CNC Setup Sheet Template for Machinists and Programmers
A setup sheet is the handoff between the programmer and the person standing at the machine. This template captures the items that cause most scrapped first pieces: work offset, part zero, workholding and the tool list. Fill it in, export it, and attach it to the traveler.
Fill in
CNC Setup Sheet Template
CNC Setup Sheet
Company: Acme Precision Machining Job: WO-104455 Part: BRK-2210 Rev C Program: O1042 OP10 Date: 2026-10-20 Programmer: A. Singh
Machine and Material
Machine: Haas VF-4SS, 3-axis vertical mill Material and stock: 6061-T6 aluminum, 3.00 x 2.50 x 1.25 in block Estimated cycle time: 14.5 min Coolant: Flood
Workholding and Work Offset
Workholding: 6 in Kurt vise, soft jaws, 0.75 in grip depth Work offset: G54 Part zero: X: left edge of stock, Y: front edge, Z: top of finished surface
Tool List
| Tool | Description | Holder | Stick-out | H / D offset | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | |||||
| T2 | |||||
| T3 | |||||
| T4 |
Operator Notes
Deburr all edges after OP10. Check pocket depth with depth mic after roughing. Stop and call programmer if chatter occurs on tool T3.
Sign-off
Adapt the tool table to your shop's holder and offset conventions. Keep the sheet with the traveler so the next setup starts from the same zero and the same tool stick-out.
Generate setup sheets from your ERP routing
Optional: a short review of how routing, tool master and program data could populate this sheet from your ERP.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use the template
Enter the job, part revision, machine and program name first so the sheet is traceable. Then describe stock, workholding and where part zero sits, in words a setup person can verify with an edge finder or probe. Add your tools in the table, either typed in the fields before export or filled in by hand on the printed copy. Export to PDF for the shop floor, Word if the sheet needs editing, or Excel if you keep setup data in a spreadsheet. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.
What a good setup sheet contains
The sheet should answer the questions a machinist would otherwise walk to the programming desk to ask. Anything left implicit tends to become a crash or a scrapped part.
- Part number with revision, so old programs are not run against new drawings
- Work offset (G54 to G59 or extended offsets) and the exact location of part zero
- Workholding with grip depth, jaw type and any stops or clamps that limit tool access
- Tool list with holder, stick-out and the length and diameter offset numbers
- Coolant mode and any special cautions such as thin walls or interrupted cuts
Common mistakes
The most frequent failure is a sheet that describes the setup the programmer imagined rather than the one the machine has. Tool stick-out is often left blank, then the machinist sets a longer tool and the cut chatters. Part zero is described as the center of the part when the stock is not symmetrical. Another miss is not updating the sheet after a proveout changes a feed or a tool. Treat the sheet as a controlled document: revise it with the program, and keep one current copy with the traveler.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this CNC setup sheet free to use?
Yes. The template runs entirely in your browser and exports to PDF, Word or Excel without an account. You do not need to contact anyone to use it, and nothing you type is uploaded.
Can I change the tool table columns?
Export to Word or Excel and edit the table there. The default columns cover tool number, description, holder, stick-out, offset and notes, which suits most milling and turning jobs.
Should the setup sheet include feeds and speeds?
Usually they live in the program and the tool database. Include them on the sheet only if operators are expected to adjust them, or if the tool list drives purchasing and presetting.
How is a setup sheet different from a traveler?
The traveler routes the job through operations and records quantities and approvals. The setup sheet is machine-specific instruction for one operation: zero, workholding, tools and cautions.
If your setup data lives in the ERP routing and tool master, Netray can build a read-only agent that pulls it into a sheet like this automatically. This template works fine without it.
Related Tools
CNC Tool List and Offset Log Worksheet
An editable tool list that tracks tool numbers, holders, stick-out and offsets, and flags the net wear on each tool.
Quality & InspectionCNC First Piece Inspection Record Template
A fill-in first piece inspection record for CNC jobs: dimensions, tolerances, gauges, results and approvals, exportable to PDF, Word or Excel.
Engineering & PLMCNC Workholding and Fixture Plan Template
A fill-in plan for how each CNC operation locates and clamps the part, with datums, clamp forces and risk notes.
Engineering & PLMCNC Program Revision Log Worksheet
An editable log of CNC program changes with revision, reason, proveout status and approver, exportable to Excel.
More MES & Shop Floor tools
See all- CNC Tool Life Tracking Log Worksheet
- CNC Drilling Cycle Time Calculator
- CNC Pre-Run Setup Verification Checklist
- CNC Shop Programming and Tooling Data Maturity Assessment
- CNC Lathe Setup Sheet Template
- Turning Insert Tool Life Log Worksheet
- Drilling Feeds and Speeds Planning Worksheet
- Lathe Tool Offset Record Worksheet
- Oracle Fusion OEE Work Center Calculator
Keep exploring
Free tools
- CNC Lathe Setup Sheet TemplateA printable lathe setup sheet covering workholding, stickout, tool stations, offsets and first-piece checks, so the next operator can repeat the job.
- CNC Pre-Run Setup Verification ChecklistA checklist for the operator or setup technician to confirm program, tools, offsets, workholding and safety before running production.
- CNC Workholding and Fixture Plan TemplateA fill-in plan for how each CNC operation locates and clamps the part, with datums, clamp forces and risk notes.
Guides
- How to Quote CNC Machined Parts: A Step by Step MethodHow to quote CNC machined parts step by step: material, setup, cycle time, outside processing, quantity breaks and margin, plus common costly mistakes.
- Machine Shop Quoting Software: What CNC Job Shops Should Look ForMachine shop quoting software compared by approach: ERP estimating modules, standalone quoting tools and AI drafting, with what each does for CNC job shops.
- Machine Shop Scheduling for CNC Job Shops: Why Schedules Break and How to Fix ThemMachine shop scheduling for CNC job shops: why schedules break, finite versus infinite capacity, the data it needs, and where AI helps daily.
AI on your ERP
- AI for MachineMetrics: Connect CNC Machine Data to ERP Jobs, Costs and AnswersCombine MachineMetrics machine data, downtime reasons and cycle times with ERP jobs and costs, and ask plain-English questions with a private AI layer.
- AI for JobBOSS2 in Precision Machining: Quotes, Routings and Job Cost Answers from Your Own DataPrivate AI for JobBOSS2 precision machine shops: quote history, routing actuals, job cost variance and on-time delivery answers, kept on your own network.