diff --git a/apps/backend/controllers/flowsheet.controller.ts b/apps/backend/controllers/flowsheet.controller.ts
index c8074c5..8b18185 100644
--- a/apps/backend/controllers/flowsheet.controller.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/controllers/flowsheet.controller.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { Request, RequestHandler } from 'express';
 import { Mutex } from 'async-mutex';
-import { NewFSEntry, FSEntry, Show, ShowDJ, library } from '@wxyc/database';
+import { FSEntry, Show, ShowDJ, library } from '@wxyc/database';
 import * as flowsheet_service from '../services/flowsheet.service.js';
 import { fetchAndCacheMetadata } from '../services/metadata/index.js';
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ export const addEntry: RequestHandler = async (req: Request<object, object, FSEn
               albumInfo.record_label = body.record_label;
             }
 
-            const fsEntry: NewFSEntry = {
+            const fsEntry = {
               album_id: body.album_id,
               ...albumInfo,
               track_title: body.track_title,
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ export const addEntry: RequestHandler = async (req: Request<object, object, FSEn
             console.error('Bad Request, Missing Flowsheet Parameters: album_title, artist_name, track_title');
             res.status(400).send('Bad Request, Missing Flowsheet Parameters: album_title, artist_name, track_title');
           } else {
-            const fsEntry: NewFSEntry = {
+            const fsEntry = {
               ...body,
               show_id: latestShow.id,
             };
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ export const addEntry: RequestHandler = async (req: Request<object, object, FSEn
       }
     } else {
       //we're just throwing the message in there (whatever it may be): dj join event, psa event, talk set event, break-point
-      const fsEntry: NewFSEntry = {
+      const fsEntry = {
         artist_name: '',
         album_title: '',
         track_title: '',
diff --git a/apps/backend/services/flowsheet.service.ts b/apps/backend/services/flowsheet.service.ts
index 84d183d..590b596 100644
--- a/apps/backend/services/flowsheet.service.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/services/flowsheet.service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { sql, desc, eq, and, lte, gte, inArray } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { sql, desc, eq, and, lte, gte, inArray, max } from 'drizzle-orm';
 import {
   db,
   FSEntry,
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ const updateLastModified = () => {
   }
 };
 
+/** Get the next play_order value (global max + 1, or 1 if no entries exist) */
+export const getNextPlayOrder = async (): Promise<number> => {
+  const result = await db.select({ maxOrder: max(flowsheet.play_order) }).from(flowsheet);
+  return (result[0]?.maxOrder ?? 0) + 1;
+};
+
 // SQL query fields (flat structure from database)
 const FSEntryFieldsRaw = {
   id: flowsheet.id,
@@ -174,7 +180,7 @@ export const getEntriesByShow = async (...show_ids: number[]): Promise<IFSEntry[
   return raw.map(transformToIFSEntry);
 };
 
-export const addTrack = async (entry: NewFSEntry): Promise<FSEntry> => {
+export const addTrack = async (entry: Omit<NewFSEntry, 'play_order'> & { play_order?: number }): Promise<FSEntry> => {
   /*
     TODO: logic for updating album playcount
   */
@@ -202,7 +208,15 @@ export const addTrack = async (entry: NewFSEntry): Promise<FSEntry> => {
   //   }
   // }
 
-  const response = await db.insert(flowsheet).values(entry).returning();
+  // Compute play_order if not already set
+  if (entry.show_id != null && !entry.play_order) {
+    entry = { ...entry, play_order: await getNextPlayOrder() };
+  }
+
+  const response = await db
+    .insert(flowsheet)
+    .values(entry as NewFSEntry)
+    .returning();
   updateLastModified();
   return response[0];
 };
@@ -291,8 +305,10 @@ export const startShow = async (dj_id: string, show_name?: string, specialty_id?
     })
     .returning();
 
+  const startPlayOrder = await getNextPlayOrder();
   await db.insert(flowsheet).values({
     show_id: new_show[0].id,
+    play_order: startPlayOrder,
     entry_type: 'show_start',
     message: `Start of Show: DJ ${dj_info.djName || dj_info.name} joined the set at ${new Date().toLocaleString(
       'en-US',
@@ -352,10 +368,12 @@ const createJoinNotification = async (id: string, show_id: number): Promise<FSEn
 
   const message = `${dj_name} joined the set!`;
 
+  const joinPlayOrder = await getNextPlayOrder();
   const notification = await db
     .insert(flowsheet)
     .values({
       show_id: show_id,
+      play_order: joinPlayOrder,
       entry_type: 'dj_join',
       message: message,
     })
@@ -388,8 +406,10 @@ export const endShow = async (currentShow: Show): Promise<Show> => {
   const dj_information = (await db.select().from(user).where(eq(user.id, primary_dj_id)).limit(1))[0];
   const dj_name = dj_information?.djName || dj_information?.name || 'A DJ';
 
+  const endPlayOrder = await getNextPlayOrder();
   await db.insert(flowsheet).values({
     show_id: currentShow.id,
+    play_order: endPlayOrder,
     entry_type: 'show_end',
     message: `End of Show: ${dj_name} left the set at ${new Date().toLocaleString('en-US', {
       timeZone: 'America/New_York',
@@ -431,10 +451,12 @@ const createLeaveNotification = async (dj_id: string, show_id: number): Promise<
 
   const message = `${dj_name} left the set!`;
 
+  const leavePlayOrder = await getNextPlayOrder();
   const notification = await db
     .insert(flowsheet)
     .values({
       show_id: show_id,
+      play_order: leavePlayOrder,
       entry_type: 'dj_leave',
       message: message,
     })
diff --git a/shared/database/src/schema.ts b/shared/database/src/schema.ts
index 7a9bfc5..3a11a10 100644
--- a/shared/database/src/schema.ts
+++ b/shared/database/src/schema.ts
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ export const flowsheet = wxyc_schema.table('flowsheet', {
   album_title: varchar('album_title', { length: 128 }),
   artist_name: varchar('artist_name', { length: 128 }),
   record_label: varchar('record_label', { length: 128 }),
-  play_order: serial('play_order').notNull(),
+  play_order: integer('play_order').notNull(),
   request_flag: boolean('request_flag').default(false).notNull(),
   message: varchar('message', { length: 250 }),
   add_time: timestamp('add_time').defaultNow().notNull(),
diff --git a/tests/unit/database/schema.flowsheet.test.ts b/tests/unit/database/schema.flowsheet.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..caf9e5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/database/schema.flowsheet.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { readFileSync } from 'fs';
+import { resolve } from 'path';
+
+describe('flowsheet schema', () => {
+  const schemaSource = readFileSync(resolve(__dirname, '../../../shared/database/src/schema.ts'), 'utf-8');
+
+  it('play_order should not use serial (it is manually managed)', () => {
+    const playOrderLine = schemaSource.split('\n').find((line) => line.includes('play_order'));
+
+    expect(playOrderLine).toBeDefined();
+    expect(playOrderLine).not.toMatch(/serial\s*\(\s*['"]play_order['"]\s*\)/);
+  });
+});