¶ Purpose
Paper score sheets fall under tables. Spreadsheet formulas fight with you at the worst possible moment. Group chats fill up after someone says "wait, I'm missing a few sheets."
SquirrelScore keeps applications, scores, prep, and results in one place so contest night can stay about the contest, not about hunting for missing pages.
¶ Before You Begin
Ask yourself which hat you're wearing:
-
Running the contest? You're thinking like a producer
-
Scoring people? You're a judge or tallymaster
-
Showing up to help or compete? You're a volunteer or contestant
You don't need to understand every feature on day one. Start with the pain you already have (lost apps, late scores, messy reveal night) and see how SquirrelScore covers it.
¶ Step-by-Step Instructions
-
Skim What is SquirrelScore? so the big picture clicks.
-
Get your login (or apply / invite link) from your producer.
-
Log in and open My Contests (one shared list; cards show your role).
-
Click into one contest and look at the left menu for that role only.
-
Try one real task: view contest details, open a score form, or check prep — whatever matches your job.
-
Bookmark the wiki (this site) so help is one click away during crunch time.
¶ What you gain
-
One shared contest- everyone works from the same event with the same data, not twelve email threads named "FINAL_v7_reallyfinal" that not everyone is copied on
-
Consistent scoring- totals follow the rules your producer set (including Olympic-style or point-system normalizing options when enabled)
-
Application queues- contestant apps, volunteer apps, and judge agreements live where producers can review and track them
-
Clear release rules- contestants' result packets wait until the producer is ready to release them (no accidental spoilers)
-
Prep tracking- optional Chaos Ops checklists keep tasks like planning, travel, paperwork, and anything that needs to be collected from living only in someone's head (or in someone's Google drive, in a spreadsheet not shared with anyone)
-
Exports when you need them- PDFs, CSVs, and XLSX for results, judges, and stage tools
-
Guest list, surveys, and updates- one contest registration-email list (not a login), optional feedback surveys, and short announcement emails after the contest
-
Free for the community- no fee to use the beta; but optional ways to say thank-you are here: Support SquirrelScore
¶ Tips
-
Start small: one test contest, a couple of test people, and a calm click-around session. You can't break much from the Settings page.
-
Producers: invite a co-producer before contest weekend. A second set of eyes helps once things get busy.
-
Judges: save often. A dead battery or dropped connection at the wrong moment is a real problem.
-
Contestants: your producer will tell you when results are released.
¶ Common Mistakes
-
Trying to learn every producer tool when you're only judging
-
Sharing your personal login instead of getting a proper login from a producer
-
Expecting contestant results before the contest is completed
¶ Frequently Asked Questions
Can we still use paper as a backup?
Sure — many teams keep a paper fallback for emergencies. SquirrelScore is meant to collect everything and be the source of truth for you when the contest is running normally.
Does it replace our group chat?
No. It replaces the "where is the score sheet?" part of the group chat. The rest of the chat can stay as it is.
Is this only useful on contest night?
Nope. Applications, judge agreements, and prep often start weeks earlier. Contest night is when the prep pays off.
What if our contest is tiny?
Small contests benefit from less chaos too. You can keep settings simple and ignore optional tools unless you need them.
What does it cost?
Nothing currently. See Home and optional Support SquirrelScore.