Setup Guide

1Your Google Sheet

Everything Heatsheet shows comes from one Google Sheet you own. Get this right and the rest is quick.

• Start from the Heatsheet template. Use Copy template in admin, or grab it from the setup page.
• One tab per division. The tab name becomes the division name on the leaderboard, so name it how you want it shown (RX Men, Scaled Women, Teams).
• Give each division tab three columns: Number, Name, Total Time. Anything else is ignored, and your header row can sit on any row, not just row 1.
• Format Total Time as a Duration. Use H:MM:SS, or MM:SS:CC for centisecond precision. A blank time reads as DNF and won't rank.
• Share the sheet as Anyone with the link, Viewer. Heatsheet only reads scores, so it never needs edit access.
• Keep a tab off the public board by starting its name with * (like *Registration or *Notes).

Full column details are on the Sheet Setup page.

2Add Your Race

Point Heatsheet at your sheet, then pick what goes public.

• Sign in and open admin.
• Paste your Google Sheet URL and click Get Started. Heatsheet scans the tabs and lists every division it finds.
• Check the divisions you want public. Checked means visible. Add new tabs later and they show up here unchecked, so nothing goes live until you check it and save.
• Set your race name, date, location, URL slug, and theme.
• Want heats? Turn them on here, or add them later from Edit.
• Click Save Race.

3Heat Sheets (Optional)

This is the part that saves you the most time. Heatsheet pulls your Eventbrite registrants and builds your heat grid so you're not seeding by hand.

It reads who signed up, then places athletes into your grid by the performance level and race experience they entered at registration. Your strongest athletes land in the early heats. Doubles teams share a lane.

• Build your heat grid in a tab on the same sheet. One block per division: the top row is the division name, then Time, then Lane 1, Lane 2, and across. Under it, list your heats, one start time per row in the Time column. Leave the lane cells empty. Heatsheet fills them.
• Not sure on the layout? The template's Heat Schedule tab shows the exact format. Copy it.
• In your race (on create, or from Edit), check Enable heat sheet, enter your Eventbrite Event ID (the number in your event's URL), and the name of your heat tab.
• Click Build heats. Heatsheet backs up the tab first, then fills the lanes. Run it again any time to refresh after new signups, and you get a fresh backup every run.
• Match your division names. The names in your heat tab should line up with your Eventbrite division names. Matching is loose on spelling and capitalization, so close counts.
• Out of room? If a division has more athletes than your heats and lanes hold, Heatsheet tells you exactly how many heats to add.

4What People See

Once your race is live, here's what shows up for athletes and spectators.

• Race page: your live leaderboard, updating as you enter times. A Heat schedule button appears when heats are on.
• Athlete profile: every athlete gets a page with their results and their next heat (division, heat number, start time, lane). It works before the race too, so people can look up where they need to be.
• Broadcast view: a full-screen leaderboard built for the big screen at your venue.
• Social podium graphics: after the event, export branded PNGs by division for Instagram feed and story (Standard plan and up).

5Social Podium Graphics (After the Event)

When results are final, export Instagram-ready podium graphics — no more screenshotting a spreadsheet. Available on Standard, Large, and Annual plans.

• From admin, open your race and click the download icon next to Edit, or go to /race/your-slug/export.
• Pick a division. Run the export once per division you want to post.
• Choose depth: top 3 (podium), top 5, or top 10.
• Select formats: visual podium blocks (1080×1440), ranked list for Instagram feed (1080×1440), and/or story (1080×1920).
• Click Generate ZIP. PNGs use your event theme colors and are ready to post.

6Good to Know

• Heats read straight from the sheet, so edits to your heat tab show up on their own.
• Your checkboxes control which divisions are public. New tabs always appear unchecked, so you never publish something half-built by accident.
• Re-run Build heats whenever your Eventbrite numbers change.
• Use the * prefix to keep working tabs (registration, judging, notes) off the public board.

If You Get Stuck

Something not behaving? Email chad@projekt19.com and we'll sort it out.