Here I will show you how the behind the scenes of my cover contest. You might actually think that the way I manage things is complicated but believe me, this is what organize means to me. Hahaha! We all have our own OCDs..

Things I use:

Laptop/Phone : Of course, because this is were I receive and edit my work.

Notebook & Pen : I highly recommend having a designated notebook for your contest. It is much easier and convenient to take tracks and keep updates.

---LAPTOP WORKS---

#1 Folder : I created a designated folder for my cover contest. This way, the files would be in one place and is easier to locate on my desktop.

#2 Naming : I name my folders chronologically in descending order, so the latest folder is on top of the list.

#3 Templates : Badges, banners and template files are put into the template folder.

#4 Cover Entries : When I receive an entry, I name it 'a (1)' for the original file and 'a (1)a' after I added the participant badge. This way, I know which entry to look for when uploading and tallying.

#5 Winners : Winner's folder is also in the same folder as the contest round. This is where I save the covers with the appropriate badges.

-----NOTEBOOK WORKS-----

Now this is where the notebook comes very handy!

#1 Receiving Entries : I write down the username of the participant the moment I receive their works. Because the list in the computer only has the number, it is really convenient to have a written list of the participants.

One more thing is that, some participants submits NAMELESS or DIFFERENT PEN NAME entries so it saves time that I don't have to go all through the application forms and find their entry. (Please excuse my penmanship LOL)

#2 Form : Because I have judges, I note their tallies differently. Special badges and winners are filled out accordingly.

#3 Tally : After receiving the tallies from the judges, I start to fill out the form and proceed with the considerations.

#4 Results & Hall of Fame : After tallying, I will now edit the winning covers, pin their badges and save it to the 'Winners' folder. Another special editing will take place for the Hall of Fame.

#5 Announcement: Now, after all the wait, tallying and editing I can now announce the winners!

#6 Prizes : At the back of the 'Tallies & Results', I have a checklist for the prizes, so I know what to do.

How do you organize or plan to organize your files? Do we have the same format?

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