# Prepare start lists

> Generate start times in waves, assign bibs and chips, adjust the start list by hand and share it with volunteers through a private link.

Source : https://www.canicompet.com/en/docs/organizer/start-lists/
Mis à jour : 2026-10-06

You prepare start lists in the dashboard, under **Prepare the start lists**. For each run, **Setup Starts** generates the start times (in one wave or in waves at regular intervals), the bibs and the chips. You then adjust the list by hand and save it.

## Open the start list

1. Open the event dashboard.
2. Under **Management**, tap **Prepare the start lists**.
3. At the top of the page, tap the selector and choose the run (race and date).

For each entrant, the table shows: **Competitor**, category, **Start** (start time), **Bib**, **Chip** and, for races with dogs, **Dog**.

> **NOTE**
By default, only paid entries are shown. Tap **Unpaid** in the action bar to include unpaid entries too. Their names then appear in a different colour.

## Generate the starts automatically

1. Tap **Setup Starts**.
2. Turn on **Departure Times** if you want to generate times:
   - **First start at**: the time of the first start, in HH:MM:SS format (10:00:00 by default);
   - **One wave only**: everyone starts at the same time;
   - otherwise, enter the **Wave size** (number of starters per wave) and the **Interval** between two waves, in HH:MM:SS format (00:00:30 by default).
3. If needed, turn on **Gender separation** and choose the order: **Alternate Men/Women**, **Men first** or **Women first**.
4. Turn on **Bibs** to number the entrants:
   - **Start number**: the first bib;
   - **Qty per reg (Bibs)**: useful for a team;
   - **Numbers to skip (e.g. 13;42)**: the numbers to skip, separated by semicolons.
5. Turn on **Timing Chips** to assign chips, with the same settings (**Start number**, **Qty per reg (Chips)**, **Numbers to skip (e.g. 13;42)**).
6. Tap **Generate Configuration**.
7. Check the result, then tap the save button at the bottom right.

> **CAUTION**
"Warning: This will overwrite existing departure times and bibs configuration." The start order is drawn at random each time you generate. Generate once, then make your adjustments by hand.

### Wave example

With **First start at** 10:00:00, a **Wave size** of 2 and an **Interval** of 00:00:30: the first two entrants start at 10:00:00, the next two at 10:00:30, then 10:01:00, and so on.

## Adjust the list by hand

- Tap a **Start**, **Bib** or **Chip** cell to edit it.
- Times must be in HH:MM:SS format. An invalid time is shown in red.
- Chip numbers are padded to four digits (for example 7 becomes 0007).
- To swap two competitors, select exactly two lines, then tap **Reverse**: their start times, bibs and chips are swapped.

Tap the save button at the bottom right to save. The message **Saved** confirms it.

## Share the list with a private link

You can hand the list to a volunteer or the timekeeper without giving them access to the dashboard.

1. Tap **Share**.
2. Tap the link shown under **Share Link** to copy it.
3. Send it to the person concerned.

"Stakeholders with this link can view and edit starts list." They do not need to be organizers of the event.

> **CAUTION**
Do not share this link publicly: anyone who has it can change the times, bibs and chips.

## Export the list

Tap **Export**, then choose:

- Excel: the start list as an Excel file;
- Canichrono: opens the **Exports & Downloads** page, where you download the file for the timing software.

See [Export entries](/en/docs/organizer/export-registrations/) and the [timing documentation](/en/docs/timing/manual-timing/).

## Common issues

- **"At least one departure time is invalid (red box), please correct it before saving."**: fix the red cell using the HH:MM:SS format.
- **"First departure time is invalid, format must be hour:minutes:seconds"**: enter for example 09:30:00.
- **The time between two waves is refused**: the **Interval** must also be in HH:MM:SS format, for example 00:01:00.
- **An entrant is missing from the list**: their entry may not be paid. Tap **Unpaid** to show it.