# Starting a New Timing Session

Starting a new timing session with the RUFUS Timing App is straightforward. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up and beginning a new session to accurately record participants' passings at your race event.

## Step 1: Open the Sessions View

* Launch the **RUFUS Timing App** on your Android device.
* Tap on the **Sessions** option from the main menu. This will bring you to a screen that lists any existing timing sessions.

## Step 2: Create a New Timing Session

* **Internet Requirement**: To create a new timing session, you need to have an active internet connection. Once the session is created, you can continue timing without internet access. If you're timing in a location without coverage, make sure to create the timing session beforehand.
* To start a new session, tap the **+** button located at the bottom right corner of the screen.
* A pop-up window will prompt you to **Enter a Filename** for the new timing session. For example, you could name it "finishline.csv".
* Once you have entered a name, press **OK**. This will create the session and take you to the timing interface.
* When you create a new session, any previous unfinished session will be automatically closed.

<figure><img src="/files/uqzzLlBsCXmqF3JLwcIl" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p>New Timing Session Pop-up</p></figcaption></figure>

## Step 3: Recording Passings

<figure><img src="/files/31x8AEw3IsS3sShwjzE5" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p>Timing View</p></figcaption></figure>

* The timing interface displays the current date and time prominently at the top, which helps keep track of when participants cross the finish line or checkpoints.
* To record a passing, enter the participant's **bib number** in the input field provided on the timing screen and press **Enter**. The bib number will be recorded along with the timestamp of the exact moment it was entered.
* Each passing is displayed in a list below the current time, sorted chronologically, so you can easily keep track of all participants who have crossed.
* At the left of each passing, you will see a **# number** indicating the order of the passings. If the number is **pink**, it means that the passing was successfully sent to the cloud. If it is **grey**, it means the passing could not be sent to the cloud. Regardless of cloud status, all passings are always stored in the local file.
* **RFID Timing**: If you are using RFID sleds, when an RFID tag is read, the tag code will be automatically added to the passing list with its corresponding timestamp, ensuring quick and accurate data collection.

## Step 4: Session Management Options

* The **Session Screen** provides an overview of all passings recorded in the current session. Each entry includes the **bib number** and the **time** of crossing.
* If you need to make any corrections, you can delete incorrect entries during the session by selecting the specific entry and sliding it to the left. Deleted passing will be removed from the session .csv file, but not from the cloud, if the passing was correctly sent.

## Step 5: Ending the Timing Session

* Once the event is complete, you can end the timing session by navigating to the **Session Menu** at the top right of this view and selecting the **Finish Session** option.
* Ended sessions are not automatically archived,  you can archive them in the **Sessions** sliding it to the left.

## Autosave Feature

* To ensure no data is lost, you can enable the **Autosave** feature under the **Settings** menu. This allows your timing session to be saved at regular intervals (e.g., every 2 minutes), ensuring all passings are securely stored even if an unexpected issue arises.

## Sharing the Timing Session

* At any time, you can share the **.csv** file of the recorded data via email, WhatsApp, or any other compatible app. Simply go to the **Sessions** or **Archive** view, and long tap the session you wish to share, and choose the sharing option that suits your needs.

***

By following these steps, you can easily start, manage, and end a timing session using the RUFUS Timing App. The intuitive interface is designed to provide a seamless experience, allowing you to focus on accurately timing your race and managing participant data.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://help.runonrufus.com/rufus-timing-app/session-management/starting-a-new-timing-session.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.