Frequently Asked Questions

Do the Exhibitors input their own entry?
No. Show Commander is used by the Show Secretary or person inputting entries. Most entries come in on paper form.
Does Show Commander produce Judging Sheets?
Yes, the judging sheets are nicely organized by Division, Class, Breed, and Variety. They were fine-tuned over the years from feedback of clerks using them since 2013.
Does Show Commander track results and produce show reports?
Not currently, although it was in the original version of the software. It was disabled due to lack of use.
What is the cost to use Show Commander?
See the Purchase page.
Does Show commander produce labels for coop cards?
Yes. It prints on 2 sizes of standard Avery labels as well as printing directly to card stock (recommended).
Where is the greatest saving of time when using Show Commander?
  1. Entering breeds and varieties is standardized using a built-in database. You, or the Exhibitor, don't even need to know how to spell! This also cuts down on entry errors.
  2. Producing setup reports that list the number of coops required for each class. This reduces the time spent during show setup day.
  3. The largest time saver, in my opinion, is producing Judging sheets. It literally takes seconds. And they are sorted correctly, so the clerks save time entering results.
  4. Producing coop card labels, or, preferably, the entire card itself! The labels are produced in seconds, and then it's a "peel and stick" activity. However, the entire card can also be printed, either 4 or 6 to a sheet, and then cut into individual cards. This is a huge time saver for large shows!
From an Exhibitor's prospective, what advantages does Show Commander provide?
The one I hear the most about are the Receipts which can be mailed or emailed to the exhibitor once their entries are recorded. Exhibitors appreciate the reminder of what they entered and what they need to load into the truck! And there are fewer, and most of the time, zero, entry errors. That keeps exhibitors happy.
Can multiple people be assigned to input entries?
Yes. And they do not even need to be in the same city, state, or country! Since Show Commander is accessed through a standard browser interface, the Show Secretary can get help inputting entries from anyone they designate. Split the work up!
I am inputting entries, and the exhibitor's breed or variety is not listed.
Although the Show Commander breed database is very comprehensive and is updated regularly, from time-to-time new breeds and/or varieties are entered. These are handled as follows:
  • If the Breed is not in the list, select the "Other" breed for the species of the exhibit. For example, for a standard size Cinnamon Duck, select "Other, Large Fowl Duck."A field will appear where you can enter the unknown "Cinnamon" breed and variety.
  • If the Variety (Color) is not in the list, select the "- Other" variety for that breed. For example, for a green large fowl Wyandotte, select "Wyandotte, Large Fowl Other" and a field will appear where you can enter the unknown "green" variety.