The Mapping Process

Once you have successfully located the data that you want to import from the website, the next step in the 'Import' process is to perform a step called 'mapping'. The mapping process is what allows the software to correctly import the entries from the website.

There are two paths through this option:

1. Starting from scratch. This is the option you will use when you are starting with an empty tournament. When you import entries into an empty tournament, the website will transfer almost all of the information you need to setup your tournament automatically. Since there isn't any existing information in your tournament, the mapping step is very simple.
2. Starting with existing data. This is the option you will use if you have already begun entering information about your tournament before you import information from the website.

How you approach this process is entirely up to you. Often, you will use both methods. Early in the tournament preparation, you may want to download the information from the website. At that point, there may not be any entries recorded on the website, but downloading the information from the website will allow you to get a running start on setting up the tournament. Once entries come in, you may want to download the entries again so that you can print additional reports. Ultimately, you will want to download the final information recorded on the website after you close the website registration.

You are free to download the information as often as you want. Please note that all of the information you have previously imported will be removed each time you perform this process. Generally, this is what you want to do: as entries and drops are recorded on the website, you want those changes to be reflected on your PC. You don't typically want the original website entries as of 2 weeks ago; rather, you want the most current information on your PC.

A note about the import process: the import process does not erase any information you have entered regarding rooms or judges. In fact, the only data the import process will ever erase are schools, entries and judges (and even then, it will only erase schools, entries and judges that were originally imported from the website). If you enter a school on your PC, the software knows that you have manually entered the school and will not erase the entries for that school when it goes thru the import process. The import process is designed to allow you to enter information about your tournament (rooms, judges, rounds, pairing priorities, etc.) before you begin using the import process for the first time.

Importing entries into an empty tournament
Importing entries into a tournament with prior data