Quick start guide

This page gives you instructions to get you started using PerfectTablePlan quickly. If you want step-by-step instructions please go to the Tutorial.

Note that you can easily switch between this Help window and the PerfectTablePlan Main window using Alt+Tab keys on the keyboard (hold down the Alt key and press Tab until you get the window you want).

There are 5 simple steps to creating a table plan:

1. Add guests.

2. Define who should sit near (or not near) whom.

3. Add tables.

4. Assign guests to tables.

5. Print/export results.

These 5 steps correspond to the 5 Task tool bar buttons.

When one of these buttons is pressed you will only be able to see the panes and tool bar buttons appropriate to that task.

Ensure View|User interface|Basic is selected so that the Task tool bar is visible.

1. Add guests

Click on the button in the Task tool bar, if it isn't already selected.

Guests can be added as individuals, couples, families or groups using Insert| Single guest, Insert| Guest couple, Insert| Guest family, Insert| Guest group or the equivalent Insert tool bar buttons. You can add everyone as individuals, but it saves time to add them as couples, families and groups where appropriate.

Each guest may have the following properties:

Most of this information is optional, but a guest must have at least a first name or a last name.

In addition, every guest is a member of a group (even single guests belong to their own group). Each group has optional contact details and notes. You can easily drag guests between groups in the Groups pane.

If you already have guest data (for example as vCards, in a spreadsheet, text file or address book) you can import it using File| Import. See Importing data for more information.

Once you have entered a guest's details you can change their properties later by selecting them and then choosing Edit| Properties or the equivalent Main tool bar button.

Click on the appropriate column headers in the Guests pane to sort the guests by first name, last name etc. You can also see how guests are grouped in the Groups pane.

You can set the RSVP status of guests to track whether their invitation has been sent, accepted, declined or cancelled.

You should now make sure you save your plan using File| Save or the equivalent Main tool bar button. You will be asked to provide a name for the new plan file.

2. Define who should sit near who

Click on the button in the Task tool bar.

You may want to have some guests sitting close to each other (for example couples, friends and people who you think might be compatible) and some sitting far apart (for example divorced couples). The automatic layout function will take account of proximity when it decides where to place guests.

Proximity	Icon	Meaning
Next to		should be placed next to each other
Near to		should be placed next to or on the same table
Neutral		no preference
Not next to		should not be placed next to and preferably not on same table
Not near to		should not be placed on the same table

If you add guests using Insert| Guest couple, Insert| Guest family or Insert| Guest group a sensible default value will be set for their proximity.

You can view and edit the proximity of guests in the Proximity pane. Just click on the appropriate drop-down menu in the table to change the proximity. Note that the table is symmetric - if you change the proximity for column A and row B the proximity for row A and column B will change to match.

If you want to set the proximity for a number of guests, select them all in the Guests pane (using Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click/ +Click) and then select the appropriate proximity from Edit|Proximity (you must select more than one guest). Alternatively click on a group in the Groups pane and select the appropriate proximity from Edit|Proximity. You will need to click on the button to show the Guests pane.

3. Add tables

Click on the button in the Task tool bar.

Tables can be added using Insert| Circular table, Insert| Rectangular table, Insert| Head table, Insert| Custom table or the equivalent Insert tool bar button. The types of table are:

Table	Icon	Meaning
Circular		a circular table with seats all around it
Rectangular		a rectangular or square table with matching numbers of seats on opposite sides, for a trestle/banquet table set to 0 seats on 2 sides
Head (top)		a long table with seats on only one side, for example a head table at a wedding or banquet
Custom		a rectangular or square table with different numbers of seats on each of the 4 sides

The Name of a table will be displayed on any printouts. The Notes can be used to record useful information not recorded elsewhere. The Create field allows you to add more than one table at a time.

Check the auto check box to size the table automatically according to the number of seats and the seat size in the Dimensions window.

Check the VIP check box to designate a VIP table. The automatic layout will attempt to assign VIP guests to VIP tables.

You should make sure that you have enough seats for all your guests. You can see how many seats and guests you have at any time by looking in the Status bar at the bottom of the Main window.

