The creative industry relies on pencils (also called holds) to plan work before projects are fully confirmed.
Below are the main terms you will come across in PencilCase.
✏️ Pencil or Hold
A temporary booking that marks out specific dates while the project is still being planned.
🥇 1st Pencil
The studio with the first claim on the dates. When the project moves forward, this pencil normally becomes confirmed.
🥈 2nd Pencil
A backup hold for the same dates.
When a 2nd pencil is added, it reserves the 1st pencil above it, meaning no other studio can challenge those dates.
Only the 2nd pencil can challenge the 1st.
⚔️ Challenge
A request from a challenging studio asking the 1st pencil to either confirm or release.
PencilCase manages this process automatically so nothing is missed.
✅ Confirmed Booking
When a pencil becomes an official booking and the dates are locked in.
❌ Released or Cancelled
When a pencil or booking is dropped or changed.
If there is another pencil below it, that pencil moves up in the order.
🚫 Do Not Disturb (DND)
A block of time that cannot be booked, such as holidays, personal days or dedicated focus time.