Why you should use an online seating chart maker

Whether you are organizing a classroom or trying to seat guests at a wedding, a seating chart is an excellent idea – but using an online seating chart is an even better one! It can organize you without reams of paper and you don’t have to worry about making mistakes – changes are just a keystroke away!

There are quite a few sites to choose from – mostly geared towards teachers and brides filling tables at weddings. The following is an outline what features online seating chart sites have to offer:

• Most online seating charts can lay out a classroom. They provide teachers with squares and grids (sometimes even graphics that look like chairs!). Then, you can import data, such as names, sort the data, drag and drop seats, if you want to move students around.
• Some online chart makers allow teachers to make seating charts for up to 100 students a grouping. Usually, you create an account, then you are allowed an unlimited number of groupings and you can upload photos to go with your groups. Most programs are a simple drag-and-drop interface – you enter the names into squares and then drag and drop where you want them seated.
• Other sites are designed for wedding planning. They allow brides to import the guest list from Excel or some other software, and brides can visualize their event space.
• Some online wedding seating chart sites offer 3D floor plans. You can send the floor plans of the venue to the Web site, and the employees will digitize, scale and upload the finished product to your account. Event professionals, caterers, and wedding planners often use these more involved sites when planning seating arrangements for clients.
• Some of the wedding-based seating chart organizers will also track meal types and RSVPs, as well as offering mobile check in on the day of the wedding. Many times, the more advanced sites require you to register and pay a fee, depending on how involved you get.
• There are some seating chart sites which allow you to create interactive seating charts based on the room dimensions of your venue (again, great for brides!). You can drag and drop a table (sometimes even offering the choice of a square or round table!) and then you can add names to it.
• Some online seating chart sites are designed as not only a desktop site but one with an application you can put on your phone or tablet. Again, these are mostly drag and drop – and you input your guest names. Some even allow you to share your plans with venues – or relatives!

Suggestions for Use
Teachers should consider taking advantage of the online seating charts, especially those with the ability to chart out multiple classes. Brides will love all options these sites offer, which is to input your guest list and create table assignments—then drag and drop to change. There are some online seating charts, specially designed for wedding planning, that seems to be higher-tech (used mostly by wedding and event professionals), but brides could make use of actually visualizing their own unique venue with these seating charts. And some of these online seating chart Web sites offer apps to go on your phone or tablet that can go with you anywhere. You can make changes on the train to work!

Whatever online seating chart maker you use, one thing is certain: You will be better able to stay organized with any one of the many choices there are online.