2Timer
← Back to 2Timer

2Timer Help

Practical guides for humans, with structure that is easy for AI systems to parse.

Help Home

Practical help for running meets with 2Timer, from the first setup to the final results, for cross country, road races, and track and field. 2Timer keeps your meets on your own device: creating, timing, backing up, restoring, exporting, and reporting on a meet need no account, license, or internet connection.

Audience

  • Meet timers and operators: set up meets, connect timing systems, handle reads, and publish results.
  • Race directors, coaches, and meet staff: prepare athletes and entries, set up events, and check results.

New to 2Timer? Start with Getting Started. It also explains the Basic and Standard levels and where to find what Basic hides.

Ask the Help

Every help page has an Ask the help box at the top. Type a question in your own words, such as “Maya didn’t run the 1600, how do I mark that?”

  • The closest help sections appear right away, found on your own device.
  • When you’re online, a short answer appears above them. It is written only from these help pages, with numbered links to the sections it came from. If the help doesn’t cover your question, it says so instead of guessing.
  • Offline, you still get the closest help sections, and tapping one opens it right in the chat.
  • The chat can’t see or change your meets. Questions are kept for 30 days to find gaps in the help, without your address or account, and email addresses and phone numbers are removed before a question is sent.
  • If an answer is wrong, choose This answer was wrong so the help gets fixed.

Do I need a 2Timer account? What signing in does

No. Every meet works without signing in, and signing in never uploads, moves, or changes your meets.

Signing in (Sign in in the header; on a phone, at the foot of the menu) connects 2Timer to your organization:

  • your account menu shows your organization and role, lets you switch organization when you belong to more than one, and links to Hub, where owners and admins manage the organization;
  • your organization’s name and logos are used on labels and live results pages, and Settings → Company shows “Managed by your organization”;
  • live results published to S3 / R2 or Local Files can keep your organization’s list of meets.

Log out in the account menu forgets the organization details on this device; your meets stay. If 2Timer can’t reach your account, for example offline, it keeps showing the last details and never stops your meet work. A RunSignUp sign-in is separate: it is in Settings → Systems.

Every help page

The help is grouped the same way as the list beside every help page.

Start here

  • Getting Started: Choose Basic or Standard and find what Basic hides, then create a meet, load athletes, number bibs, set up timing, and test before race day.
  • Starting a Meet: The home screen: start a meet from scratch, from a .2t backup (including copying last year’s meet), or from a Hy-Tek, RaceTab, Athletic.net, or RunSignUp file; files that can’t start a meet; a file for a meet you already have; and backing up or deleting a meet.
  • The Meet Dashboard: The first page of every meet: Attention rows and their buttons, the next step and stages, the Events list and Connections column, Showing the meet as of, and Back up now.
  • Offline Access and PWA: Use 2Timer with no internet: what works offline, which systems need internet, the Offline badge, installing on each browser, meets missing in the installed app, and updates.
  • Concepts and Workflow Reference: A glossary of 2Timer’s words with a link for each, the import and export formats at a glance, and a meet from start to finish.

Set up a meet

  • Meet Setup: The Setup page and the parts of a meet: the meet’s ids on other sites, gun or chip places, genre, events, custom and off-distance courses, rounds, divisions, age groups, teams, waves, and sessions.
  • Athletes and Entries: The roster and event entries: number or clear bibs, remove a duplicate athlete, copy or move entries, clear a race’s times, set DNS or DNF, enter results by hand, and relays.
  • Teams and Leagues: Team codes, keeping a team from scoring, fixing or deleting a team, duplicate schools, lane slots, team imports, leagues, and double duals.
  • Groups: Age groups and award groups: range or band, age or grade, award counts, the Groups Wizard and its age span, and why an athlete isn’t in a group.
  • Waves: Start waves for road and cross country races: delays in seconds, putting athletes in a wave, and waves at the Basic level.
  • Super-Events: Combined races (super-events): create one, add or remove an event, where entries and results go, hand timing, places and team scores, status, and exports.
  • Labels: Print bib numbers, hip number stickers, and packet labels: the built-in labels, stock and layout, reverse order for a roll, blank stickers, and templates.

