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Quick Start Guide - Sanctions Request Form

Getting Started

Access the form at: https://sanctions.laserfishdesigns.com

The form generates Word documents (.docx) with standard formatting and standard language required by USA Swimming for meet sanction requests based on the information provided. If you require more advanced formatting or content, you will need to do that by editing the generated Word file on your own.

Document Types

The form can generate two types of documents:

1. Meet Information (Top Button)
   • Full sanction request with complete meet details
   • Includes session schedules, event schedules, and all meet information
2. Application For Sanction (Bottom Button)
   • Initial sanction request document
   • Required when first requesting meet sanction for a meet

Key Features

💾 Save & Restore Your Work

Never lose your progress! The form includes save/restore functionality:

• Save Progress: Click "Save Form Data" at the bottom of the form to download a .json file containing all your current form data.
• Restore Progress: Click "Restore Form Data" and select a previously saved .json file to restore all fields exactly as they were.
• This is perfect for saving a meet that runs every year; simply save the file and next year, restore the file and update any fields that have changed and you are done.
• Be Aware: The template and form may change over time and while your save file will load, it is possible that some fields may have been added or changed, so always review the populated form to ensure that all fields are correct.

📝 Rich Text Editor

Many fields support rich text formatting such as:

• Bold, Italic, Underline
• Text colors and highlighting
• Bullet lists and numbered lists
• Links

🔄 Dynamic Form Sections

Many sections show/hide based on your selections in order to keep the form as simple as possible, yet flexible to handle many different situations.

✅ Required Fields Counter

• The submit buttons show how many required fields remain unfilled
• Example: "Submit (3 unfilled required fields)"
• Click the button to automatically scroll to the first unfilled required field
• Makes it easy to find what you missed!

Form Sections (items of note)

Basic Information

• Sanction Date: Required for Sanction Application (Defaults to today's date)

Officials

• Select 3 or 6 officials
• Note: Meet Director and Meet Referee phone numbers are required for Sanction Application; if you are only generating Meet Info, then you can just put a made up number in these fields.

Facility Details

• Pool name and address
• Lanes and timing system details

Meet Format

• Course type (SCY, SCM, LCM)
• Event Types Offered: Individual Events, Relays, Distance Events, Time Trials, Relay Time Trials. Toggling these options shows or hides sections further down the form so you only see what is relevant to your meet.
• Event Format: (slow to fast, fast to slow, Custom)
• Finals Type: Timed Finals, Prelim/Finals or Combined (Timed & Prelim/Finals)

Entries

• Meet Eligibility: (Meet Type) Choose from Open, Championship, Invitational, Dual, Intrasquad, etc.
• Daily Limit: this defaults to the USA Swimming limits.

Schedules

Session Schedule:

• Add multiple sessions with dates, names, and times
• Mark sessions as "Not Before" (checkbox next to start time) to indicate approximate start times

Event Schedule:

• Choose to use the form to enter events, or skip entering events and enter them directly in the word document later
• Define events for each session
• Age groups, Gender and Stroke/Distance for each event. The drop downs are suggestions, but you can type anything you want in these fields.
• When creating a new row, it will automatically increment the event number and alternate the gender (if the previous row was Boys, Mens, Girls, or Womens)
• All events appear in a formatted table in the generated document

Distance Events

• Choose counter/timer instructions from preset options OR Select "Custom" to write your own instructions.

Tips & Tricks

Creating Meet Templates

1. Fill out common information for your regular meets (facility, host club, etc.)
2. Click "Save Form Data"
3. Name the file descriptively (e.g., "Summer-Invite-Template.json")
4. For future meets, click "Restore Form Data" and load your template
5. Update dates and meet-specific details

Quick Session Setup

• Session numbers auto-increment (1, 2, 3, etc.)
• Copy/paste dates if multiple sessions are on the same day
• Use the "Not Before" checkbox for sessions with uncertain start times

Troubleshooting

Document Generation Takes Too Long

• Normal: 10-20 seconds
• Complex meets with many sessions/events and/or slow server: up to 60 seconds
• Watch the elapsed timer to track progress
• If it exceeds 60 seconds, try submitting again

Lost Form Data

• Always save your progress before closing the browser
• Use "Save Form Data" frequently while working
• Browser refresh will clear all unsaved data
• If you generated your documents but forgot to save your template, contact [email protected], we MAY be able to help.

Date Picker Issues

• Session dates must be within meet start/end date range
• Update meet dates first, then session dates
• Browser date pickers vary by browser - use the calendar icon

Support

For technical issues or questions about the form, please contact [email protected]

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