Frequently Asked Questions

Account Management & Setup

How do you prevent duplicate accounts?

To prevent users from creating multiple accounts, we do a check and make sure that their name and email don't already exist in our system. If we already have their name and email in our system, then we force them to log in, thus preventing them from creating a duplicate account.

How do you recover your forgotten Password or Username?

For information on recovering your password see: Recovering Password

How do I update my profile information?

For information on updating your profile see: Update your Profile

Who can delete accounts?

• Admins: Can delete Admin, Staff, Teacher, Volunteer, and Student accounts.
• Staff: Can delete Staff, Teacher, Volunteer, and Student accounts.
• Teachers: Can delete student accounts assigned to them.

How should administrators test fair setup and registration workflows?

As part of the setup process, we recommend registering fake test accounts for students, judges, and teachers so you can preview the process, adjust your workflow, and ensure you gather all required information.

How do I set up user access permissions and custom roles for my staff?

This is easily managed through the platform. Have your staff members register under standard roles (Volunteer, Teacher, Judge), and then an Administrator can promote them to higher access levels (Staff, Admin) from the user management screen.

Paperwork, Forms & Approvals

Who can approve student paperwork / ISEF Forms?

Teachers can view their students' forms, but only Staff and Admin users can approve paperwork. To restrict approval authority strictly to Admin/Staff users, turn on the setting "Only Allow staff members to approve paperwork" under Staff Tools > Fair Setup > Settings.

Who is required to sign the media release?

Media release requests are sent directly to your contest participants (students).

We combine the media release with the Hold Harmless release; should I break them out?

That is up to your organization. The system tracks them as a single document, so ensure your release text clearly encompasses both agreements.

Contest Operations & Customization

Can we add custom questions to registration forms?

Yes. Custom questions can be added to any registration form (Judges, Students, Teachers) to collect specific details needed to manage participants or place judges with the right student.

How do you set or update the contact person on the "Contact Us" page?

Navigate to Staff Menu > Fair/Contest Setup > General > Update Contact Info, update the details, and click Save.

Where does the pre-populated school database come from?

Pre-populated school lists (such as Massachusetts schools) include both public and private institutions sourced from government databases. Note that external database records may occasionally require manual updates.

What is the difference between Project Plan and Project Description?

• Project/Entry Plan: Serves as the research plan where participants outline their overall project scope.
• Project/Entry Description: Provides a general overview of the project, distinct from the separate Abstract entry field.

Should teachers enter a home or school address?

This is completely up to the teacher and the registration instructions provided by your fair organizers.

Why do some projects no longer have a category code?

This typically occurs if an administrator deletes a category code that active projects were assigned to. Reassigning those projects to an active category code will resolve the issue.

Judging & Evaluation

What is Virtual Judging and how does it work?

Virtual Judging builds on top of online judging by connecting judges and students in a integrated video conference for remote interviews. During the interview, judges have side-by-side access to electronic scorecards, project descriptions, shared files, images, and student responses.

How can I track which judges are currently active or checked in?

Run the "Judge's Details - Active" report under Staff Tools > Reports. This report specifically filters for judges who have recently registered or logged into their accounts.

Can judges modify their scores after entering them?

Yes. Judges can review their scorecards and alter individual subcategory marks or overall final scores until judging is officially closed by administrators.

How do staff members review and release judge feedback?

Judge feedback is sent to a central queue where staff members can review and edit comments. Once approved, feedback can be emailed to students, with optional copies sent to teachers or parents.

Can raw score data be downloaded for custom score normalization?

Yes. You can export complete score data per judge and project to run through your own external normalization software if you prefer not to use built-in algorithms.

Are judge orientation and training tutorials provided?

Yes. Video tutorials and site documentation are available to guide judges. Fair organizers can adapt these materials to fit their specific event procedures and schedules.

Access Control & Publishing

Can teachers see student scores or judge comments during judging?

No. Teachers do not have access to scorecards or feedback unless staff explicitly releases and emails the results to them.

When are award results published on the site?

Award results remain private until an administrator sets an official publication date and time on the platform.

Can the Showcase be enabled or disabled at will?

Yes. Administrators can turn the Showcase on or off at any time, or set restrictions for who can view the Showcase.

Can we lock student submissions after a specific deadline?

Yes. Admins can establish a cutoff date after which students can no longer edit their profiles or project entries.

Is there a way to hide the schedule temporarily?

Currently, the system does not support temporarily hiding the event schedule.

Billing & Technical Support

Do we need separate packages for Junior (7–8) and Senior (9–12) divisions?

zFairs can handle multiple divisions and judging dates for events. However, some events prefer to separate these into different accounts. Please set an appointment with us so we can walk you through whatever process you choose.

Why does the "Your license has expired" banner appear?

This banner displays if your event license term has ended or if your initial renewal payment is pending processing.

Is live phone support provided on the day of the fair?

Dedicated live phone support on fair day is included with your subscription. Please provide us with your event dates and times in advance so we can plan accordingly. Standard support hours are 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, M-F (across US time zones). Outside of these hours, support is provided on an on-call basis. If you are unable to reach someone immediately, please leave a detailed voicemail and we will return your call as soon possible.