To time a race you need:
- A computer (to set up the event in dashboard)
- A phone (to time the actual race)
- QR race numbers (generated by Timing.Mobi. You can print them from home or with professional printers)
- Internet connection
How It Works
5 Steps To Time A Race:
How To Set Up A Race:
If you are using Timing.Mobi for the first time, create an account first by providing an email address & password. An email will be sent to your inbox requesting you to activate your account. If you already have a Timing.Mobi account or used us before, go directly to Step 1.
Login
Login in with your email address & password.
Once you have logged in – you will see a Pin code in the top left-hand corner. It is also the same code you will give to other timekeepers that are helping you time your event, should you use more than one phone.
♦TIP: REMEMBER THE PIN AS YOU WILL NEED IT WHEN YOU LOGIN WITH YOUR PHONE TO TIME AN EVENT.
Here the pin is BCDS, yours will be different.
Choose your own event name, date, your race starting format and click save.
Adding Your Participants List
After you have saved the event details, go to step 2 and click on the “upload a spreadsheet” circle in the middle of the screen:
Get your excel sheet ready to upload your participant list of all the people that will take part in your race. It should have separate columns for race numbers, then first names, surnames, age categories & gender at least.
Tip: First row will always be your headers.
Choose your own race numbers but don’t use duplicate numbers. You can add more columns with more details, but all the information you have in your spreadsheet will show up on the results page, so stay clear of telephone numbers & email addresses. This is an example of an excel list of participant details you want to use for your event.
Once you have uploaded the sheet (no duplicate numbers or other previous events that are open with same race numbers), the sheet will upload and look like this:
From here you can upload more names, download the list to print to see who you have registered, add participants one by one (manually) and print your QR codes.
To the right of your screen you can do the following: View your already uploaded race participant list, upload a new participant list that will replace the old one, download the currently uploaded participant list, add individuals mannually to your currently uploaded participant list or print your QR race numbers.
Print QR Codes:
If you click Print QR codes – the system will generate a PDF with the QR race numbers on. The first three numbers are used to TEST that your phones are reading the codes without starting the actual timing of the event. You can print them from your home printer, or let it be printed and laminated professionally.
How To Activate Your Race:
Next, click the pink Activate Event button at the bottom of Step 3.
Then you will asked to supply your invoice details. We will invoice you the following week after the event. Remember if your event has 50 participants or less, you can time your event FREE OF CHARGE. (Note that if your event is less than 50 race participants or FREE OF CHARGE, you still need to supply your details in this step.)
Your event is has now changed from pink to blue and ready to time if it looks like this:
Your event listings page will change from pink to blue and the status will confirm that it is Ready To Time.
Open your browser on your phone (safari, chrome, internet explorer etc) and go to www.timing.mobi and choose Time an Event from the top menu.
Next choose the button “Timekeepers”
Put your own details in when logging-in USING YOUR OWN NAME & UNIQUE PIN and then allow the website to access your camera.
(The pin was created in the Race director’s login in the dashboard- in Step 1 or click here.)
TIP: Timekeepers ensure that you login to your browser before race day when you have internet connection and keep the browser open. If you have not logged-in beforehand and there is no internet connection at the race, you will not be able to time your event.
Select your option of what you want to do next by pressing the 3 stripes in left hand corner:
Manage Participants – for late entries and change of race distance/race number
Start – button to be pressed when the race timer is started
Finish Line – when you scan the QR race number with your phone when the participant crosses the finish line. This is called “ScanAndGo”.
Logout – Use this and log in again when you have created an event and do not see it at the front end.
Start your actual race
If you want to start your race, you can do the count down, and then once the gun has gone off press the “Start This Race” button. Your screen will confirm that the race was started.
Tip: If you scan participants at the finish line without having started the actual race, no results will be displayed.
How to ScanAndGo at the Finish line:
At the Finish Line
Your race is underway select the Finish Line option from the menu. Your phone will ask for access to your camera. Allow it. As each race participant crosses the finish line, scan their QR race number. Your phone (depending on settings) will make a noise/vibrate and show the number on the screen when it scans a participant successfully. It will look like this:
Go to your DASHBOARD and login with your email address and Password.
