Event Information

As the year comes to a close, make sure you’re ready for a smooth start to 2026. In this Timer Tip Tuesday session, we’ll focus on the key steps every timer should take to prepare for the new season—renewing licenses, cleaning up data, and carrying over event setups for the year ahead.

We’ll cover:

• License renewals – how to check your current RaceDay product licenses and ensure everything is active for 2026.
• Data cleanup – best practices for archiving results, clearing test events, and organizing past races.
• Carryover setup – tips for renewing events in RunSignup and reusing configurations in RaceDay Scoring, CheckIn, and RaceJoy.

Join the RunSignup RaceDay team to make sure your systems are ready to roll into 2026 without a hitch.

View Slides

Summary of Webinar 

1. Renewing Your RaceDay Scoring License

How licensing works

• License is good for one year, rolling from purchase date.

• One license per company is enough:

  • $199 / year

  • Unlimited users

  • Unlimited devices

  • Includes support

• You don’t need separate licenses for each timer or each computer.

Where to renew

1. Log into your Timer account

   • From your profile, or go directly to runsignup.com/timer.

2. Go to Dashboard → Software & License Management.

3. Find your RaceDay Scoring license in the list.

4. Click Renew next to the serial you want to keep using.

Renewal form

• Purchase Type: “Renew or upgrade an existing serial number”

• Serial Number: auto-filled based on what you clicked

• Amount: 199

• Answer a few short usage questions so RunSignup can better understand how timers are using the software.

RaceDay Suite note

• If you offer RaceJoy / RaceDay Suite, that’s the one product where the license is enforced:

  • You will not be able to enable RaceJoy/RaceDay Suite on races without an active Suite license.

• Most other usage is “honor system,” but Suite is hard-blocked if not current.

2. Backing Up & Exporting Races

As 2025 winds down, this is the perfect time to:

• Clean old race files off laptops

• Make sure all setups and results are backed up

• Prep for possible new or replaced computers in 2026

There are three main backup strategies:

A. Cloud Backups from Race List

From the race list (Manage Races when you open RDS):

• Click the cloud with up-arrow next to a race.

• (Optional, recommended) Name the backup:

  • e.g., “2025-PostRace”, “Final”, “PreRace”

• Requirements:

  • You must be logged in to RunSignup in RDS.

  • Race must be published to RunSignup (local-only races can’t cloud-backup).

B. Cloud Backups from Inside a Race

Inside an open race:

• Click the Send Backup (cloud upload) button.

• Same naming options and requirements as above.

• RDS will also prompt you to back up when you leave/close a race:

  • You don’t have to back up every single time, but it’s a great safety net.

To verify backups:

• Use the cloud with down-arrow to view available backups.

• Naming your backups makes it easier to confirm the right one is there.

C. Local Zip Export (Manual Backup)

For local or paranoid (hi 👋) workflows:

• Go to Home → scroll all the way down to Import/Export Race Definitions.

• Click Export to create a zipped race file.

• Suggested practice:

  • Keep a structured folder system (e.g., Races/2025/Finished/).

  • Use consistent file naming (RaceName_2025_Final.zip).

  • Consider storing in Dropbox/OneDrive or an external drive.

Note: “Export setup only” will export definitions without participants or reads. That’s useful for template races (e.g., a triathlon template), but not a complete historical backup.

3. Viewing Backups from the Timer Dashboard

The Timer Dashboard is becoming a central management hub.

On the Timer Dashboard, you can now see:

• Check-in status

• Backup status for upcoming races

For backups:

• A green checkmark under “Backups” means cloud backups exist for that race.

• Hover over the checkmark:

  • See how many backups exist

  • View last backup date/time

• Click it to see:

  • Backup type (Full / Setup)

  • Backup name

  • Who sent it

  • Timestamp

Coming soon/roadmap: Downloading backups directly from Timer Dashboard without opening RDS.

