- Which extension cords, power strips, adapters, and cable covers are permitted?
- What is required where a cable crosses carpet, flooring, or a walking route?
- Is installation labor included, separately ordered, or billed after the event?
- What layout format and placement measurements must accompany the order?
- What is the deadline for changes, and what will an on-site change cost?
Provider answers, exceptions, and document references:
4. Record the approved order
Copy the provider’s approved service description exactly instead of translating it back into a homemade circuit estimate. Keep separate rows for different outlet locations, continuous-power requirements, or service types so the installed result can be checked against the order.
| Ordered service exactly as described | Qty. | Outlet/location IDs | Continuous power? | Price or quote ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confirmation | Record |
|---|---|
| Confirmed by | [provider name and contact] |
| Confirmation date | [date] |
| Order or confirmation number | [reference] |
| Layout submitted | [file name and version] |
| Internal approver | [name] |
| On-site electrical contact | [service desk or phone] |
5. Check the installation at setup
- Compare every installed outlet with the approved order and layout before furniture hides it.
- Ask the provider to correct a missing, damaged, or misplaced service point.
- Route only provider-approved distribution equipment along the approved paths.
- Connect the planned equipment and test the complete booth in its show-day state.
- Confirm that devices marked for continuous power remain powered when standard show power is switched off.
- Do not add an unplanned heater, kettle, appliance, light, charger, or other load without provider confirmation.
- Save the order, layout, device inventory, and on-site contact where the setup crew can reach them offline.
Setup result and changes approved on site:
Why the provider must confirm the result
Electrical order categories and installation responsibilities are venue-specific. For example, GES’s published electrical guidance asks exhibitors to use equipment ratings, provide layouts for distributed power, and arrange continuous power separately when electricity is needed outside standard show hours; the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority exhibitor guide uses its own service sizes, placement rules, and division of installation work.
Those documents are examples, not universal instructions for your event. The useful outcome of this worksheet is a traceable conversation: the booth team supplies an accurate inventory and layout, while the responsible provider selects and confirms the service under the actual event rules.
Once the order is confirmed, add the approved cords, adapters, and distribution equipment to the conference booth packing checklist. Keep those items together using the booth cable bag guide so the equipment that was approved and tested is the equipment that reaches the stand.
Next steps
Useful next steps
Guides
What I keep in my conference booth cable bag
The compact power, HDMI, Android TV, and fallback kit I carry for one rented booth screen.
Checklists
Conference booth packing checklist
A field-ready checklist for assigning, testing, packing, shipping, and returning a small conference booth without losing critical equipment.