Import and back up

  • Importing Data: Every import card and its files, spreadsheet columns and bibs with leading zeros, the conflict, file source, and team name questions, Hy-Tek, RunSignUp participants and their races, Lynx, RaceTab, and why an import can’t be undone.
  • Importing a 2Timer Backup: Make a .2t backup, create a meet from one, move a meet to another device, or replace or add to a meet’s data from a backup.
  • Creating a Meet from a Hy-Tek Meet File: Create a new meet from a Hy-Tek Meet Manager export with Import a meet on the home screen: which file to export, the steps, and the questions Review asks.
  • Creating a Meet from a Meet Link: Create a new meet from an Open Meet Exchange link or file, or from a meet’s MileSplit, RunSignUp, or Athletic.net link, with Import a meet on the home screen: the steps, what each link fills in, and what to do when a link doesn’t work.
  • Sending Results to a Meet Site: Send a meet’s results to a meet or registration site that reads Open Meet Exchange, such as QuickMeet: where results go, when they are sent, what each row says, adding a site by hand, and downloading the meet as an .omx.json file.

Timing

  • Systems and Connections: What a system and a connection are, adding a connection to a meet, the connection card, starting and pausing, modes, Read Routing, and no reads coming in.
  • Saved Systems and New Meets: The Systems step on every new meet, what new meets start with, Finish connecting, and your keys, sign-ins, and usual systems in Settings → Systems.
  • Setting Up Each System: Each system’s settings: ONETIME, FinishLynx, chip readers, Time Machine, Race Result, RunSignUp, RaceRoster, Local Files, S3 / R2 with a Cloudflare R2 walkthrough, FTP, Total Active Sports, DisplayWorks, and taking over publishing.
  • FlashTiming, Eagle Eye, and Other Lynx Timing Systems: FlashTiming (FT-FAT and FT-ID) and Eagle Eye cameras use the same Lynx files as FinishLynx: choosing them as the timing system in track and cross country, which files they get, and bringing .lif results back.
  • Markers and Reads: Set up start, finish, and split markers and their read windows, read the Reads page, and fix each read status such as No Bib, No Marker, Early Read, and Late Read.
  • Chips: Link timing chips to bibs for chip-timed road and cross country races: load a chip file, fix a wrong or missing chip, and test chips before the race.
  • Timing Workflow: Race day in order for a timed race: start and test timing, record the gun, watch reads, fix missing or wrong times, and check and back up results.
  • Hand Timing with the Stopwatch: Time a race off the built-in stopwatch, apply the captured times, then overlay the chute bib order to produce scored results.

Results

  • Results and Reports: Results on Entries, making results official and the quiet period, reports with pace or bib numbers, rosters and packets, Hy-Tek and other exports, and publishing.
  • Cross Country Scoring: How cross country teams are scored: scorers and displacers, who counts, ties, tie-breaks by rule book, ghost runners, and the XC Team Finisher List.
  • Scoreboard: Control what every connected display board is showing, with auto-follow or manual sends per board.

Track and field

  • Track and Field: Running a track and field meet from creation to results, the track settings on Setup, indoor and outdoor differences, and which page covers each step.
  • Track and Field Setup: Set up a track meet: wizard events and rounds, the seeding profile, disciplines, rounds and heats, hip numbers, field mark units, team scoring, and what Basic leaves out.
  • Sessions: Track and field sessions: create one, put rounds in it in running order, fixed or rolling, estimate start times, and session reports.
  • Field Events: Field Input for field events: fouls and passes, metric and English marks, high jump heights, wind for jumps and sprints (blank is NWI), ties, and jump-offs.
  • Relays: Relay entries with team code and squad letter, A and B teams, entering legs and alternates, relays when teams change, and relay imports.
  • Multi-Events: Set up a decathlon, heptathlon, or pentathlon as a parent event with its components, enter athletes, and how points are scored.
  • FinishLynx for Track and Field: FinishLynx and FieldLynx with a track meet: the shared folder, the PPL, AFL, SCH, and EVT files, LIF and LFF results, held results, and combined races.
  • Track and Field Team Scoring: Track team scoring: points ladders, scorer limits, division and event scoring, finals scoring heats, individual relays, double duals, and team reports.

