Does KilnQueue control the kiln?

No. It is a schedule and a member board, not a kiln controller. You still program the firing on the kiln itself.

Can I import my current schedule and members?

Yes. Import members and firings from a CSV export of your spreadsheet, and export everything back to CSV at any time.

Kiln firing schedule spreadsheet: a template and when to move on

Updated October 26, 2026 · For community pottery studios

Plenty of community studios run their kilns from a spreadsheet: a row per firing with the kiln, the cone and the date, shared with the techs. It costs nothing and it is better than a whiteboard nobody updates.

The spreadsheet works for the people who edit it. It does less for members, who still ask at the front desk whether their bisque has gone in, and for techs coming on shift who need to know whether the kiln is cooling or ready to unload. Here is a layout that works, and how it compares with a firing queue.

Columns for a firing schedule

Kiln (by name, if you have more than one).
Load type: bisque, glaze or luster.
Cone.
Planned start date and time.
Stage: queued, loading, firing, cooling, unloaded.
Piece count, and notes such as “slow cool” or “witness cones on top shelf”.

Keeping it accurate

Update the stage at each step, not at the end of the week.
Never reuse a row; add a new one for every firing so you have a log.
Sort by start time so the next firing is always at the top.
Share read-only with members if you can, so they stop asking.

Spreadsheet vs KilnQueue

Firings: Spreadsheet Rows; KilnQueue Kiln, cone, load type, start time, piece count and notes
Stages: Spreadsheet A column you retype; KilnQueue Queued, loading, firing, cooling, unloaded, one tap each
Cones: Spreadsheet Typed, sometimes wrong; KilnQueue Pick common cones from a list or enter your own
Members: Spreadsheet Shared sheet or nothing; KilnQueue Each member has a private page with their shelf, pieces waiting and the next firings
Seeing the month: Spreadsheet Scroll; KilnQueue A calendar view of firings
Techs on shift: Spreadsheet One shared login or a shared file; KilnQueue Staff sign in with their own email (Studio floor plan)
Cost: Spreadsheet Free; KilnQueue $49/mo Single kiln, $99/mo with staff logins

	Spreadsheet	KilnQueue
Firings	Rows	Kiln, cone, load type, start time, piece count and notes
Stages	A column you retype	Queued, loading, firing, cooling, unloaded, one tap each
Cones	Typed, sometimes wrong	Pick common cones from a list or enter your own
Members	Shared sheet or nothing	Each member has a private page with their shelf, pieces waiting and the next firings
Seeing the month	Scroll	A calendar view of firings
Techs on shift	One shared login or a shared file	Staff sign in with their own email (Studio floor plan)
Cost	Free	$49/mo Single kiln, $99/mo with staff logins

When the spreadsheet is enough

A studio with one kiln, one tech and a small membership can run on a sheet comfortably. Move when several people fire, when members keep asking the same questions, or when shelves and the waitlist live in a different place from the firing schedule.

Common questions

Does KilnQueue control the kiln?: No. It is a schedule and a member board, not a kiln controller. You still program the firing on the kiln itself.
Can I import my current schedule and members?: Yes. Import members and firings from a CSV export of your spreadsheet, and export everything back to CSV at any time.