When conventional award tools drop the ball, Evalato picks it up

Running awards should feel rewarding. But if you’re still relying on conventional award tools like spreadsheets, emails, and shared folders, you’ve probably felt the chaos creeping in.

Somewhere between missed deadlines and messy judging, the ball gets dropped.

The good news? Evalato is here to pick it up for you.

When your tools fumble, your program stumbles

Old-school award tools may work for a small-scale contest, but once your awards grow (as they should), things fall apart fast.

Here’s what usually goes wrong:

• Too much manual work — Copying, pasting, cross-checking, emailing… It’s like playing tennis with a golf club. It works, sort of, but it’s not ideal.
  
  
• Lost in communication — Judging via email threads? One missed message and the scoring game is over before it even begins.
  
  
• Errors everywhere — It’s easy to make mistakes like assigning entries to the wrong category or duplicating data. One small mistake and someone’s win might slip through the cracks.
  
  
• No clear view of the process — It’s hard to keep track of who submitted, who judged, and what still needs attention when there’s no central dashboard. You’re left checking emails and files to piece things together.

It’s not that these tools are bad per se, they’re just not made for this. They’re built for general administrative work, not awards.

Why does an awards system keep your game tight

A dedicated awards system makes everything faster, smoother, and easier to manage. It takes the pressure off your team and gives you back control.

What that looks like in action:

• Everything is in one place — Registrations, payments, entries, judges, and results are all managed in one awards management software. No need to jump between tools or chase files across folders.
  
  
• Fewer manual tasks — Submissions are sorted automatically. Judges are assigned entries based on your setup. Notifications go out without you lifting a finger. It’s efficient by design.
  
  
• Full visibility — You always know what’s been submitted, what’s in review, and what’s still pending. There’s no double work, status confusion, or last-minute surprises.
  
  
• Flexibility for any format — Whether your program includes multiple rounds or public voting, the awards system adapts to your setup and not the other way around.

The right software keeps your awards running smoothly. When conventional tools fall short, Evalato steps in to make sure nothing gets missed.

Evalato awards system picks up the ball and scores

Evalato is software built specifically for managing awards — not as an add-on or part of another tool. It’s built around the real needs of organizers, which is why Evalato’s features stand out compared to any general-purpose system.

Saves time where it counts

Admin overload isn’t a badge of honor. Evalato takes care of submissions, judging, results, notifications — you name it. You get hours back each week and far fewer emails to deal with.

Handles awards of any size

From local contests to global industry programs, Evalato adapts to fit. Whether you’re managing one category or a hundred, this is one of the few awards management software built to grow with you.

Designed for a better experience

Entrants get a clear submission process with real-time updates and their own space to work on their entries. Judges log into a branded portal that works on any device and feels easy from the start. You can match every part of the experience to your brand — from logo and colors to custom domains and registration forms. You don’t need any tech skills.

Evaluation tools that do the work for you

Evalato supports custom scoring, multiple rounds, and score normalization to keep judging fair and consistent. You can also choose from various voting types, including popularity, public, positional, STV, and more. 

Smart integrations, seamless workflows

Evalato works well with 5,000+ apps via Zapier, plus direct integrations with HubSpot, Intercom, Slack, and Google Analytics. Your data flows where it should, without you chasing it down.

Built for security and peace of mind

Evalato keeps your program protected with high-level security and full GDPR compliance. Your data stays private and fully under your control, it’s never shared, used, or sold.

Payments are processed through trusted, PCI DSS-compliant providers, and all emails are delivered through SendGrid with high protection and deliverability for your emails.

Time to move on from outdated award tools

Some award tools just weren’t made for awards. If you spend more time dealing with workarounds than actually running your program, it’s probably time for something better.

Here’s how to tell when it’s time to pass the torch to Evalato:

• You’re juggling submissions, emails, and spreadsheets manually.
• Judges are unsure where or how to score.
• You’re missing deadlines or losing track of progress.
• Applicants keep asking the same questions.
• You’re stitching together multiple tools just to make things work.
• You can’t support public voting or run multiple rounds easily.
• Collecting payments is complicated or limited.
• You’re worried about data privacy or compliance gaps.
• Admin work takes up more time than it should.
• Your current setup doesn’t match your brand.

The Evalato awards system handles all of that without adding extra complexity. Whether you run one program a year or ten, it helps you stay organized, look professional, and save time. Want to get the ball on your awards rolling? You can try out Evalato for free. 

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