Recognising: Shahram Hafezi, pexels.com/@shahram-hafezi-1089911650/

Save time with
flexible judging
assignments

Keep judging organised from the start. Save time managing assignments, balance judge workloads and maintain a clear view of progress across your awards program.

Bring structure to
every judging round

Judging panels connect judges with the entries they need to assess.
Create assignments automatically or manually, review progress across current entries and adjust your setup as judging moves forward.

Build panels your way

Create assignments automatically in bulk, distribute them randomly or choose judges for individual entries.

Keep workloads balanced

Share entries across judges and use divisions to break larger categories into manageable groups.

See where every entry stands

Review entries alongside their assignment progress and find those still awaiting judges.

Support a fair judging process

Manage conflicts of interest and protect sensitive entry information throughout judging.

Account for every entry in your awards program

Review assignment progress across current entries, find where judges are still needed and make changes before judging begins.

Manage judging assignments

Check all current entries together, including those still awaiting assignments, with assignment progress visible across score sets.

Use filters to focus on the entries you need, then move straight into assigning judges or open an entry for a closer look at its judging progress.

Award Force interface showing the new entry assignments list view

Find entries without judging assignments

Make sure every entry is ready for judging by filtering for missing assignments in a selected score set, then move straight into assigning judges from the list.

Check judging progress in context

Open an entry to review assigned judges, scores, recommendations and averages, and see how judging is progressing.

Assign automatically or manually

Decide which judges assess which entries, then choose the assignment method that suits the structure and requirements of the round.

Judging panels

Use judging panels to create assignments automatically in bulk

Select the categories, judges and judging round, and Award Force automatically creates the assignments. Create as many panels as needed across different categories, chapters or rounds.

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Random assignment

Share the judging load evenly with random assignments

Share entries across judges while keeping workloads balanced.

Choose how many entries each judge should receive or how many judges should assess each entry, then let Award Force create the assignments at random.

Award Force interface showing the random assignment of entries to judges

Manual assignment

Manually assign judges for individual entries

Select exactly which judges should assess a particular entry.

Use manual assignments to match entries with relevant expertise, make specific selections or update the panel during judging.

Award Force interface showing the manual assignment creation

Put the right safeguards in place

Support impartial judging and protect confidential entry information with clear controls for judges.

Abstention + conflict of interest

Support fair, impartial judging

Keep judging fair by managing conflicts of interest without disrupting the wider assignment setup. Recuse judges from specific entries or allow them to abstain when a conflict arises.

Confidentiality agreement

Keep sensitive entry information protected

Protect sensitive entry information by requiring judges to accept a confidentiality agreement before they begin judging. Customise the provided template or use your own.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use different assignment methods in the same awards program?
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Yes. You can use judging panels, random assignments, and manual assignments as needed for each category, chapter, or judging round.

How do random judging assignments work?
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Choose how many entries each judge should receive or how many judges should assess each entry. Award Force then distributes the assignments at random.

Can different judging stages have different judges?
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Yes. Each score set can have its own judges, criteria and assignment requirements, allowing you to configure different judging teams for each stage of adjudication.

How can I find entries with no judges assigned?
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Use the Entry assignments list view to filter for entries missing assignments in a selected score set. From there, you can move into the manual assignment workflow and add judges.

Can I change judging assignments after they have been created?
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Yes. You can add, delete or change judges as judging requirements evolve. The Entry assignments list view helps you identify affected entries and move directly to managing their assignments.

What is the difference between recusal and abstention?
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Recusal is managed by a program manager and prevents a judge from accessing selected entries or score sets. Abstention allows a judge to step back from assessing an entry when they identify a conflict of interest.

Can judges be required to accept a confidentiality agreement?
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Yes. You can require judges to accept a confidentiality agreement when they first access Award Force. Use the default template or edit it add your own agreement.

How can I share a large category across several judges?
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Use divisions to split the entries in a category into smaller groups. Judges can then be assigned to a particular division rather than assessing the full category.

Take your next step with confidence

See Award Force in action

See how Award Force works for entrants, judges and program managers.

Need a conversation?

Need to discuss your options or get a demonstration? Our friendly consultants can help.

Get started now

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