Timeline Event

A single event inside a timeline content payload.

Metadata

Definition: #/$defs/TimelineEvent
Form: object
Source: spec/schemas/opf.schema.json

Field index

Field	Type	Req.	Description
when	string	—	Event time, date, or sequence label. Use ISO-like values when possible, but human labels are allowed for quarters, eras, and relative milestones.
what	string	yes	Short event label.
description	string	—	Optional event detail.
status	enum	—	Progress of the event, drawn from the deck's own colors by both the SVG renderer and the PPTX exporter. Absent means no status and the event is drawn as a plain filled marker with normal text, which is also how 'done' looks. 'done' is a filled marker in the primary color with normal text. 'current' marks 'we are here': the filled marker is surrounded by a ring and the event label (what) is bold. 'planned' is an outlined, hollow marker (primary-color outline over the slide background) with muted secondary text. Text colors keep a 4.5:1 contrast against the slide background. In PPTX the markers are native ellipses (the ring is a second ellipse), and PPTX import restores the status the export recorded. Status describes progress only; schedule health such as at risk or blocked belongs in the event text. `status` · Allowed values `"done""current""planned"`

`when`

typestringrequirednodefault—

Event time, date, or sequence label. Use ISO-like values when possible, but human labels are allowed for quarters, eras, and relative milestones.

when.json

{
  "when": "2026-01"
}

`what`

typestringrequiredyesdefault—

Short event label.

what.json

{
  "what": "Pilot"
}

`description`

typestringrequirednodefault—

Optional event detail.

description.json

{
  "description": "Launch with the first operations team."
}

`status`

typeenumrequirednodefault—

Progress of the event, drawn from the deck's own colors by both the SVG renderer and the PPTX exporter. Absent means no status and the event is drawn as a plain filled marker with normal text, which is also how 'done' looks. 'done' is a filled marker in the primary color with normal text. 'current' marks 'we are here': the filled marker is surrounded by a ring and the event label (what) is bold. 'planned' is an outlined, hollow marker (primary-color outline over the slide background) with muted secondary text. Text colors keep a 4.5:1 contrast against the slide background. In PPTX the markers are native ellipses (the ring is a second ellipse), and PPTX import restores the status the export recorded. Status describes progress only; schedule health such as at risk or blocked belongs in the event text.

status · Allowed values: "done""current""planned"

status.json

{
  "status": "done"
}

Complete definition constraints

Schema constraints

{
  "type": "object",
  "description": "A single event inside a timeline content payload.",
  "required": [
    "what"
  ],
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "properties": {
    "when": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Event time, date, or sequence label. Use ISO-like values when possible, but human labels are allowed for quarters, eras, and relative milestones.",
      "examples": [
        "2026-01",
        "Q2 2026",
        "Launch week"
      ]
    },
    "what": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Short event label.",
      "examples": [
        "Pilot",
        "Rollout",
        "Scale"
      ]
    },
    "description": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Optional event detail.",
      "examples": [
        "Launch with the first operations team."
      ]
    },
    "status": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "done",
        "current",
        "planned"
      ],
      "description": "Progress of the event, drawn from the deck's own colors by both the SVG renderer and the PPTX exporter. Absent means no status and the event is drawn as a plain filled marker with normal text, which is also how 'done' looks. 'done' is a filled marker in the primary color with normal text. 'current' marks 'we are here': the filled marker is surrounded by a ring and the event label (`what`) is bold. 'planned' is an outlined, hollow marker (primary-color outline over the slide background) with muted secondary text. Text colors keep a 4.5:1 contrast against the slide background. In PPTX the markers are native ellipses (the ring is a second ellipse), and PPTX import restores the status the export recorded. Status describes progress only; schedule health such as at risk or blocked belongs in the event text.",
      "examples": [
        "done",
        "current",
        "planned"
      ]
    }
  }
}