Frequently Asked Questions

CuePad accepts PDF files only. Most scripts you receive from publishers, print from writing software, or download from licensing houses will work. Large PDFs (50+ MB) may load more slowly.

Yes, image-based PDFs (scanned scripts) display correctly and you can annotate them. However, the lasso selection tool won't capture actual text since there's no text layer. You can still create cues, they'll just show the visual selection rather than extracted text.

The Core plan gives you one active script with full access to blocking tools, cue management, ground plan editing, highlights, and drawing. You can also add a sample script from your dashboard to explore features before uploading your own. Upgrading to Pro unlocks unlimited scripts, collaboration, PDF export, and version history.

CuePad includes a sample script (Trifles by Susan Glaspell) that you can add to your dashboard at any time by clicking "Add Sample Script" from your dashboard menu. It lets you explore the interface and tools without uploading your own PDF. The sample script is exempt from the Core plan's active script limit.

CuePad works in modern web browsers on desktop computers, tablets, and phones. It's particularly well-suited for iPad with Apple Pencil, which gives you stylus input for drawing and writing. All your data syncs across devices.

Yes, CuePad requires an internet connection. All your scripts, annotations, and settings are stored in the cloud. There is no offline mode at this time.

In Cues mode (the default), click and drag on the PDF to draw a rectangle around your trigger text. When you release, a dialog opens where you select the cue type, write your notes, and confirm. On iPad, use Apple Pencil—finger touch pans the view instead.

The nine cue types (Blocking, Lighting, Sound, Music, Projection, Props, Costume, Scenic, Director) are fixed with their assigned colors. You cannot add custom types or change the colors. This keeps the system consistent and scannable.

Yes. CuePad has a unified undo/redo system that covers cues (create, delete, edit, move), highlights, text boxes, drawing strokes, and ground plan edits (character positions and movement paths). Undo history is session-based—it resets when you leave the script or refresh the page.

Cues are indexed, typed annotations tied to specific text—they're the structured backbone of your prompt book. Highlights are freeform color marks for emphasis or personal notes, with no index or type. Use cues for blocking and technical notes; use highlights for reading emphasis.

Text boxes are draggable, resizable text annotations you can place anywhere on the PDF page. They support font family (sans, serif, mono), font size, bold, italic, underline, and text color. Create them in Text mode by clicking on the page. Mouse or stylus only—finger input is reserved for navigation.

Yes. The Cue List View shows all your cues in a sortable, filterable table. You can search by text, filter by cue type, sort by index or reference code, and edit cue details inline without switching back to the PDF view.

PNG, JPEG, and WebP images are all supported. Upload diagrams of your stage or set, and they become canvases for placing character markers.

Yes. Ground plans are stored per script, not per cue. You can assign the same ground plan to many cues, each with different character positions for that moment.

When assigning a ground plan to a cue, you'll see a 'Previous GP' option if the previous cue has a ground plan. Selecting it copies all character positions and movement paths, so you can build incrementally.

Yes. In the ground plan editor, you can draw freehand movement paths that are automatically smoothed into dotted arrows showing character movement across the stage. Paths support undo/redo just like other annotations.

Ground plans are stored per script and cannot be shared across scripts. If you're working on multiple scripts with the same set, you'll need to upload the ground plan to each script separately.

Deleting a character removes them from all ground plans across the entire script. This is permanent, so be careful when deleting characters.

With a Pro plan, you can share scripts with your production team via email invites. Each collaborator gets a role: Admin (full control), Editor (can create and modify cues and annotations), or Viewer (read-only access). Real-time presence shows who's currently viewing the script and which page they're on. There are no per-seat fees—only the script owner needs a Pro subscription.

CuePad uses page-level locking to prevent conflicts. When someone starts editing a page, they hold a lock on it—no one else can edit that same page until the lock is released. Locks automatically release when the user navigates away or disconnects. Admins can force-release a lock if needed.

Yes. Editors can be scoped to specific cue types (e.g., only Lighting and Sound cues), and you can separately toggle whether they can edit annotations like highlights, text boxes, and drawing strokes.

Yes. When you invite someone by email, CuePad creates a pending invite. When that person signs up with the same email address, the invite resolves automatically and they gain access to the script.

Yes. Pro users can export a complete prompt book as a PDF. Three layout modes are available: Facing Pages (script pages paired with cue sheets and ground plans), Script Only (annotated script with cue overlays), and Cue Sheet Only (standalone cue and blocking reference). You can customize which cue types to include, toggle title pages and page numbers, and configure margins.

Yes. You can export any script as a .cuepad.json file, which includes the original PDF, all cues, ground plans (with images), highlights, drawing strokes, text boxes, and page labels. Import the file on any CuePad account to recreate the full script.

Yes, for Pro users. You can create manual snapshots with labels (e.g., 'Before Tech') at any point, and CuePad automatically saves hourly backups when changes are detected. You can restore any snapshot to roll back to a previous state. Up to 50 auto-snapshots are retained per script.

CuePad automatically detects your input. Apple Pencil handles all drawing and selection—creating cues, drawing highlights, writing notes, placing characters. Finger touch pans and scrolls. Two-finger pinch zooms.

Write mode appears only on mobile/tablet devices. It lets you draw freehand notes directly on the PDF with your stylus, using opaque ink in Black, Blue, Red, or Green. It's for quick handwritten annotations during a run or rehearsal.

Yes. On narrow viewports, toolbar buttons collapse into a menu. Panels auto-collapse after certain actions on mobile to give you more script space. The interface is designed to work in rehearsal rooms on tablets.

Yes, on desktop. Two-Page Spread mode shows facing pages, which is useful for seeing script context across page turns. Toggle it from the toolbar. On mobile and tablet, single-page view is used.

Pages display in their native orientation. You cannot rotate individual pages within CuePad.

No, there's no support for attaching or playing media files. Cue notes are text-based.

Blocking refers to the movement and positioning of actors on stage. A blocking note tells actors where to stand, move, or exit during a specific moment in the script.

A ground plan is a top-down diagram of the stage or set, showing the layout of walls, furniture, and playing areas. Directors use ground plans to map out where actors stand and move.

A prompt book is the traditional paper script containing all blocking notes, cue notations, and production information. It's the master document for running a show. CuePad is a digital version of this concept.

The trigger text is the specific line or passage in the script that a cue is attached to. When that line is spoken or that moment occurs, the cue is triggered.

Yes. CuePad is built on the numbered blocking notation system that stage managers have used for decades. In the traditional method, you write circled numbers in the script where blocking occurs, then record detailed blocking notes on the facing page. CuePad digitizes this exact workflow — selecting trigger text mirrors circling a cue number, and the cue panel serves as your facing page with structured blocking notes, ground plan assignments, and automatic indexing.