Note: At the time of the webinar, the backup indicator only displays for upcoming races, not past races.

4. Renewing Races in RaceDay Scoring

Renewing a race in RDS = copying last year’s scoring setup forward to the renewed RunSignup event. This saves a ton of time on complex events.

Requirements

Before you can renew a race in RDS:

1. The race must be renewed on RunSignup.

   • Work with the race director.

   • Do not renew races yourself on their behalf without approval (“good way to open a can of worms”).

2. You must have a race file for a prior year in RDS:

   • Typically the previous year (e.g., 2025 → 2026)

   • But you can “leapfrog” and renew from 2024 → 2026 if needed.

If you don’t have the old RDS file:

• Import from cloud backup or

• Import from zipped file (your local export)

How to renew

From the RDS race import list:

• Use Import from RunSignup, but adjust the year range filter.

  • By default, RDS looks forward one year.

  • Change date filters to view past years.

• Select the prior year event to import its scoring setup.

• RDS will ask which year to renew to, if multiple years exist.

Mapping changes

During renewal, you may be prompted to map values, especially if things changed:

• Scored events (distances) renamed

• Team types changed

• Custom questions modified

• Corrals added/renamed

This mapping is critical if you rely on:

• Custom questions for Clydesdale/Athena, seeding, or award categories

• Team types or corrals for scoring/report logic

If a question or field changed wording or structure, you must map old → new correctly so the logic still works.

Sync Settings Cleanup

After renewal:

• Old custom questions may still appear in Sync Settings even if deleted for the new year.

• You can uncheck “Use field” on outdated questions to avoid confusion.

• Lower ID numbers usually indicate older fields, which helps you identify legacy items.

5. RaceJoy & Timing Integration Considerations

If your race uses RaceJoy:

• If the course name stays the same, course maps & settings can copy forward.

• If the course/event is renamed (e.g., “Half Marathon” → “Half Marathon presented by RunSignup”), you may need to remap the course.

When renewing RaceJoy setups:

• Verify:

  • Courses are correct

  • Alternate processing (e.g., a wheelchair event using main course) is reconfigured

  • All maps are re-certified

• Geo-based cheers and other settings carry over with the map.

Timing Integration does not safely auto-carry:

• Always review timing point → course mappings.

• Confirm every timing point still matches actual 2026 hardware placement.

• Apply any changes and double-check before race day.

6. Best Practices for Renewals

When renewing races:

1. Review all time-based settings

   • Locations (read windows, minimum times, gap factors)

   • Data Actions (e.g., auto-move based on splits)

   • Data Checks (e.g., suspicious times, missing splits)

2. Review anything using custom logic

   • Top finisher bands

   • Corrals and their start times

   • Award categories tied to questions or attributes

   • Report filters

3. RaceJoy & Timing Integration

   • Rebuild or double-check timing integration from scratch

   • Confirm maps and timing points align with this year’s plan

7. Cleaning Up Your Test Events

No slides here on purpose—everyone tests differently—but strongly suggested:

• Renew your main test race for 2026:

  • Great low-risk way to practice the renewal flow.

• Clean out:

  • Old fake participants

  • Old test reads

  • Obsolete custom questions or filters

• Keep your sandbox clean and understandable so you don’t fight your own test data when you’re trying to validate behavior.

• If you like your fake rosters (Mighty Ducks, Sandlot kids, etc.), export/import or bulk-deferral them into the fresh test instance.

8. Reminders & Resources

Industry Survey

• 2025 Timer Industry Survey is live

• More responses = better insights RunSignup can share back with timers about state-of-the-industry trends.

2026 Timer Education Summit

• When: January 27–28, 2026

• Where: Tampa, Florida

• What:

  • Introductory + advanced education tracks

  • Timer certifications

  • AI & technology workshops

  • One-on-one training with staff & developers

  • Live demos, networking, morning group run

• It sold out last year; early registration strongly encouraged.