What It Does
By default, ShowSort holds each performance to a fixed target size (the number of routines you've set for it). Flexible Show Sizes loosens that — the optimizer is allowed to shift routines between performances if doing so improves other goals like family togetherness, per-performer appearance counts, or quick-change reduction.
Think of it as: "I care more about the goals than I do about exact show sizes — ShowSort, you decide."
When to Turn It On
- You're prioritizing Families and want the optimizer to be able to swing a routine to a different day so siblings end up together.
- You're optimizing per-performer appearance counts and want the optimizer to have room to redistribute.
- You're not picky about sizes — within reason, you'll accept whatever distribution best satisfies your goals.
When to Turn It Off
If you have a specific intent for show sizes — a longer Saturday evening, a shorter matinee, a tightly-timed venue — turn Flexible Show Sizes off and set the size you want for each performance explicitly. That tells ShowSort "these are the sizes; optimize around them." Flexible Sizes is not the right tool for "I want this show bigger on purpose" — use the per-show size setting for that.
Pair It With Balance
When Flexible Sizes is on, the optimizer can technically pile most routines into one performance if that's what minimizes other costs. To keep things sensible, also enable Balance as a goal. Balance pushes back against extreme distributions, so you get the freedom of Flexible Sizes without the lopsided results.
A good default for most studios:
- Flexible Show Sizes: on
- Balance: on (Medium priority works well; raise to High if even shows are a top concern)
How to Enable
Open Settings (from the upper-left of your show page) and look for the Flexible Sizes option — it's labeled "Automatically Resize Shows."
Heads up: Turning Flexible Sizes on will unlock all currently locked routines and disable per-show routine locking while it's on. ShowSort will ask you to confirm before flipping the setting. Turn Flexible Sizes off again if you want to go back to fixed sizes and routine locking.
Interaction with Balance (Details)
With Flexible Sizes off, Balance compares each performance against its configured size target. With Flexible Sizes on, Balance compares performances against each other to keep workloads even across the show set.