Where Excel works
What a spreadsheet does well
A spreadsheet is free, everyone has it, and you can lay out any grid you like. For one tournament with a handful of referees, a sheet and a phone call get the job done.
Where it breaks
The limits of a spreadsheet
Excel does not know that a referee cannot be on two courts at once, or that they just did three games in a row. You check that yourself, cell by cell. The sheet is static: when a referee drops out on the day, you edit it and then tell everyone separately. And the file on your laptop is not the file in the group chat.
- No checks for double bookings or rest
- No live updates on the day
- Several versions of the same schedule
- No record of who changed what
What software changes
What RefManager 3x3 does differently
RefManager keeps the constraints in the system: availability, rest, consecutive game limits and experience. Autofill builds the schedule, you adjust it, and every referee sees the same version. On the day, changes go through the live board instead of a new attachment.
Moving over
You do not have to start from scratch
You can import your existing referee list from Excel. CSV exports are available on the larger plans, so the data can come back out too.
FAQ
Questions
Can I import my referees from Excel?
Yes. RefManager 3x3 has an Excel bulk import for the referee pool.
Is it worth it for a single tournament?
For a one-off event there is the Event Pass at €50, valid for 90 days. Whether that beats a spreadsheet depends on how many courts and referees you have.
Can I get my data out again?
CSV exports are included on the Pro and Federation plans.
Your turn
See it with a schedule like yours
Tell us how many tournaments and referees you have, and we’ll show you RefManager 3x3 on a setup that looks like yours.
Book a demo