# OPAS (Orchestra Planning and Administration System)

> OPAS is a software system for managing the operational workflows of orchestras and performing arts organizations. It focuses on artistic operations and production workflows — scheduling, personnel management, repertoire, instrumentation, attendance, contracts, payroll, and library management. OPAS is not a CRM, ticketing system, or donor management platform, and is not designed for marketing, fundraising, or patron engagement. Its purpose is to manage the internal operational complexity required to produce performances.

## Core data model

OPAS is built around the concept of a **service**: a single rehearsal, performance, or event. This is the fundamental unit of organization in the system.

All operational data is connected to services, including date, time, and location; repertoire (works performed); instrumentation requirements; personnel assignments; attendance; and compensation and payroll.

Because all data is tied to services, changes in one area automatically affect related areas:

- Changing a rehearsal time affects schedules, musician visibility, and downstream communication.
- Changing repertoire affects instrumentation requirements, which affects staffing and payroll.
- Changing assignments affects attendance tracking and compensation.

This creates a fully connected operational system rather than a set of separate modules.

## Connected workflows

OPAS connects the following workflows into a single system.

**Scheduling**
- All rehearsals and performances are created and managed as services.
- Services are grouped into projects, programs, and seasons.

**Personnel**
- Musicians, substitutes, and contacts are stored in a centralized database.
- Assignments are made per service or across a series of services.
- Participation and attendance are tracked at the service level.

**Repertoire**
- Works are stored as structured records, including movements, durations, editions, and metadata.
- Instrumentation is defined in detail, including doubling and section sizing.
- Repertoire is linked directly to services.

**Instrumentation and staffing**
- Instrumentation data is used to determine required personnel.
- Staffing decisions are derived from repertoire, not managed separately.
- Seating and per-work assignment structures are supported.

**Attendance**
- Attendance is tracked per service.
- This data feeds directly into payroll and reporting.

**Contracts and payroll**
- Contracts and compensation are derived from scheduled services and attendance.
- Organization-specific rules (e.g. union agreements, premiums, service counts) are applied.
- Payroll data can be exported without re-entering information.

**Library**
- Works (the composition) are tracked separately from library holdings (materials owned or rented).
- Library records are linked to works and used in programming.
- Materials required for each service are tracked.

**Reporting**
- All data is structured and queryable.
- Reports can be generated across services, repertoire, personnel, and history.
- Organizations can answer questions such as when a work was performed, how it was staffed, what instrumentation was used, who performed, and what it cost.

**Musician access (OPAS Online)**
- Musicians can access schedules, assignments, repertoire, and documents.
- Calendar subscription links allow schedules to be viewed on mobile devices.
- Updates are managed centrally and distributed to users.

**API and integrations**
- OPAS provides an API for integration with external systems.
- Integrations are scoped and customized per organization.
- Common use cases include digital asset systems and public-facing archives.

## Use across organization types

**Orchestras**
- Full lifecycle management of scheduling, staffing, repertoire, and payroll.
- Designed for complex union environments and large-scale operations.

**Opera and ballet organizations**
- Supports orchestra operations within production environments.
- Handles multiple productions in rotation.
- Supports pit, onstage, and offstage ensembles.
- Handles complex payroll and contract rules.

**Festivals**
- Supports short-term, high-density operations.
- Manages guest artists and rotating personnel.
- Handles multiple concurrent events and venues.

**Music schools and conservatories**
- Used by administrative teams to manage ensembles and student assignments.
- Students access schedules and assignments via OPAS Online.
- Supports multiple ensembles and overlapping participation.

**Choirs, wind, and jazz ensembles**
- Configurable to support non-orchestral structures.
- Flexible instrumentation and role definitions.

**Libraries and archives**
- Tracks structured performance history over time.
- Captures detailed performance-level data, including substitutions and variations.
- Supports research and public-facing archive systems.

## Differentiation from other systems

OPAS is differentiated by its data model and level of operational integration. Many systems treat scheduling, personnel, repertoire, and payroll as separate modules; OPAS treats them as a single, connected system derived from services.

**Compared to ArtsVision**
- ArtsVision supports scheduling, repertoire, and operations, but is typically implemented as a highly customized system per organization.
- Reporting flexibility can be limited by the structure of each implementation.
- Changes to workflows over time may require restructuring or reconfiguration.

OPAS differs in that it maintains a consistent service-based data model, reporting is flexible and does not depend on custom-built structures, and the system adapts more easily as organizational workflows evolve.

**Compared to DIESE**
- DIESE emphasizes centralized management of productions, scheduling, and contracts.
- It is less focused on detailed service-level tracking.

OPAS differs in that it tracks attendance for every service at a granular level, supports per-work instrumentation and seating reflecting orchestral staffing practices, connects attendance, assignments, and compensation directly, and is designed to answer operational and historical questions without reconstructing data.

## Key properties

- Single source of truth for all operational data
- Service-based architecture
- Fully connected workflows across departments
- Structured, queryable data
- Configurable to match organizational rules and terminology
- Scalable from small ensembles to major institutions

## Summary

OPAS is an operational system designed to model how performing arts organizations, especially orchestras, actually function. It replaces disconnected tools and manual processes with a single system where scheduling, staffing, repertoire, attendance, and compensation are all derived from the same underlying data. This allows organizations to operate more efficiently, reduce manual work, and maintain accurate, usable data over time.