It will show Timing is in progress.
After you have timed ALL your participants you have to close your event on your dashboard, to ensure that you can make changes to the race results (should you need to) & share your results. Note: Once you have closed the event, you cannot time any more participants for that specific race.
Tip: You cannot make changes to the results whilst the event is still open and participants are still racing.
Also close the event so that you can use the same race numbers for your future events. The system does not allow duplicate race numbers.
Click on the event – and it will open up saying you can close the event at the top, in pink.
A warning will appear. Choose Close Timing. Now you can edit, add, change times etc should you need to.
You will find all the race results on our website under the Results tab
The actual result page looks like the image below. Click on a name to see the details as well. Note you can easily share your results to your FB page, twitter, print it, export it, ect from here.
More Information
Adding Late Entries
The system can add late entries on the day of the race. It is easy to add those late entries on your phone, or you can still add it via the dashboard. (See step 2 above.) When logged into your browser of your phone, select the Manage Participants from your drop-down menu. The screen will appear blue at the top.
Steps to add late registrations:
- Scan a NEW race number. (Make sure it was not already on your imported participant name list in Step 2).
- Choose your event that you want to register the participant for, from the drop-down arrow. You might have more than one option of races when you are timing different races/ distances on the same day.
- Fill in their details & click save
Your late entries is now registered and will form part of this race.
TIP: Be sure to do this BEFORE YOU START YOUR RACE and that the phone sync to the server to upload the late entries. (You can see if it has any numbers to upload on the very right corner of the screen)
Tip: You can also add more entries on your dashboard in step 1.
This happens in Step 2. When you get your pre-registered race participant list from your online entry platform, export this name list to excel. Makes sure the first line is for headers. We suggest that you have at least the following columns in your spreadsheet:
Race number
You choose what race numbers you want to use. We suggest using only numbers (and not letters mixed) to make manual entry easier and avoid human entry error. No duplicate numbering allowed. You must have different QR race numbers for your different races that are happening on the same day. Once you have closed a timed event, you can use the same race numbers again. (This helps when you print re-usable QR race numbers)
Name: Participant first name
Surname: participant last name
Age: Use this if you are having different prize giving categories according to age.
Gender: (you can use abbreviations here M/F to make late registrations easier)
TIP: Note that all these columns that you import will appear at the front end of the results page. Do not include any personal information like email address, phone number, Identification numbers, medical aid numbers etc.
You can make up your own columns and headers as you like.
TIP: Timing.Mobi generates the QR number codes in a PFD with size 50mm x 50mm for each QR code. Don’t go much smaller when printing the QR codes to ensure quick & sufficient scanning with the ScanAndGo action.
Printing Options:
You can print your QR race numbers on a variety of materials to best suit your event and budget. Here are a few examples to help you decide what will work best.
Tip: You can print your race numbers in advance
You can do this without having any participant details. Create an event like you would do in step 1, but only import one column in excel with the race numbers. Leave all the other columns blank. Press “Print QR Codes.” Timing.Mobi will generate a PFD with QR race numbers, what you can print well in advance before your event.
Excel with race numbers only
How it will look like after importing your race numbers
QR race numbers generated in advance by the system without participant details
Click one of the filters below to see the applicable printing examples
To Rent
You can rent up to 600 race numbers on backlit film from Timing.Mobi directly at R5.00 per race number, excluding postage. Ideal for running and mountain biking. All numbers to be returned. Replacing value R12.00 per race number.
1 – Backlit Race number
Re-usable QR race number with vinyl QR race code on. Five holes to use for trail running & mountain biking
3 – Cards race number
Re-usable QR race number printed on ABS material. Runners to carry it in their pockets during race. This solution great for events when participants finish in large numbers and needs to be funnelled to keep positions (similar to park run). Card are handed in quickly and scanned in order.
5 – ABS Race numbers
Ideal for mountain bike races – use ABS material with a QR sticker printed on top. Steady and with holes for cable tie attachment.
