Getting Started

NekoTab is a modern debate tournament tabulation platform that handles everything from team registration to final results. Whether you are running a small club competition or a national championship, this guide walks you through the key features and workflows.

Creating Your Tournament

  1. Sign up or log in: Create an account at nekotab.app. No email verification is required — just a username and password.
  2. Click "Create Tournament": From the homepage or the top navigation bar.
  3. Configure basics: Enter a tournament name, short name (used in URLs), and select a format preset (BP, Australs, WSDC, or custom).
  4. Set the number of preliminary rounds: You can always add more rounds later.
  5. Click "Create": Your tournament is ready. You are taken to the admin panel.

Importing Participants

NekoTab supports bulk importing of teams, speakers, adjudicators, and venues via CSV files:

Teams and Speakers

  1. Go to Participants → Import Teams in the admin panel
  2. Upload a CSV file with columns: team name, institution, speaker 1 name, speaker 2 name (and speaker 3 for Australs/WSDC)
  3. Review the preview and confirm the import

Adjudicators

  1. Go to Participants → Import Adjudicators
  2. Upload a CSV with columns: name, institution, base score (a number representing judging ability)
  3. Set any institutional conflicts — NekoTab will prevent judges from being allocated to debates involving their institution

Venues

  1. Go to Venues → Import Venues
  2. Upload a CSV with room names and optional priority numbers
  3. Higher-priority venues are assigned to more important debates

Running a Round

The round workflow in NekoTab follows a clear sequence:

Step 1: Generate the Draw

From the admin panel, navigate to the current round and click "Generate Draw." NekoTab will create a power-paired draw (or random draw for Round 1) that respects side allocation, pullup rules, and venue priority.

Review the draw and make any manual adjustments if needed.

Step 2: Allocate Adjudicators

Navigate to the allocation page. NekoTab provides an auto-allocator that assigns judges based on their score, conflicts, and history. You can also drag-and-drop to manually adjust panels.

Step 3: Release the Draw

Click "Confirm" to finalise the draw, then "Release" to make it visible on the public site. Teams will see their room, opponents, and panel.

Step 4: Announce the Motion

Enter the round's motion in NekoTab. Optionally release it to the public site.

Step 5: Collect Results

After the debate, enter results through one of two methods:

  • Admin entry: Organisers enter results in the admin panel
  • Public/private ballot submission: Enable online ballot submission for adjudicators using private URLs sent via email or QR code

NekoTab validates all results — checking for required speaker scores, consistent rankings, and confirmed adjudicator identities.

Step 6: Confirm and Release Results

Once all results are entered and validated, confirm the round. Results are automatically reflected in standings, speaker rankings, and the public site.

Standings and Breaks

NekoTab calculates team and speaker standings in real-time using configurable metrics:

  • Team standings: Based on wins (or team points in BP) with configurable tie-breaking by speaker scores, margins, or draw strength
  • Speaker standings: Ranked by total speaker points across rounds
  • Break calculation: Configure break categories (open break, novice break, ESL break, etc.) with automatic qualification based on standings

Public Site

Every tournament on NekoTab has a public-facing site. Configure what is visible:

  • Draws and motions (released per-round)
  • Results and standings (immediate or delayed release)
  • Team and speaker details
  • Break announcements

The public site is mobile-responsive and can be shared with participants via a simple URL.

Advanced Features

  • Check-ins: QR code-based attendance tracking for teams and judges
  • Feedback: Collect and review adjudicator feedback per round
  • Notifications: Send draw releases and announcements via email
  • Preformed panels: Pre-arrange judge panels before draws are released
  • Multiple break categories: Open, novice, ESL, and custom categories with separate breaks

Need Help?

For detailed documentation, visit the Tabbycat documentation. For support, contact us and we will help you get set up.