When using the Continuous Play tool you have the option to put priorities on the surfaces.

What does that mean? It means you can tell the system to prioritize surfaces more than others. 

(choose certain surfaces first)

When you give surfaces priorities (1,2,3,4 for example) The system will always pick a table with Priority 1 first.

So when a match is ready to be played (two opponents and time in Constant Play) the system looks for a surface for them to play on. If it has a choice between 2 and 4, it will choose the surface with the priority 2 first.

How to give priorities to surfaces:

Go to Menu ­> Manage > Schedules/Charts > Continuous Play.

Click on the +/- Surfaces;

Write the priority you want for each surface directly in the grid. 1 being the first to be assigned. 2 second, 3 third and so on.

You can write the number and click on the Arrow up or down to move on to the next.

Here are strategies used with the priorities. (Pool tables are being used in this example, but it can be any type of surface.)

Managing your areas

You give Priority 1, to best tables, the ones you want used most often and as soon as they are available.

You give a Priority 2, to the OK tables these will get picked second.

You give a Priority 3 for tables you want to use if you need them, but as you need less and less tables, these will no longer get assigned.

You give priority 4 to tables that are the least favorite but when you need all tables, you want these to get used, but you would prefer 3s, 2s and 1s if you had the choice (these are close to the restrooms or the exit so there are a lot of "in and outs")

Spacing out

Here is an example of "Spacing out" your tournament.

You can alternate 1 and 2 priorities.

The system will always choose priority 1 tables when it has a choice between a Priority 1 and Priority 2.

Which means that when the tournament starts using less tables, they will be more "spread out" instead of being all stacked in a corner.

Spacing out and Managing your area

Here is a set up to spread out but also start minimizing the surfaces being used, to keep a nice crowd and a flow but also start taking down certain areas.

Beginning of tournament:

As the tournament goes on: (once you need less surfaces, naturally priority 4s will no longer get called out)

Tournament keeps running, again less surfaces are being called: (but keeping a nice spread)

Tournament is coming to an end. Keeping the finals in a certain area, other surfaces can be taken down. Nice spread!

Take Down Crew

You can have different priorities depending on the set up and different rooms. As your tournament is getting smaller, you can have your "second area" getting emptier and emptier.

Or you have a bar with concerts or Bingos going on, you don't want people to get assigned those areas once you don't really need all the surfaces. Your tournament will end in the main room. You can even have your take down crew start taking down tables.

Different Priorities in different groups

To push a little further, you can give the same tables different priorities in two different group. This way certain tables will be used more for one group and less for the other. But still available in case they need them.

Here is an example of a set up:

Larger version:

Masters get priority 1 in the main room.

Open gets priority 1 in the bar/ballroom area: