Contents
MM-HOOPS Help Contents

The Contents lists the Help topics available for MM-HOOPS.  Use the scroll bar to see entries not currently visible in the Help window.

Introduction
MM-HOOPS Overview
MM-HOOPS Files
Pre-Tournament Setup
Recording Actual Results
Viewing Standings
Viewing Pool Winner Scenarios

Commands
File Menu Commands
Setup Menu Commands
Process Menu Commands
Standings Menu Commands
Help Menu Commands
Toolbar Commands


MM-HOOPS Overview

MM-HOOPS is an NCAA Tournament Pool Management System.  This system has been used for several years and has proven to save considerable time in the management of a pool, while providing superior features and greater accuracy than a manually operated pool.

You determine the rules for your pool and setup the tournament pairings.  When people return their brackets to you, you enter their picks into the system.  Then, as the tournament unfolds, you enter the actual results, and at the click of a button, MM-HOOPS calculates the pool standings for you, including each entrant's number of correct picks, points to date, and potential point total.  Once the tournament is down to the Final Four, MM-HOOPS even calculates the potential pool winners based on the remaining tournament scenarios.

MM-HOOPS version 2.4 runs on Microsoft Excel version 4.0.  MM-HOOPS version 2.5 runs on Microsoft Excel version 5.0.

Note:  Since it is illegal in most parts of the country to gamble on the NCAA Tournament, MM-HOOPS may be used for entertainment purposes only!


MM-HOOPS Files

The following is a list and description of the files that come with MM-HOOPS:

final4.xlt	Used to list the pool winners under the possible final result scenarios, once the tournament has reached the Final Four

master.xlt	Used to setup the tournament pairings and record actual results

mm-hoops.hlp	Help file containing all of the MM-HOOPS help text

mm-hoops.ico	MM-HOOPS icon file

mm-hoops.xlm	Macro sheet containing all of the commands and logic to run MM-HOOPS

rules.xlt	Used to record the rules for your pool and can be printed out along with the brackets for prospective pool participants

template.xlt	Used to record each pool entrant's picks

tips.xlt	Password protected sheet containing 16 tips for making your picks (password supplied upon receipt of shareware fee)

totals.xlt	Used to record the pool standings


Pre-Tournament Setup

The following is a description of the setup tasks you perform before the tournament begins:

1.	Select Setup New Tournament Pool, or click on the [image] button, to delete last year's MM-HOOPS files and initialize parameters for a new pool.

2.	Select Setup Rules, or click on the [image] button, to define how many points per correct pick you want to assign in each round, how you want the pool pot to be distributed, and when and to whom entries are due.

3.	Select Setup Pairings, or click on the [image] button, to define the tournament matchups.

4.	Print out the rules and pairings and distribute to prospective pool participants.

5.	For each entry you receive, you will create a brackets spreadsheet.  To do this, select Setup Entrants, or click on the [image] button.

6.	To fill out the spreadsheet, select the cell containing the person's pick for the first game.  The [image] button moves the cursor between the two teams in a bracket.  Click on the [image] button.  This will advance that team to the next round and move the cursor to the next game.  Again select the cell containing the team chosen to advance and click the [image] button.  Continue this until the entire sheet is filled out.  Enter the person's guess for the total points that will be scored in the last game, and click on the done button, [image].

7.	Repeat steps 5 & 6 for each entry in the pool.


Recording Actual Results

The following is a description of the tasks you perform to record the actual tournament results:

1.	Select Process Actual Results, or click on the [image] button.  This will take you into the master spreadsheet.  Select the cell containing the actual winner of a game.  The [image] button moves the cursor between the two teams in a bracket.  Click on the [image] button.  This will advance that team to the next round and move the cursor to the next game.  Again select the cell containing the winner of a game and click the [image] button.  Continue this for the rest of the round (or day), and click on the done button, [image].


Viewing Standings

The following is a description of the tasks you perform to view the pool standings:

1.	Select Update Standings, or click on the [image] button, to update the current standings.

2.	Select Sort Standings to choose how you would like to sort the standings.  Or, click on the [image] button to sort the standings in alphabetical order, the [image] button to sort by the number of correct picks chosen to date, the [image] button to sort by the points earned to date, or the [image] button to sort by the potential total points that could be earned by the entrant.


Viewing Pool Winner Scenarios

The following is a description of the tasks you perform to view the pool winner scenarios:

1.	Once the tournament has reached the Final Four, select Process Final Four Scenarios, or click on the [image] button.  This will run through the remaining 8 potential tournament scenarios and create a document that lists the pool 1st Place and 2nd Place finishers under each scenario.


