Judge Links and QR Codes

How a judge token works, how the scoresheet PDF is generated, and how a judge opens their scoring page.

Each judge in a competition gets a unique 8-character token that opens their personal scoring page. The token is delivered as a QR code inside the scoresheet PDF, one code printed under each judge's name.

What a token looks like

A short code like Q5XTYHH3, shown to judges grouped as Q5XT YHH3.
Case-insensitive. Uppercase or lowercase both work.
Tolerant of ambiguous letters. The token alphabet excludes I, L, O, and U entirely, so a stray one typed by hand is ignored.
Single-use for submission. Once a judge publishes their scores, the token will not accept a second submission for that competition.
Per-competition. A judge in two competitions holds two different tokens.
Revocable. If the token has to be changed, the old one stops working immediately and a fresh one is issued (see If a judge loses their token).

How the QR code gets delivered

The QR codes are generated when the scoresheet PDF is built, not when the judges are saved. The flow is:

You set the judge count and names in the configuration.
You click Download Scoresheets PDF.
The PDF prints each judge's name, their token in text, and a QR code that, when scanned, opens the scoring page (/enter-scores?token=Q5XTYHH3) in the judge's browser.
The judge scans the QR (or types the 8 characters into the Judge Token field) and lands on their scoring grid.

How a judge opens their page

The QR code is a URL. A judge can:

Scan the QR with their phone camera (most phones work), or
Open the URL in a browser and type the 8 characters into the Judge Token field, or
Read the token off a printed card. The token is printed in text under the QR (for example, Q5XTYHH3) for exactly this reason.

What to remember about tokens

The app stores a hash of the token, not the plain value. When a token is regenerated, the old one stops working right away.
The QR itself is a link, not a secret. The secret is the token inside the URL; treat the PDF as if it contains credentials.
Do not share one QR between judges; each judge has their own.

If a judge loses their token

A fresh token can be issued for that judge; the old one stops working immediately. The judge then rescans the new QR (or you hand them the new code). Issuing a fresh token is a step your account administrator can do for you if you cannot do it yourself.

Common mistakes

Forgetting to generate the PDF. The QR code only exists in the generated PDF. If it is not generated, the judge has nothing to scan.
Sharing one QR between judges. Each judge has a different token and therefore a different QR.
Assuming a judge can sign in with an email or password. They cannot; the token is the credential.