Track and field seeding

  • Seeding and Advancement: The Seeding queue and bulk seeding, seeding one event, every seeding rule (heats, waterfall, lanes, preferred lanes), and advancing to the next round.
  • Seeding Profiles and Defaults: Seeding profiles: the built-in NFHS, NCAA, USATF, and NAIA profiles, making your own, choosing a meet’s profile, and how profile and round rules combine.
  • Team-Lane Seeding: Reserved team lanes for dual, tri, and quad meets: templates, team lane slots, setting up a round, how athletes are placed, and finals scoring heats.
  • Hip Numbering: Hip numbers in track events: how they differ from bibs and lanes, the Hip numbers setting, when they’re assigned, reports, stickers, and FinishLynx.

Fix problems

  • Repair and Recovery: Fix a white screen or an old version, what Repair App clears and keeps (saved keys are kept), Diagnostics at /repair, Data Issues, deleting a meet, and Delete All Local Data.
  • Purging Results and Resetting State: Choose the narrowest reset: clear one race, clear bibs, purge the meet’s results after a test run, or remove whole categories of meet data.

Metadata

  • Last Updated: 2026-10-14
  • Product Release: V1
  • Status: Active

All Help Articles

Start here

  • Getting Started

    Choose Basic or Standard and find what Basic hides, then create a meet, load athletes, number bibs, set up timing, and test before race day.

  • Starting a Meet

    The home screen: start a meet from scratch, from a .2t backup (including copying last year's meet), or from a Hy-Tek, RaceTab, Athletic.net, or RunSignUp file; files that can't start a meet; a file for a meet you already have; and backing up or deleting a meet.

  • The Meet Dashboard

    The first page of every meet: Attention rows and their buttons, the next step and stages, the Events list and Connections column, Showing the meet as of, and Back up now.

  • Offline Access and PWA

    Use 2Timer with no internet: what works offline, which systems need internet, the Offline badge, installing on each browser, meets missing in the installed app, and updates.

  • Concepts and Workflow Reference

    A glossary of 2Timer's words with a link for each, the import and export formats at a glance, and a meet from start to finish.

Set up a meet

  • Meet Setup

    The Setup page and the parts of a meet: the meet's ids on other sites, gun or chip places, genre, events, custom and off-distance courses, rounds, divisions, age groups, teams, waves, and sessions.

  • Athletes and Entries

    The roster and event entries: number or clear bibs, remove a duplicate athlete, copy or move entries, clear a race's times, set DNS or DNF, enter results by hand, and relays.

  • Teams and Leagues

    Team codes, keeping a team from scoring, fixing or deleting a team, duplicate schools, lane slots, team imports, leagues, and double duals.

  • Groups

    Age groups and award groups: range or band, age or grade, award counts, the Groups Wizard and its age span, and why an athlete isn't in a group.

  • Waves

    Start waves for road and cross country races: delays in seconds, putting athletes in a wave, and waves at the Basic level.

  • Super-Events

    Combined races (super-events): create one, add or remove an event, where entries and results go, hand timing, places and team scores, status, and exports.

  • Labels

    Print bib numbers, hip number stickers, and packet labels: the built-in labels, stock and layout, reverse order for a roll, blank stickers, and templates.

Import and back up

  • Importing Data

    Every import card and its files, spreadsheet columns and bibs with leading zeros, the conflict, file source, and team name questions, Hy-Tek, RunSignUp participants and their races, Lynx, RaceTab, and why an import can't be undone.

  • Importing a 2Timer Backup

    Make a .2t backup, create a meet from one, move a meet to another device, or replace or add to a meet's data from a backup.

  • Creating a Meet from a Hy-Tek Meet File

    Create a new meet from a Hy-Tek Meet Manager export with Import a meet on the home screen: which file to export, the steps, and the questions Review asks.

  • Creating a Meet from a Meet Link

    Create a new meet from an Open Meet Exchange link or file, or from a meet's MileSplit, RunSignUp, or Athletic.net link, with Import a meet on the home screen: the steps, what each link fills in, and what to do when a link doesn't work.

  • Sending Results to a Meet Site

    Send a cross country meet's results to a meet or registration site that reads Open Meet Exchange, such as QuickMeet: where results go, when they are sent, what each row says, adding a site by hand, and downloading the meet as an .omx.json file.

Timing

  • Systems and Connections

    What a system and a connection are, adding a connection to a meet, the connection card, starting and pausing, modes, Read Routing, and no reads coming in.