Once you have created a table you can change its properties by selecting it and then choosing Edit| Properties or the equivalent Main tool bar button.

New tables will be placed in an empty space near the centre of your current view of the Floor plan. You can move tables in the Floor plan by dragging them (left click on the centre of a table, hold down the mouse button and drag to the appropriate position). You can zoom in and out of the Floor plan using the and buttons and zoom so all tables are visible using the button. When you are zoomed in you can move around the Floor plan by clicking on the scroll bars or by dragging the background (the cursor will change to a hand). You can change the size of the floor plan using the button.

Rotate a table by choosing Edit| Rotate table or the equivalent Main tool bar button.

You can also view one table at a time in the Table plan pane. Use the navigation buttons to change table.

Save your plan using File| Save.

4. Assign guests to tables

Click on the button in the Task tool bar.

Once you have entered guest details and added tables, you can create your table plan automatically or using drag and drop. You will often need a combination of both for best results.

If you have people that you definitely want to sit together (for example the wedding party or VIP guests) you can assign their seats manually. Drag these guests from the Guests or Groups pane to the appropriate table or seats in either the Floor plan, Table plan or Schematic panes. To drag a guest or group left click, hold down the mouse button and drag to the appropriate seat (select more than one guest/group by using Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click/ +Click). Drag a whole group by holding down the Shift key when you start to drag a member of that group.

You need to 'lock' guests to stop the automatic seat assignment moving them later. Lock them in place by selecting the guests, for example in the Guests or Floor plan pane, and choosing Edit|Locked (you can also select a table and lock all the guests on it).

The rest of the guests can now be assigned to the remaining seats automatically by selecting File| Automatic layout or the equivalent Main tool bar button. If you have a large table plan (200+ guests) you may need to increase the amount of time allowed for the automatic layout in the Preferences window.

The automatic layout will try to find the best layout using a scoring approach. The scoring takes account of:

• guest proximity

• alternating genders (if selected in the Preferences window)

• seating VIPs on VIP tables

• not seating guests on their own

• VIPs score higher than guests who aren't VIPs

You can halt the automatic layout at any time by pressing the Stop button. The best solution so far will be kept. If you don't like the changes you can select Edit| Undo to undo the change.

You can reassign guests by dragging and dropping them in the Floor plan, Table plan or Schematic panes to fine-tune the layout. You can also change proximities and re-run the automatic layout as often as you like.

You can see how good your layout is by looking at the scores in the Schematic pane (check show scores, positive scores are good, negative scores are bad) or by holding down the proximity buttons at the top of the Floor plan or Table plan panes. For example the button will show you any non-ideal positioning (such as guests with proximity who aren't sat next to each other). Click the button to show all the buttons at the top of the Floor plan or Table plan pane. Obviously, what makes a good table plan is hard to fully define in mathematical terms, but the score will usually give a fair indication.

Use the Table chart pane to see your plan ordered by table.

Use the Guest chart pane to see your plan ordered by guest last name.

Use the Statistics pane to see some statistics about your plan.

At any time you can unassign a guest from their seat by choosing Edit|Unassign or dragging them on to the background in the Floor plan or Table plan pane. You can select multiple guests for unassigning (except in the Floor plan or Table plan pane) by using Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click/ +Click.

5. Printing/exporting

Click on the button in the Task tool bar.

When you are happy with your table plan you can print off the Floor plan , Table plan, Table chart, Guest chart and/or Statistics panes using File| Print or the equivalent Main tool bar button. Alternatively, order a table plan/seating chart online from one of our partners using File| Order plan online.

Export your plan to another application, for example to create a invitation letter mail merge, using File| Export.

Copy the contents of the Floor plan , Table plan, Table chart, Guest chart and/or Statistics panes into the clipboard using Edit|Copy, for example to paste into Microsoft Word or Excel.

Make sure you save your plan using File| Save before exiting.

If you want to try the laying out a more realistic table plan, try loading one of the sample plans supplied with PerfectTablePlan.

If you are confident in your abilities you may wish to change to the expert user interface by selecting View|User interface|Expert.

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