File Menu Commands

Open

Opens an existing document.  Also used for changing directories and drives.

Print Preview

Displays the document's pages so you can see how they will look when printed.

Exit MM-HOOPS

Ends your MM-HOOPS work session and restores your Microsoft Excel settings.


Open Command (File Menu)

Opens an existing document and displays it on the screen.  You can use this option to retrieve a previously saved document if you want, but MM-HOOPS will automatically open all documents you need.

File Name

Displays the default file specification *.XL*, and a list of the Microsoft Excel files in the current directory.  Type the name of the file you want to open, or select it from the list.

Directories

Lists the current directory and any subdirectories.

List Files Of Type

Lists the available file formats.

Drives

Lists the available drives.

Read Only

Select this check box if you want to view the document, but don't want to save changes to it.

Text

Displays additional options.  When you open a text file, you can choose the character used to separate fields or columns of text.  Microsoft Excel places the text following each delimiter character in a separate cell.  You can also specify the original source of the text file you're opening:  Macintosh, Windows (ANSI), and DOS or OS/2 (PC-8).


Print Preview Command (File Menu)

Displays each page as it will look when you print the document.

Next

Displays the next page of the document.

Previous

Displays the previous page of the document.

Zoom

Switches between full page view and actual size view of document pages.

Print

Displays the Print dialog box.

Setup

Displays the Page Setup dialog box.

Margins

Displays the current margin and column width settings.  You can adjust these by dragging the margins or column markers.  Choose the Margins button again to turn the margins and column markers off.

Close

Closes the Print Preview window and displays the active document.


Exit MM-HOOPS Command (File Menu)

Ends your MM-HOOPS work session and restores your Microsoft Excel settings.

If you have made changes to any open document, you are asked if you want to save those changes.


Setup Menu Commands

New Tournament Pool

Deletes last year's tournament pool files and initializes parameters for a new pool.

Rules

Defines how many points per correct pick you want to assign in each round, how you want the pool pot to be distributed, and when and to whom entries are due.

Pairings

Defines the tournament matchups.

Entrants

Creates a brackets spreadsheet for a pool entrant.


New Tournament Pool Command (Setup Menu)

You will be prompted to confirm your decision to delete the files from last year's tournament.  If this is the first year you have used MM-HOOPS, or if you do not wish to save your files from a previous year, you should click on the 'OK' button.  Otherwise, click on the 'Cancel' button.  If you want to save files from a previous year, move all spreadsheet (.xls) files to a different directory, then select this option again.


Rules Command (Setup Menu)

Defines the rules for your tournament pool and creates a rules document that you can print and distribute.

Points Per Correct Pick

You determine the point values to be assigned per round to each correct pick.  Since it is more difficult to pick the winners in later rounds, you may want to award higher point values to those picks.  Enter the point value you wish to assign to each correct pick for each of the six rounds of the tournament in the fields provided.

Tournament Pool Pot

You determine the cost per entry in your tournament and how the pot will be distributed between the winner and runner-up.  Enter these values in the fields provided.

Entry Information

You determine the date and time by which entries must be received and the person to whom they should be returned.  Enter these values in the fields provided.


Pairings Command (Setup Menu)

Defines the brackets for this year's tournament matchups.

Region Setup

Each year, the region matchups are rotated.  In the fields provided, select which regions play each other for this year's tournament.

Bracket Setup

You are presented with a blank brackets spreadsheet.  Fill out this sheet by entering the name of each team next to the appropriate seeding in the appropriate region.  When you have finished entering all of the pairings, click on the done button, [image].


Entrants Command (Setup Menu)

Creates a brackets spreadsheet for a pool entrant.

To fill out the spreadsheet, select the cell containing the person's pick for the first game.  The [image] button moves the cursor between the two teams in a bracket.  Click on the [image] button.  This will advance that team to the next round and move the cursor to the next game.  Again select the cell containing the team chosen to advance and click the [image] button.  Continue this until the entire sheet is filled out.  Enter the person's guess for the total points that will be scored in the last game, and click on the done button, [image].


Process Menu Commands

Actual Results

Records the winner of each game in the tournament.

Final Four Scenarios

Calculates the potential pool winners based on the remaining tournament scenarios.


Actual Results Command (Process Menu)

Records the winner of each game in the tournament.

