Trunk or Treat team guide

Everything you need to prepare cars, print QR signs, upload photos and run the vote.

Open organiser area · Open voting page

1. Get access

1. Send Erik the email address you use for your ChatGPT account.
2. Erik adds that email under the organiser area’s Team tab. This does not send an invitation.
3. Open the organiser link Erik shares. Tap “Sign in with ChatGPT” and use that approved account.

Visitors never need a ChatGPT account. Only organisers sign in.

2. Add cars before the event

1. Open the Cars tab.
2. Use “Add one car” to enter a car number and theme name. Leave the theme blank if it has not been decided.
3. For several spaces, use “Create numbered spaces”. For example, start at 1 and create 30 spaces.
4. Assign each number to one car. Add the person or family responsible in “Person’s name”. Only organisers see this field, including on Results and in the results CSV. It never appears on public voting pages or QR signs.
5. Tap “Edit / add photo” to update the theme later. Uncheck participation for unused spaces so visitors do not see them.

Car numbers are permanent. Changing a theme or uploading a photo does not change the QR link. Do not swap numbers between cars once voting has started.

3. Print the QR signs

1. Open the QR signs tab and select the cars you need.
2. Tap “Prepare signs”. A new tab opens with one sign per Letter-size page.
3. Leave “Include current theme names” unchecked if themes may change. Number-only signs are ready to print ahead of time.
4. Tap “Print / save PDF”. Choose Letter paper, portrait orientation and 100% scale. Turn off browser headers and footers. Enable background graphics if available.
5. Print one sign and scan it with a phone first. Check that it opens the correct car number without asking the visitor to sign in.
6. Print the full set. Attach each sign to its assigned car, where visitors can scan it easily.

If you need the QR image for another layout, use “Download QR image” below that car’s sign. Leave a clear white border around the code.

4. Add photos on event day

1. On your phone, open the organiser area and sign in.
2. Find the correct car number in the Cars tab. Tap “Edit / add photo”.
3. Tap “Take photo” to open your camera, or “Choose photo” to use an existing image.
4. Frame the decorated car clearly. A landscape photo works well. Keep the decorations near the centre because gallery thumbnails crop the edges.
5. Wait for “Photo uploaded”. Photos save immediately. Tap “Save car details” if you also changed the theme or participation.
6. Scan the printed QR sign to check the number, theme and photo.

A photo is helpful but optional. Cars without photos show their number and a branded placeholder, and visitors can still vote.

Remove a photo or car

Open Cars, then “Edit / add photo”. Choose “Remove photo” to clear the image while keeping the car, votes and QR code. Confirm the removal when prompted.

Choose “Delete car” to permanently remove a car and its current photo. Voting must be paused and the car must have no votes. If it has votes, uncheck participation to hide it instead. Remove the deleted car’s printed sign from the event.

5. Open voting

1. Check that every participating car is listed and unused spaces are hidden.
2. Open the Event tab and select “Open voting” when the event begins.
3. Tell visitors: “Scan a car’s QR code and tap Vote for this car. You can browse all cars and change your choice before voting closes.”

The site starts in Preparation. Voting does not open automatically on October 31. Internet access is needed to load cars, upload photos and record votes.

6. Close voting and award prizes

1. Announce that voting is about to close.
2. In the Event tab, select “Close voting” and confirm.
3. Open Results and tap Refresh. Use these frozen standings to identify the top three cars.
4. If cars are tied near a prize place, use the team’s agreed tie-break. The site shows ties and does not choose a winner randomly.
5. Tap “Download results CSV” to save the results.

Results are visible only to approved organisers. Visitors can keep browsing after voting closes.

How voting works

Each browser has one active vote, remembered with a cookie. Voting for another car moves that vote instead of adding a second one. Returning to a car’s QR page shows the current choice.

This is a simple community vote, not verified one-person voting. Separate browsers or devices, private browsing and cleared cookies can allow another vote. Family members sharing one browser share its vote. Do not clear cookies or switch browsers while voting.

Run a rehearsal

Before event day, test with the actual car list and a printed sign. Open voting, cast a vote, change it to another car and check Results. Return the event to Preparation. Erik can then type CLEAR under “Clear practice votes” to remove rehearsal votes. Cars, photos and QR links stay in place. Do this before community voting starts.

Quick help

Event-day checklist

• Car numbers match the signs.
• Unused spaces are hidden.
• Photos and themes have been checked.
• Practice votes have been cleared.
• Team phones have internet access and organiser sign-in works.
• One organiser is assigned to open and close voting.
• The team has agreed how to resolve ties.
• Voting closes before prizes are announced.