Costumes & Budget Management

Professional costume tracking from measurements to quick changes, with integrated budget oversight.

---

Overview

The Costumes module provides comprehensive costume management for theatrical productions. Track every piece, manage measurements, log fittings, and coordinate quick changes—all in one place.

---

Getting Started

Accessing Costumes

1. Navigate to the Costumes tab in the main navigation
2. You'll see subtabs for different aspects of costume management:
   • Measurements — Actor sizing profiles
   • Pieces — Costume inventory
   • Fittings — Fitting session logs
   • Quick Changes — Fast change coordination
   • Maintenance — Repair and laundry tracking

---

Measurements

31-Point Anatomical Tracking

Create comprehensive measurement profiles for each actor:

Upper Body

• Bust/Chest, Waist, Hips
• Neck, Shoulder, Bicep
• Arm Length, Wrist

Lower Body

• Inseam, Outseam
• Thigh, Height

Sizing

• Shirt/T-Shirt Size, Pants Size
• Shoe Size, Hat Size
• Glove Size, Dress Size, Jacket Size

Additional Information

• Allergies (fabric, latex, etc.)
• General notes

Creating a Measurement Profile

1. Click Add Measurement Profile
2. Select the actor from the dropdown
3. Enter measurements in your preferred units
4. Document any allergies or special considerations
5. Save the profile

Tip: Measurement profiles automatically link to the actor's characters, making costume assignments easier.

Self-Service Sizing (Cast Members)

Cast members can fill in their own measurements directly from their My Profile modal:

1. Click avatar in header → My Profile
2. Switch to the Measurements tab
3. Progress ring shows completion (e.g., "12/31 measurements")
4. Fill in sizing information and body measurements
5. Save automatically syncs to the Costume Department

How It Works:

• Onboarding Prompt — Actors with sparse profiles see an "Action Needed" banner
• Progress Tracking — Visual ring shows percentage complete
• Approval Workflow — Only the Costume Department can mark profiles as "Complete"
• Smart Defaults — Silhouette mode auto-selects based on actor's pronouns

Note: The Measurements tab only appears for cast members, not crew or production staff.

---

Costume Pieces

Adding Pieces

Each costume piece tracks:

Field	Description
Description	What the item is (e.g., "Blue Victorian Coat")
Scene	Which scene the piece appears in
Character	Which character wears it
Status	Workflow stage (TBD, To Build, To Buy, Ready to Fit, Complete)
Source	Where it came from (Stock, Purchased, Rental, Borrowed, Built)
Images	Reference photos
Notes	Additional details

Source Tracking

Understanding where each piece comes from helps with returns and budget:

• Stock — Already owned by the theater
• Purchased — Bought new for this production
• Rental — Rented with return date
• Borrowed — On loan from another source
• Built — Custom-made for this production

Status Workflow

Track pieces through the production process:

TBD → To Build/To Buy → Ready to Fit → Complete

---

Quick Changes

What is a Quick Change?

A quick change is any costume change that happens rapidly during the show, typically with dresser assistance.

Tracking Quick Changes

For each quick change, you can specify:

• Duration — Expected time in seconds
• Location — Where the change happens (Stage Left, Quick Change Booth, etc.)
• Assigned Dresser — Who assists with the change
• Notes — Special instructions

Urgency Indicators

Changes under 30 seconds are highlighted in red throughout the interface to flag high-urgency moments.

---

Fittings

Logging Fittings

Keep a record of all fitting sessions:

1. Click Add Fitting
2. Select the actor
3. Set the date
4. Choose which pieces were fitted
5. Add notes about alterations needed
6. Record who conducted the fitting

Fitting History

View the complete fitting history for any actor to track alterations over time.

---

Budget Tracking

Per-Piece Budgeting

Each costume piece can track:

• Estimated Cost — Budgeted amount
• Actual Cost — What was actually spent
• Receipt URLs — Links to uploaded receipt images

Budget Dashboard

Access the production-wide Budget Dashboard from the header:

1. Click the green Budget button (requires VIEW_BUDGET permission)
2. View summary cards:
   • Estimated Total — Sum of all estimated costs
   • Actual Spent — Sum of all actual costs
   • Variance — Difference (green = under budget, red = over)
   • Rental Count — Number of rental items

Grouping Options

Analyze your budget by:

• Status — See spending by workflow stage
• Character — Budget per character
• Source — Spending by acquisition method

Rental Returns

The dashboard includes a dedicated section for rental items with return dates, highlighting overdue items.

---

Maintenance

Tracking Maintenance Needs

Mark pieces that need attention:

• Needs Repair — Torn, broken, or damaged items
• Needs Laundry — Items requiring cleaning

Clearing Maintenance Flags

When maintenance is complete:

1. Navigate to the Maintenance subtab
2. Find the item
3. Click Mark Repaired or Mark Clean

---

Adding to Organization Inventory

Costume pieces sourced from Stock, Purchased, or Built can be promoted to your organization's permanent inventory:

1. Open a costume piece's detail modal
2. Click "Add to Org Inventory"
3. The piece is registered in your organization's inventory with condition, location, and usage history
4. A ✅ "In Inventory" badge appears on the piece

Automatic prompts: During the Archive Sweep, you're prompted to review all eligible costume pieces before archiving a production.

---

Printing

Costume Bible

Generate a comprehensive production document:

1. Click Print in the header
2. Select Costume Bible
3. Choose which sections to include:
   • ☑️ Measurements
   • ☑️ Costume Plot
   • ☑️ Character Breakdown
   • ☑️ Budget Summary
   • ☐ Receipts Appendix (optional)
4. Click Print

The Costume Bible includes:

• Professional cover page with show branding
• Table of contents
• All selected sections with proper formatting

Quick Change Plot

Generate a focused document for dressers:

1. Click Print in the header
2. Select Quick Change Plot
3. Options:
   • ☑️ Show Cover Page
   • ☑️ Show Dresser Summary
4. Click Print

Includes:

• Statistics summary
• Scene-by-scene quick change table
• Per-dresser assignment cards

---

Permissions

Who Can Access What

Feature	Required Permission
View Costumes	MANAGE_COSTUMES
Edit Costumes	MANAGE_COSTUMES
View Budget Dashboard	VIEW_BUDGET

Default Role Access

Role	Costumes	Budget
Owner	✅	✅
Stage Manager	✅	✅
Designer	✅	✅
Actor	❌	❌
Crew	❌	❌

---

Tips & Best Practices

Measurement Day

• Schedule a dedicated measurement session early in pre-production
• Have actors wear form-fitting clothing
• Take photos of how you measured for consistency

Quick Change Rehearsals

• Run quick changes multiple times before tech
• Time each change and update the duration field
• Assign backup dressers for critical changes

Budget Management

• Enter estimated costs during shopping/planning
• Update actual costs as soon as purchases are made
• Upload receipts immediately for accurate records

---

Troubleshooting

Measurements Not Showing for Actor

• Ensure the actor is added to the Cast in Personnel
• Create a new measurement profile linked to that actor

Quick Change Not Flagged

• Verify the "Is Quick Change" toggle is enabled on the costume piece
• Check that duration is entered (even if estimated)

Budget Dashboard Not Visible

• Confirm your role has VIEW_BUDGET permission
• Contact your project Owner to grant access

---

Need more help? Check the Troubleshooting Guide or reach out to support.