4 – Tyvek Race numbers
A once off solution as it is a cheap printing option but tears easily. Also be mindful that this number can crease easily & would make scanning difficult.
6 – Vinyl stickers for QR race Numbers
Using only a vinyl sticker is another once off solution for race time keeping. Vinyl stickers (same sicker that is used for car license discs) can be placed on participant shoulders for an easy Scan And Go solution. Note that the vinyl glue does not always stick well to Dry-T-Shirt Material.
Paper Printing
Once off usage for QR race number printed on paper. We suggest printing on 220gsm paper to give it more of a steadiness to ensure quick scanning. Cut out and give to race participants. Can also be printed on self-adhesive label paper directly. Use the one label per sheet with now borders.
Paper printing & lamination
After printing your QR race numbers laminate the sheet and cut out individually. Punch a whole at the top and use with safety pin.
Paper printing & plastic bag
After printing your QR race numbers put it in a plastic zip lock bag and use with safety pin.No internet connection – timing while offline
If there is not going to be internet connection at the ScanAndGo point:
- In your phone browser, log into Timing.Mobi website with your Name & Pin while there is an internet connection.
- Note that you cannot do late registrations if you have no internet connection, but you can time participants that were pre-registered.
- If login is successful, start the race from your phone.
- Scan the QR race numbers at the finish line or checkpoints. Internet connection is not needed when scanning.
- After scanning is complete – take device where there is an internet connection.
- Data automatically uploads to the Timing.Mobi system.
- Results will display on the Timing.Mobi website once the internet connection is restored and all phones have uploaded their scanning data.
This can be done from a phone or desktop. Use it to add late registrations, change race distances & dates, make spelling corrections, changing QR race numbers, deleting participants, etc for your current race.
Tip: No changes can be made once the race has started and is still open. You need to make these changes either before the race starts or after the event has been closed and all timing has stopped.
From the phone:
- Scan the participant’s QR race number.
- If any participant profile is linked to the race number it will be displayed. This data can then be edited and saved on the phone.
- If there is no participant profile linked to the race number no data will be displayed. Enter data as needed and save.
- Use the drop-down menu to change an already registered participant’s race distance and click save.
From the desktop:
- Login into the Timing.Mobi’s website with your race director login and go to Time An Event.
- Click the Race Directors set up & events button.
- Go to your current event and double click.
- Double click on the relevant participant name and make changes. Save.
- Or click on the add participant button to add a new participant to the race. Save.
If there is no internet connection
- Scan the QR race number.
- Participant’s profile will NOT be shown.
- Enter data and save.
- When the internet connection is restored this data will be uploaded to the Timing.Mobi system.
- Tip: Make sure that your phone syncs the late registration participants you have entered before you start the race. Otherwise, they will not be timed.
- Go to Time An Event on the Timing.Mobi website.
- Once you are logged into your race director account, all your current, future and previous events will show.
- A blue event indicates the race is ready to be timed.
- A pink event indicates the race needs to be activated before you can start timing a race.
- A grey event indicates the race is closed and all timing is finished. (You can now make changes to race times and the event.)
Not keen on using scanning? No problem! Make your own race numbers or use your current ones. No QR race number needed.
Tip: You can even do handwritten race numbers on label paper. But make sure you allocate the right race number to the right participant according to your participant list that you imported into your event set up.
- Make sure your race numbers are clear & visible so you can manually type them in from a distance.
- Step 1: Set up your event as normal.
- Step 2: Once you have imported your participant list, no need to print the QR race numbers.
- Step 3: Just activate your event so that the event status is blue and says your event is ready to time.
- Now log in as a Timekeeper from your phone in the browser and have given Timing.Mobi access to your camera, you will see 3 little images/icons in the right-hand corner.
- Select the keyboard option (screenshot below) – it will take you immediately to a screen to enter the participant race number.
- Click save once you have done that.
- Your race result will now appear with the rest of the timing results on our Timing.Mobi website.
Tip: You can mix ScanAndGo with manual timing. All the results will still appear on the leader board on the website. So one timekeeper can scan the QR race numbers whilst the other timekeeper uses manual timing to enter the number on the QR race number.