  • Saved Systems and New Meets

    The Systems step on every new meet, what new meets start with, Finish connecting, and your keys, sign-ins, and usual systems in Settings → Systems.

  • Setting Up Each System

    Each system's settings: ONETIME, FinishLynx, chip readers, Time Machine, Race Result, RunSignUp, RaceRoster, Local Files, S3 / R2 with a Cloudflare R2 walkthrough, FTP, Total Active Sports, DisplayWorks, and taking over publishing.

  • FlashTiming, Eagle Eye, and Other Lynx Timing Systems

    FlashTiming (FT-FAT and FT-ID) and Eagle Eye cameras use the same Lynx files as FinishLynx: choosing them as the timing system in track and cross country, which files they get, and bringing .lif results back.

  • Markers and Reads

    Set up start, finish, and split markers and their read windows, read the Reads page, and fix each read status such as No Bib, No Marker, Early Read, and Late Read.

  • Chips

    Link timing chips to bibs for chip-timed road and cross country races: load a chip file, fix a wrong or missing chip, and test chips before the race.

  • Timing Workflow

    Race day in order for a timed race: start and test timing, record the gun, watch reads, fix missing or wrong times, and check and back up results.

  • Hand Timing with the Stopwatch

    Time a race off the built-in stopwatch, apply the captured times, then overlay the chute bib order to produce scored results.

Results

  • Results and Reports

    Results on Entries, making results official and the quiet period, reports with pace or bib numbers, rosters and packets, Hy-Tek and other exports, and publishing.

  • Cross Country Scoring

    How cross country teams are scored: scorers and displacers, who counts, ties, tie-breaks by rule book, ghost runners, ranking teams by time, runners listed under each team, and the XC Team Finisher List.

  • Scoreboard

    Control what every connected display board is showing, with auto-follow or manual sends per board.

Track and field

  • Track and Field

    Running a track and field meet from creation to results, the track settings on Setup, indoor and outdoor differences, and which page covers each step.

  • Track and Field Setup

    Set up a track meet: wizard events and rounds, the seeding profile, disciplines, rounds and heats, hip numbers, field mark units, team scoring, and what Basic leaves out.

  • Sessions

    Track and field sessions: create one, put rounds in it in running order, fixed or rolling, estimate start times, and session reports.

  • Field Events

    Field Input for field events: fouls and passes, metric and English marks, high jump heights, wind for jumps and sprints (blank is NWI), ties, and jump-offs.

  • Relays

    Relay entries with team code and squad letter, A and B teams, entering legs and alternates, relays when teams change, and relay imports.

  • Multi-Events

    Set up a decathlon, heptathlon, or pentathlon as a parent event with its components, enter athletes, and how points are scored.

  • FinishLynx for Track and Field

    FinishLynx and FieldLynx with a track meet: the shared folder, the PPL, AFL, SCH, and EVT files, LIF and LFF results, held results, and combined races.

  • Track and Field Team Scoring

    Track team scoring: points ladders, scorer limits, division and event scoring, finals scoring heats, individual relays, double duals, and team reports.

Track and field seeding

  • Seeding and Advancement

    The Seeding queue and bulk seeding, seeding one event, every seeding rule (heats, waterfall, lanes, preferred lanes), seeding the next round from the results, ties and draws, and entries in a later round.

  • Seeding Profiles and Defaults

    Seeding profiles: the built-in NFHS, NCAA, USATF, and NAIA profiles, making your own, choosing a meet's profile, and how profile and round rules combine.

  • Team-Lane Seeding

    Reserved team lanes for dual, tri, and quad meets: templates, team lane slots, setting up a round, how athletes are placed, and finals scoring heats.

  • Hip Numbering

    Hip numbers in track events: how they differ from bibs and lanes, the Hip numbers setting, when they're assigned, reports, stickers, and FinishLynx.

Fix problems

  • Repair and Recovery

    Fix a white screen or an old version, what Repair App clears and keeps (saved keys are kept), Diagnostics at /repair, Data Issues, deleting a meet, and Delete All Local Data.

  • Purging Results and Resetting State

    Choose the narrowest reset: clear one race, clear bibs, purge the meet's results after a test run, or remove whole categories of meet data.