When it's time to start a new season for your program, you have two options:
- Copy the configuration of an existing season or
- Create a completely new season, starting configuration from scratch.
Seasonal vs Non-seasonal
Important: When making updates to a new season, whether copied or brand new, it is very important to be aware of which configuration changes are seasonal, meaning the change will only be visible in the season being edited, and which changes are non-seasonal, meaning any changes made will be reflected in all seasons (both archived seasons and in the Active season, even if you are working in draft mode).An example of a non-seasonal element is the theme. If updates are made to the theme in the new season, such as changing the logo or the theme colours, those changes will also appear in all other seasons; any prior theme configuration will be overridden. Another example is content blocks. If the messaging in a content block is updated, those details will be reflected in that content block in all seasons, active and archived. Other areas that are non-seasonal include General settings.
Please see What is Seasonal in Award Force for a comprehensive list of which elements are seasonal and which are not.
Creating a new season: Copy or New
Copying season configuration
If your new season will be largely the same as the last season, copying the configuration of the last season will save you a lot of time. You can copy a season with a few clicks and then review and make any updates without having to redo your hard work.
To copy an existing season:
- Go to Settings > General > Seasons
- Click Create season
- Give the new season a Season name
- Ensure Copy an existing season configuration is selected
- Choose the season to be copied
- Choose the season status as Active or Draft
- Click Save
By copying an existing season, the configured content of all tabs, fields, categories and so on will be copied and you can make updates if needed.
New clean season
Creating a new season allows you to start with a blank slate. Previously configured content in sections such as tabs, fields, and categories will not be copied over, allowing you to start from scratch.
To create a new season:
- Go to Settings > General > Seasons
- Click Create season
- Ensure Start a new season is selected
- Choose the season status as Active or Draft
- Click Save
Draft vs Active
Creating a new season in Draft mode allows you to prepare for the upcoming season, even while the current Active season is ongoing. Once the draft is complete and your current season has concluded, you can make the draft active by selecting the season under Settings > Seasons and changing the season status to Active.
Checklist for a new season
When commencing the configuration of a new season, whether copied or brand new, a careful review of all the elements to ensure everything is up-to-date is an excellent step.
Settings > General > Account |
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Settings > General > Review flow |
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Settings > Content > Content blocks |
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Settings > Communications > Social |
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Settings > Entries > Chapters |
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Settings > Entries > Categories |
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Settings > Entries > Tabs |
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Settings > Entries > Fields |
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Settings > Entries > Rounds |
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Settings > Communications > Notifications |
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Important: If you do not add the User registered notification, your entrants will not be able to complete their registration or start an entry.
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Settings > Payments |
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Settings > Users > Registration |
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Settings > Users > Roles |
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Judging > Score Sets |
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Judging > Panels |
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Judging > Scoring criteria |
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Need more help? Get in touch!
We're here to help if you need it. Simply get in touch with our Client Success team through one of the methods available at the base of the page.