The contest application is pre-configured with the following phases, based on our recommended best practices:

1. Nomination Phase - People can enter the contest by submitting content.
2. Nominations Closed - Uploading is disabled. People can still register, like, comment and share. Judges select 3-12 finalists in the backend.
3. Vote Phase - The public votes on the finalists!
4. Voting Ends - Vote buttons are disabled, and the public is told when to come back to see the winner. People can still register, like, comment and share.
5. Winner Announced - The winner is celebrated in copy and creative! People can still register, like, comment and share.

The phases of the contest are also configured in the Media Factory translator, under a category called "phases".

Tip: The vote start date is somewhat independent - you can start voting right away if you wish.

variable	change required	possible values	notes
2entryClosedDate	yes	June 19 2012 11:59:59AM EST	Sets the date and time that entries into the contest will be closed.
3voteStartDate	yes	June 20 2012 12:00:01AM EST	Sets the date and time that voting on finalists will start.
4voteEndDate	yes	June 26 2012 11:59:59PM EST	Sets the date and time that voting on finalists will end.
5announceWinnerDate	yes	June 29 2012 12:00:00AM EST	Sets the date and time that you intend to refresh the site and announce the contest winner.
finalistsChannel	yes	channel ID (integer)	The channel in which you have placed your finalists media submissions.
winnerChannel	yes	channel ID (integer)	The channel in which you have placed your lucky winning entry.

Tip: Change the dates for testing

Use the phase dates above to move your contest through time. Set dates in the past and future and refresh your app to see what the site will look like at each phase. Don't forget to enter the real dates when you're done! The home page touts for each phase also have to be designed and configured.