Standalone – this version includes all of the software necessary to run a tournament on a single ‘standalone’ station. Some tournaments may use multiple standalone stations. For example, one standalone station may handle the debate events and a separate standalone station all of the individual events. One license may be used on multiple stations but the stations will not communicate with each other (even if they are on a network or are able to share files).
Network – this version is designed for larger tournaments. All of the features available in the standalone version are included. Additionally, this version allows tabulation on multiple machines simultaneously with each machine aware of the changes made on the other machines. Do I need to purchase the tabulation software? The Standalone version of the software is now freely available for download. You only need to purchase the software if you want to use the Network version of the tab software. The PC software handles tabulation of the tournament (sectioning, pairing, room assignments, judge assignments, sweepstakes tabulation, etc.). You will not need a PC software license if you plan to use another solution for tabulation (e.g. cards, TRPC, TRIEPC, etc.) You may use the tabulation software with or without the website registration option (the two options may be purchased separately). If you purchase both the website and the tabulation software, they work together, but both parts may also be used independently. What events are supported by the software? The software supports any event that is either sectioned (Prose, Poetry, Informative, Persuasive style events) or paired (Debate style events). You enter a set of characteristics about each event (whether it is sectioned or paired, whether it has a draw time or not, whether you want to track selections, etc.). Practically any speaking event can be handled by the software. Does the software support Congress? Yes. The software is able to produce seating charts and placards for Congress style events. Tabulation methods include the "base" system, preferential balloting, and the new NSDA ranking system introduced in 2009-10. The tab software has been used to tabulate the results for Congression Debate at the NSDA National Tournament starting in 2010. Does the software support Public Forum? Yes. Options exist within the software to accommodate tabulation of Public Forum using either team points or individual speaker points. Both the NSDA (flip for sides) and CFL (locked sides) styles of side assignment are supported. How does the software assign codes to competitors? There are a number of ways contestant codes may be assigned. Automatically, the following options are available: School code + letter (e.g. "1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 3A, 3B") School code + number (e.g. "A1, A2, A3, B1, C1, C2") School code + initials (e.g. 1MB, 1AS, 1JH, 2BH, 3JT, 3CE") School code only NSDA Style (e.g. "A1, A2, A3, B4, B5, C6") Entry number within event (e.g. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7") (starting at any arbitrary number) Code + entry number within event (e.g. "P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7") (any arbitrary code and starting with any number) A cross-entered competitor may have the same code between multiple events or assigned a unique code for each event (your choice). If none of the automatic methods match your particular scheme, you are able to edit the individual codes directly and assign whatever codes you wish to use (it just takes a little more work). If you'll describe your scheme to me, I may be able to include it in the software for you. Can it print a fee sheet or receipts? Yes. Fees may be entered for each entry in an event, for drops (using a graduated drop fee schedule that charges more money for drops the closer you get to the tournament), for judging fees, or for any miscellaneous charges (such as entertainment fees, parking fees, food, etc.). Can I schedule cross-entries Cross-entered competitors may be scheduled early or late within an event, or within specific flights of L-D. What documentation comes with the software? The program comes with an online help file that contains over 500 pages and 300 screen shots with descriptions of the features. The help file is searchable, making it easy to locate information you need very quickly. What does this software do that 'X' package doesn't do? There are a number of applications "out there" that do similar types of things to The Joy of Tournaments. The characteristics that seem to stand out as being unique to The Joy of Tournaments are: It handles everything in one integrated package. Judges, rooms, sweepstakes, fees, tabulation, results, entries, drops, etc. This allows you to enter competitors one time and provides cross-entry scheduling across debate and IEs. Judges are entered one time, allowing them to work both debate and IE without being double-scheduled. There are just too many things to "remember to check" or "remember to update both places" if you aren't using one package to manage the complete tournament. The application is very visual. Everything you see on the screen is printable. The application makes heavy use of drag-and-drop, mouse clicks, and other natural actions. Most folks "pick up" the way the application works in just a few minutes. If you've used a browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc), and a Windows based spreadsheet or word-processor, you already know how to use 90% of the application. Changes are expected. The application is designed such that it expects you to make changes. And then change those changes. As you make changes, it continually checks your work. It alerts you when you make common mistakes such as omitting a competitor when rescheduling a round, over-scheduling a room when shuffling room assignments, over-scheduling a judge, scheduling a judge outside of the times they've indicated they would be available, etc. The warnings won't keep you from making mistakes, but they alert you to the important issues. Online Registration. This application allows participating schools to register online, saving the host hours of time in data entry and reducing errors in the balance. Also, after the tournament is complete, options exist to publish the results. Network Enabled. Multiple users can access the data from multiple machines simultaneously. What tabulation methods are supported by the software? UIL, TFA, AFA, FLA, NSDA, KHSSL, and PBCFL are supported by default. Options exist within the software to define your own tabulation method. You are able to specify, for example, options such as judge preference, inverse reciprocals, low cumulative, etc. and in what order to consider each of the options. Email info@joyoftournaments.com if you have specific questions about the tabulation methods. Can the software support an NSDA District tournament? Yes. The software supports the NSDA up/down/out style district tournament. It also supports the California Plan option as well as accelerated elimination. The software is able to print the District Tournament Report for each school at the end of the tournament as well as the Advancing and Alternates reports for Nationals. Does the software calculate sweepstakes points? Yes. You specify the criteria for awarding sweepstakes points in each event. Several options are available for each round. For example, you may assign points for a specific rank within a round (or win for debate). Points may be awarded for reaching a specific round (such as Semi-Finals); for not advancing (e.g. not advancing out of Quarter-Finals); for cumulative rank totals in prelims, or for specific placings within a round. The program can calculate sweepstakes points for each school (optionally by division), squad efficiency ratings, and "special" awards (e.g. Top Debater, Top Interper, etc. where points are accumulated only by participation in a limited set of events). Additional options are also available. Does the software support multiple divisions? Yes. Options for separating competitors by school divisions (e.g. Large School and Small School) as well as by experience level (Novice, Experienced) exist. Can the software produce the TFA result forms? Yes. Result forms for the individual events, Duet Acting, and the debate brackets are produced automatically by the software suitable for submission to TFA. Can the software produce a script to use at the awards ceremony? The software can produce a customizable script for use during awards presentation including the relevant information (e.g. name, school affiliation, and place). What information is tracked on the ballots? For individual "style" events, the default is to track speaker rank only. An option exists to track speaker points in addition to the ranks. For debate style events, speaker points (and rank for team debate events), are tracked along with win, loss, bye, forfeit, double win, and double loss options. Does the software track interpretation selections? The software is able to track author, title, and source information for selections for each entry. Multiple selections may be associated with a student in a single event (as in the case of UIL). The software is able to spread the selections across multiple sections in an event to avoid the same selection appearing more than once in a section. Can the software power-match debate? Yes. The software automatically ranks each of the debate entries by user-specified criteria. It is then able to match high-high or high-low within brackets. Can the software flight events? Yes. Each round of an event (debate or individual event) may be optionally flighted. Does the program produce elimination brackets? Yes. The software can produce elimination brackets beginning with double octos thru finals. Can I use the tabulation software without using the website? Yes. The tabulation software will work independently of the website. This option requires that you make all of the entries manually, but it is certainly possible.
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