You are presented with the master brackets spreadsheet.  Select the cell containing the actual winner of a game.  The [image] button moves the cursor between the two teams in a bracket.  Click on the [image] button.  This will advance that team to the next round and move the cursor to the next game.  Again select the cell containing the winner of a game and click the [image] button.  Continue this for the rest of the round (or day), and click on the done button, [image].


Final Four Scenarios Command (Process Menu)

Calculates the potential pool winners based on the remaining tournament scenarios.

This will run through the remaining 8 potential tournament scenarios and create a document that lists the pool 1st Place and 2nd Place finishers under each scenario.


Standings Menu Commands

Update

Updates and displays the current tournament pool standings.

Sort

Displays a dialog box that allows you to sort the standings in four different ways.


Update Command (Standings Menu)

Calculates and displays the current tournament pool standings, including each entrant's number of correct picks, points to date, and potential point total.


Sort Command (Standings Menu)

Allows you to sort the standings in four different ways:

Name

Sorts the standings in ascending order based on entrant name.

Number of Correct Picks

Sorts the standings in descending order based on the number of correct picks chosen to date.

Points To Date

Sorts the standings in descending order based on the number of points earned to date.

Potential Points

Sorts the standings in descending order based on the number of potential total points that could be earned by each entrant.


Help Menu Commands

Contents

Displays the Help contents.

Tourney Tips

Displays 16 tips for filling out your brackets based on an analysis of past tournament results.

About MM-HOOPS

Displays the MM-HOOPS shareware notice, version number, and copyright notice.


Contents Command (Help Menu)

Use this command to display the opening screen of Help. From the opening screen, you can jump to step-by-step instructions for using MM-HOOPS and various types of reference information.

Once you open Help, you can click the first button on the left in the Help window whenever you want to return to the opening screen.


Tourney Tips Command (Help Menu)

Upon receipt of your shareware fee, you will be sent the password that unlocks a spreadsheet containing 16 DOs and DON'Ts for filling out your brackets.  These tips are based on an extensive statistical database, dating back to the very first NCAA tournament.


About MM-HOOPS Command (Help Menu)

Use this command to display the MM-HOOPS shareware notice, version number, and copyright notice.


Toolbar Commands

 Other Team

Selects the other team in a bracket.

 Advance Team

Advances a team to the next round.

 Done

Performs validation on a completed brackets sheet and saves your changes.


 Other Team Command (Toolbar)

This command is only available when you are in a bracket spreadsheet (either setting up an entrant's picks or recording actual results).  Use this command to move the cursor between the two teams in a bracket.  It makes filling out the brackets faster and easier.


 Advance Team Command (Toolbar)

This command is only available when you are in a bracket spreadsheet (either setting up an entrant's picks or recording actual results).  Use this command to advance a team to the next round and move the cursor to the next game.  It makes filling out the brackets faster and easier.


 Done Command (Toolbar)

This command is only available when you are in a bracket spreadsheet (setting up the pairings, setting up an entrant's picks, or recording actual results).  You must use this command to validate the brackets and save your changes.


Sort Standings Dialog

Allows you to sort the standings in four different ways:

Name

Sorts the standings in ascending order based on entrant name.

Number of Correct Picks

Sorts the standings in descending order based on the number of correct picks chosen to date.

Points To Date

Sorts the standings in descending order based on the number of points earned to date.

Potential Points

Sorts the standings in descending order based on the number of potential total points that could be earned by each entrant.


Rules Setup Dialog

Defines the rules for your tournament pool and creates a rules document that you can print and distribute.

Points Per Correct Pick

You determine the point values to be assigned per round to each correct pick.  Since it is more difficult to pick the winners in later rounds, you may want to award higher point values to those picks.  Enter the point value you wish to assign to each correct pick for each of the six rounds of the tournament in the fields provided.

Tournament Pool Pot

You determine the cost per entry in your tournament and how the pot will be distributed between the winner and runner-up.  Enter these values in the fields provided.

Entry Information

You determine the date and time by which entries must be received and the person to whom they should be returned.  Enter these values in the fields provided.


Region Setup Dialog

Each year, the region matchups are rotated.  In the fields provided, select which regions play each other for this year's tournament.


Entrant Setup Dialog

Records the name of the entrant before creating the brackets spreadsheet.

First Name

Enter the entrant's first name.

Last Name

Enter the entrant's last name.

Entry Number For This Person

If you are entering the first or only entry for this person, enter "1" in this field.  If the person has turned in multiple entries, and you are entering the person's second set of brackets, enter "2", etc.