How to Set Starting Times Using Daily Planner in PT
Once your brackets are verified, the Daily Planner lets you schedule start times for each event across your available courts, including Team Events. This generates a projected schedule you can review, adjust, and share with players before tournament day. The Daily Planner now lives on a tab next to the Simulator, so you can move between planning your capacity and scheduling your start times in one place.
NoteAll events must be verified and listed under the Waiting tab in Live Console before you can generate the Daily Planner. Events marked Not verified on the Daily Planner tab aren't included in the planner until they're verified.
Table of Contents
- How to set starting times
- Sharing start times with players
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Resources
Before You Begin
- Your events are verified and listed under the Waiting tab in Live Console. See How to Verify Your Brackets in Live Console.
- You've used the Simulator to estimate how many teams your courts and schedule can hold. Plan early and simulate as you go so you don't overbook. See How to Use the Simulator to Plan Your Tournament Schedule in PT.
How to Set Starting Times
- From your tournament, open the 3-line menu and select Simulator / Daily Planner.
- Click the Daily Planner tab.
- Use the Event date menu to choose the day you're planning. Each event on that day shows whether it's verified. Events marked Not verified aren't included in the planner until you verify them.
- Make sure every event is verified. The Generate planner button shows how many events are verified (for example, 0 of 12 events verified). Click Generate planner.
- Click Edit Start Times to see all events and their current scheduled times.
- Enter your preferred start time for each event. If you're unsure, set the earliest available time for all events — you can adjust after viewing the projected schedule.
- Click Save Changes, then View Daily Planner.
- Review the planner. The T column shows total matches starting at that time; W shows matches waiting (can't go directly to court). If you have too many waiting matches, go back to Edit Start Times and stagger your start times.
- Repeat for each day of your tournament.
Sharing Start Times with Players
- Once satisfied with the schedule, click List of Start Times and use the email option to send start times to players.
- Go to Edit Tourney and scroll to Show Start Times. Choose whether to pull start times from the Daily Planner or the event record, then toggle Post Start Times Now to Yes. This adds a start times link to your public tournament page.
- Set when draws are shown to players — most tournaments use Day of Event.
The Daily Planner doesn't update on its own. If you make any changes to events after generating the planner — adding or removing teams, changing score format, adjusting start times — click Generate planner again so those changes are reflected. If you re-verify an event, it no longer shows as Verified on the Daily Planner tab and is left out of the planner until you verify it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do T and W mean in the Daily Planner view?
T stands for Total — matches whose brackets start at that time. W stands for Waiting — matches that can't go directly to court because courts are already occupied. High W numbers mean your schedule is congested at that time slot. Stagger start times to reduce waiting matches.
Do I need to re-generate the planner if I make changes?
Yes. The planner doesn't update on its own. Click Generate planner on the Daily Planner tab after any event change. Even adjustments to start times in the Edit Start Times screen require a re-generate to update the planner view.
What happens to the Daily Planner if I re-verify an event?
When you re-verify an event, it no longer shows as Verified on the Daily Planner tab, and it isn't included in the planner until you verify it again. After you re-verify, confirm the event shows as verified, then click Generate planner again. If an event still shows as Verified after you re-verify it, email support@pickleball.com so we can look into it.
What's the difference between Daily Planner start times and event record start times?
In Show Start Times under Edit Tourney, you can choose to pull start times from the Daily Planner or the event record. If you have overlapping events, pulling from the event record may give cleaner results since the Daily Planner accounts for sequential bracket endings.
Can I switch between Daily Planner and event record for start times while my tournament is running?
Yes — you can switch which source Show Start Times pulls from at any point in Edit Tourney. Be aware the two can show different times: Daily Planner is only an estimate, since it assumes every match takes exactly the time you programmed and can't account for matches that finish early or for empty courts opening up mid-round-robin that let other brackets squeeze in. If you're intentionally running more matches than you have courts for using Next Available Court — an advanced technique not recommended for first-time TDs — event record may reflect a faster, more accurate schedule than Daily Planner predicts. If you switch sources mid-tournament, let players know their start time may shift. However, switching between these two is not recommended. We highly recommend picking one and sticking with it.
Where is the Daily Planner?
The Daily Planner now sits on a tab next to the Simulator. Open the 3-line menu, select Simulator / Daily Planner, then click the Daily Planner tab. The tools work the same way as before — you still verify your events, then generate your planner.
Can I use the Daily Planner for Team Events?
Yes. The Daily Planner works for Team Events, so you can plan Team Event start times the same way you plan your other events. Verify the event first, then generate your planner.
Related Resources
- How to Use the Simulator to Plan Your Tournament Schedule in PT
- How to Verify Your Brackets in Live Console
- How to Start an Event in PT
- How to Use Court Desk in PT
- How to Enter Scores and See Bracket Status in Live Console
Need more help? Email us at support@pickleball.com.