What the seating chart maker does
The seating chart maker places a list of names on seats: desks in rows for a classroom, round tables for a wedding or a gala, or long tables for a banquet, a workshop or a family dinner. It seats everyone at random or from A to Z, follows simple rules about who should sit apart or together, lets you swap and lock seats by hand, and prints the result as a PDF with an alphabetical list of names and table numbers.
Everything happens in your browser. The names are saved in this browser so the chart is still there tomorrow, and nothing is uploaded. If you only need a blank chart to fill in by hand, the printable seating chart template is simpler.
The three layouts
| Layout | Size | Keep apart means | Keep together means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classroom rows | Rows times desks per row, front row first | Not in neighboring desks, diagonals included | One connected block of desks, side by side or front to back |
| Round tables | Seats per table, tables added as needed | At different tables | At the same table |
| Long tables | Seats per table, shown as two facing sides | At different tables | At the same table |
With Tables left empty, the page adds as many tables as the names need and spreads people evenly, so table sizes differ by at most one person unless a group or a locked seat needs more room. Type a number to fix the table count, for example when the venue has exactly 12 tables. In a classroom, the page fills the front rows first, so empty desks usually end up at the back.
Keep apart and keep together
Rules are written one per line with names separated by commas. A line like Sam, Alex in Keep apart puts Sam and Alex at different tables or in desks that do not touch. A line with three names keeps all three away from each other. A line in Keep together seats the whole group at one table or in one block of desks. Names must match the list, but upper and lower case do not matter. The page lists names it cannot find.
With Random order, the page places the groups first, fills the other seats at random, then swaps people who break a rule with others. It does this for up to 60 seatings and stops at the first one that keeps every rule. If none does, it keeps the seating that breaks the fewest rules and lists exactly which ones are broken. It never claims a rule is kept when it is not. Some rules cannot work at all, like a group of nine at tables of eight, or the same two people in both boxes, and the page points those out right away.
A to Z order sorts by the full name as you typed it, so write last names first if you want to sort by last name. It does not move anyone for the rules, but it still checks them and shows which ones the order breaks.
Swaps and locks
Tap one seat and then another to swap the two people. Tapping an empty seat moves the person there. Select a seat and press Lock seat to pin a person in place: Arrange seats leaves locked seats alone, so you can fix the head table or a student who needs the front row and reshuffle everyone else. Editing the list keeps everyone where they are, removes names you deleted and puts new names in free seats. Changing the layout keeps people in the same order but clears the locks.
PDF, CSV and saving
- PDF. The chart on landscape pages, then an A to Z list with the table number, or row and desk, on portrait pages. Long names get smaller type and are cut with an ellipsis if they still do not fit.
- CSV. One line per person with name, table and seat, or name, row and desk, ready for a spreadsheet, place cards or a mail merge.
- Copy A to Z list. The alphabetical list as plain text for an email or a chat.
- Saving. Names, rules, layout and seats are kept in this browser's local storage. Clear saved data deletes them. A private window may not keep them.
A worked example
A couple has 62 wedding guests and round tables of 8. They paste the guest list and leave Tables empty, so the page makes 8 tables: six with 8 guests and two with 7. They add two rules. Keep together holds the four college friends, and Keep apart separates two cousins. They press Arrange seats, and the status line says every rule is kept. They tap a grandparent and then a seat at table 1 to move them closer to the front, lock that seat and press Arrange seats again to mix the other tables. The PDF goes to the venue, and the A to Z list goes on an easel by the door.
Limits
Up to 400 names, 15 rows of 15 desks or 60 tables of up to 20 seats. The rules know only tables and neighboring desks. They do not know which tables are near the dance floor or which seats face each other. Very tight rules may have no answer, and the page then shows the best seating it found. Saved data lives in one browser on one device.
How to use the seating chart maker
- 1Paste the names, one per line.
- 2Pick classroom rows, round tables or long tables and set the size.
- 3Add keep apart and keep together rules if you need them, then press Arrange seats.
- 4Swap or lock seats by hand, then download the PDF or the CSV.
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Frequently asked questions
Are the names sent anywhere?
No. The seating is worked out in your browser. The names, rules and seats are saved in this browser only, so they are still there when you come back, and Clear saved data removes them. Names are never put into the page address.
How does the page keep two people apart?
At an event, two people kept apart sit at different tables. In a classroom, they do not sit in neighboring desks, which includes the desks to the left and right, in front, behind and on the diagonals. Put each pair on its own line, or several names on one line to keep all of them away from each other.
What happens when the rules cannot all be kept?
Random seating tries up to 60 seatings and improves each one by swapping people who break a rule. If none keeps every rule, the page keeps the seating that breaks the fewest and lists each rule that is still broken, so you can fix it by hand or change a rule. Some rules can never work, such as a group of 10 at tables of 8, and the page says so before it tries.
Can I move people by hand?
Yes. Tap a seat, then tap another seat to swap the two people, or move someone to an empty seat. On a computer you can also drag a name onto another seat. Lock a seat to keep its person in place when you arrange the seats again.
What is in the PDF?
First the chart on landscape pages: the desks with a Front of the room bar, or one box per table with numbered seats. Then a guest or class list from A to Z with each table number, or row and desk, so people can find their seat. Paper size is Letter or A4.
How many names can I seat?
Up to 400 names. A classroom can have up to 15 rows of 15 desks. Events can have up to 60 tables with 2 to 20 seats each, and with Tables set to Auto the page adds tables until everyone has a seat.
Why are some letters missing in the PDF?
The PDF uses a standard font that covers English and most Western European letters. Letters from other scripts and emoji are left out, a few rare accented letters lose the accent, and the page tells you when that happens. The chart on screen and the CSV file keep every character.