Running an Event on Paper

Applies to: Organizers

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This article is part of the organizer happy-path guide: read it as a fallback for when your live scoring tools go down, not as your default way of running an event.

Sometimes network access at the venue is unreliable or completely unavailable. Venue Wi-Fi drops, a mobile hotspot runs out of data, or the venue has no connectivity at all. Hajime's paper workflow lets you run your entire event on paper and reconcile the results digitally once connectivity is restored. With a little preparation before the event starts, you can run every match without touching a screen.

When to use paper mode

Consider preparing paper materials whenever:

• The venue has unreliable or no Wi-Fi
• You are running in a location with poor mobile signal
• You want a physical backup in case of unexpected outages
• Your desk staff are more comfortable with paper score sheets

You don't need to choose in advance. Print the materials as a precaution and only fall back to paper if something goes wrong.

Step 1: Print the check-in / weigh-in roster

From your event, open the printable roster page.

This page generates one page per division, laid out for print. Each row represents a registered athlete and includes columns for:

• Athlete name and team
• Check-in confirmation
• Weigh-in weight recorded
• Athlete signature

Print the roster before athletes arrive at the venue. Have your desk staff work through it during registration and weigh-in. The signed roster is your paper record if any disputes arise later.

Tips for the roster

• Print one copy per mat table or per division manager.
• Keep the signed rosters safe. They are your audit trail.
• If an athlete does not appear, mark them as no-show on the paper roster before the bracket starts.

Step 2: Print score sheets and running order

From your mat, open the printable score sheets page.

This page generates:

1. Running order table: a numbered list of every match for that mat, showing athlete names and division.
2. One blank score sheet per match: each score sheet has all the fields your desk staff need:
   • Winner
   • Score athlete A / Score athlete B
   • Win method (points, submission, walkover, DQ, etc.)
   • Submission type (if applicable)
   • Match duration
   • Referee name

Print this for each mat before the event starts. Keep the running order table at the mat table as the master reference, and hand the relevant score sheet to the referee for each match.

Tips for score sheets

• Print enough copies. Print one extra set as a spare.
• Use the running order number on each score sheet to match it back to the correct match when entering results later.
• Keep score sheets in order as matches complete.

Step 3: Print the bracket for reference

Use the existing bracket print route for each division. This gives your table staff and athletes a visual reference of the bracket structure throughout the day.

Running the mat on paper

Once matches start:

1. Use the running order to call matches in sequence.
2. Hand the referee the score sheet for the current match.
3. The referee fills in the result, signs, and returns the sheet to the desk.
4. File completed score sheets in order. You will need them when entering results later.

There is no strict requirement to follow the printed running order exactly. If a match is delayed or an athlete needs extra rest, skip ahead and return to it. The paper entry screen (covered in a separate article) accepts results in any order.

What to tell your desk staff

Make sure your desk staff understand the fields on the score sheet before the event starts:

• Winner: write the athlete's full name or bib number
• Score A / Score B: record both athletes' points totals
• Win method: circle or write one of: Points, Submission, Ippon, Wazari, DQ, Walkover
• Submission type: write the technique name if win method is Submission
• Duration: record the actual match time in mm:ss
• Referee: print the referee's name or initials

All of these fields map directly to the Paper Entry screen you will use to restore results once connectivity returns.

After the event

Once you have network access, use the Paper Entry screen for that mat to enter each result from your score sheets. The bracket advances automatically as you go. See the companion article Restoring Paper Results for the full re-entry workflow.

Last updated: June 2026