Random Seating Plan
Create a seating chart with real row and column positions instead of only shuffling a list. Block unavailable places, fix selected participants to seats, then shuffle everyone else together with spare seats. Identical names remain separate participants through their input numbers, and a CSV includes the state of every seat.
Key features
- A coordinate grid with 1–20 rows and columns, up to 200 total seats
- Toggle unavailable seats out of the draw
- Input-order identifiers for duplicate names and participant-specific fixed seats
- Randomize remaining people and empty places while preserving fixed assignments
- Explicit capacity, duplicate-fix and blocked-seat validation
- CSV download with every seat status and participant ID
How to use
- Enter one name per line or load the example.
- Set rows and columns, then press unavailable seats to block them.
- Optionally choose a participant and seat, then add a fixed assignment.
- Press Randomize seats and check fixed assignments, people and empty places.
- Download the CSV. Generate a new arrangement after editing settings.
Use cases
- Account for front-row assignments and unavailable classroom desks
- Assign meeting participants to a rectangular seating area
- Distinguish people who share the same name
- Distribute spare places across the arrangement
Frequently asked questions
Are identical names merged?
No. Each nonempty input line gets its own number such as #1 or #2 and an internal ID. Identical names are assigned separately, and the CSV also includes those IDs.
How do blocked and fixed seats differ?
A blocked seat receives nobody. A fixed seat keeps its chosen participant. Remove a fixed assignment before blocking that place. A participant or seat cannot be fixed more than once.
Where do spare seats appear?
The tool shuffles all places except blocked and fixed seats. Empty places therefore do not always collect in the last row. Each unfixed participant has an equal opportunity among available positions.
What happens when I edit names or grid dimensions?
Editing names clears fixed assignments because participant numbers may change. Editing rows or columns clears blocked and fixed seats because coordinates may change. Any setting edit invalidates the previous result and its download; generate a new arrangement.
What are the limits?
There can be up to 200 participants with up to 80 characters per name; blank lines are ignored. Rows and columns each range from 1 to 20, with a maximum of 200 total seats. Available places after blocking must cover every participant.
What does the CSV contain?
It contains the row, column, state, participant ID and name for every seat, including empty and blocked places. It saves the entered names to your device. Names that could be interpreted as spreadsheet formulas receive a leading apostrophe for text protection.
Privacy
Names, seat settings, fixed assignments and results stay in the current page’s browser memory. This tool does not submit names or seating plans to a server or analytics event, or automatically save them in browser storage. Choosing CSV download saves a chart containing names to your device.
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