Visual Merchandising · As needed

Window Display Changeover Checklist

Step-by-step checks for stripping, cleaning, dressing and signing off a window.

A window display changeover checklist is the sequence of checks for taking down an old window and dressing a new one to the brand's docket, from pulling product to the final street-view photo. The VM executive fills it during the change, whether that is a new campaign, a festive window for Diwali or Navratri, or an EOSS window. It is split into before the change, strip and clean, dress to docket, and lighting and sign-off, so nothing is missed when the change happens late at night. The VM manager reviews the finished window photo, which Drishti scores against the docket. One item is fatal: unsafe window electricals, because hot lamps sit close to fabric and paper. A failed item raises a ticket with an owner and a deadline.

Free. No form. The workbook has the same columns as the table below, with the score formula and a fatal-item check in place.

Filled by
VM Executive
Reviewed by
VM Manager
Cadence
As needed
Time
About 20 minutes
Items
18 across 4 sections
Photos
9 required
Score
54 points, pass mark 90
Fatal items
1
Store formats
Apparel and lifestyle, Jewellery and eyewear, Beauty, Furniture and home, Electronics and mobile
The full template

Every item, with the question the vm executive answers on the phone.

Score = weight of items answered Yes ÷ weight of items not marked N/A, out of 100. Pass mark 90. A failed fatal item caps the score at zero and raises a ticket to the vm manager.

Before the change 5 items

#ItemAudit questionAnswerPhotoWeightWhat good looks like
1Window docket in handDo you have the latest window docket, with measurements, product list and prop list?Yes / No / N/ANo3Current docket version on the phone or printed, with sizes and product codes readable.
2Products pulled and pressedHave all products on the window list been pulled from stock, pressed and tagged?Yes / No / N/AOptional3Every listed product ready on a rail or tray, steamed or polished, sizes checked.
3Props and graphics checkedHave the props and graphics arrived complete and undamaged against the docket list?Yes / No / N/AOptional3Every prop and graphic counted, damage photographed and reported before dressing starts.
4Change time setIs the change scheduled outside trading hours, or with the window screened from the street?Yes / No / N/ANo2Change after closing or behind a screen, never a half-dressed window during trading.
5Tools and safety kitAre a stable ladder, cleaning kit, fishing line, pins and spare lamps at hand before starting?Yes / No / N/ANo2Ladder checked for stability, kit complete, spare lamps of the right type ready.

Strip and clean 4 items

#ItemAudit questionAnswerPhotoWeightWhat good looks like
6Old display strippedHave all products, props and graphics from the previous window been removed?Yes / No / N/ARequired3Window bed empty, old products returned to stock, old graphics off the glass.
7Window bed cleanedHave the window bed, back panel and ceiling grid been dusted and wiped?Yes / No / N/AOptional2No dust, pins, tape or fallen tags left anywhere inside the window.
8Glass cleanedIs the glass cleaned on both sides, with old vinyl residue fully removed?Yes / No / N/ARequired3Streak-free glass inside and out, no glue marks from the previous vinyl.
9Lamps testedHave all window lamps been tested and fused ones replaced before dressing starts?Yes / No / N/ANo3Every lamp working before dressing, replacements the same type and colour tone.

Dress to docket 5 items

#ItemAudit questionAnswerPhotoWeightWhat good looks like
10Layout to docket drawingAre the layout, depth and height of every element as per the docket drawing?Yes / No / N/ARequired4Each element at its drawn position and height, spacing matching the docket photo.
11Hero product dressingAre mannequins, busts or hero products dressed and placed exactly as the docket shows?Yes / No / N/ARequired4Looks, jewellery sets or hero devices match the docket, nothing substituted without approval.
12Graphics and vinylAre campaign graphics and glass vinyl straight, free of bubbles and at the docket height?Yes / No / N/ARequired3Graphics level, vinyl smooth, placed at the exact height the docket gives.
13MRP in the windowWhere the docket shows prices, is MRP displayed for every priced product in the window?Yes / No / N/ARequired4Every priced product shows MRP on a neat talker, readable from outside the glass.
14Fixings hiddenAre tags, pins, fishing line and fixings hidden from the street view?Yes / No / N/AOptional2Nothing technical visible from the pavement, tags tucked, line invisible in trading light.

Lighting and sign-off 4 items

#ItemAudit questionAnswerPhotoWeightWhat good looks like
15Spotlights re-aimedAre spotlights re-aimed onto the new hero products, with no glare on the glass?Yes / No / N/ARequired3Hero products brightest, no hot spots on the glass, no dark corners.
16Window electricals safeFatalAre all cables tucked, lamps clear of fabric and props, and no socket overloaded?Yes / No / N/ARequired5No loose wires, hot lamps kept away from fabric and paper, one plug per socket.
17Street-view photoHas a straight-on photo of the finished window been taken from across the pavement?PhotoRequired3Full window in frame, taken in trading light, time stamped and scored by Drishti.
18Old props clearedHave old props and graphics been stored or disposed of as the docket says, with the area left clean?Yes / No / N/ANo2Reusable props labelled and stored, waste removed, shop floor clean before opening.
Take it with you.Excel workbook: one row per item, answer and remark columns, score and fatal-item formulas, an About sheet with cadence and roles.
Download Window Display Changeover Checklist (.xlsx) ↓
In BorentisOps

The same template, with proof.

Loaded into BorentisOps, each required photo is live, GPS and time-stamped, so a photo from yesterday or another store does not pass. Where the brand has a docket or display standard, Drishti scores the photo against it and marks the misses. Every fail raises a ticket with an owner and a deadline, and the vm manager sees the store on a heat map before the next visit.

The checklist runs offline and syncs when signal returns, in Hindi, English and Hinglish, and the operations score sits next to the store's selling score from Borentis Floor on one store card. Pricing is per store, so every vm executive and staff member in the store is on the app.

Import
The Excel keeps the columns BorentisOps reads: section, item, question, answer type, photo rule, weight, fatal. A Borentis onboarding person maps roles and stores.
Assign
By role and cadence per store format: this template to every vm executive, as needed.
Prove
Live photo with GPS and time. Drishti verdict against the docket where one exists.
Fix
Fail becomes a ticket with SLA escalation: store, area, region.
FAQs

About this template.

How long does a window display changeover take?

Filling the checklist takes about 20 minutes spread across the change. The change itself depends on the window: a single-bay apparel window with two mannequins can be done in two to three hours, while a large flagship or jewellery window with custom props takes longer. Planning the change after closing, with products pulled and pressed in advance, is what keeps it inside one evening.

Why are window electricals a fatal item?

Window lamps run hot for twelve hours a day and sit close to fabric, paper graphics and props. A lamp touching a garment or an overloaded socket behind the back panel is a real fire risk, and it is usually hidden from view once the window is dressed. Checking it at every change and making it fatal means the window cannot be signed off until it is safe.

Who reviews the finished window?

The VM manager reviews the street-view photo in BorentisOps. Drishti scores the photo against the docket image and lists gaps such as a missing prop, a mannequin in the wrong look or a graphic at the wrong height. If the score is low, a ticket goes back to the VM executive with a deadline, so the fix happens before the weekend footfall.

Can I import this template into BorentisOps?

Yes. The Excel download keeps the same columns you see on this page: section, item, audit question, answer type, photo rule, weight, fatal flag and what good looks like. BorentisOps imports it as a checklist, and you can edit any item before it goes live. A Borentis onboarding person maps the VM executive and VM manager roles to your people and assigns the window changeover checklist to the right stores, so the first run happens on the store phone.