Time estimates given below add to a total of 20 hours. They assume that you are a computer novice and do everything thoroughly over a period of several weeks. You do not necessarily have to do the steps in the order given.

01. Pay and register for Smartsettle Training (Optional, see below)
02. Register for the eNegotiation tournament
03. Review tournament instructions
04. Install Smartsettle
05. Set email notification
06. Complete training
07. Study the case and submit pre-negotiation questionnaire
08. Access your case
09. Communicate in Joint Session
10. Enter Graphic View
11. Modify satisfaction graphs and set importances
12. Negotiate
13. Reach final agreement
14. Submit post-negotiation questionnaire
15. Request certification
16. Verify attendance and submit evaluation

1. Pay and register for Smartsettle Training (10 min)

This step is optional for university students and others that do not require certification from Smartsettle or recognition for professional development or continuing education. Click here to pay now. After paying, you will get an email receipt. Note the order number and then click here to register for this event and choose the level of certification desired.

2. Register and donate for the eNegotiation tournament (10 min)

Skip to Step 4 if you are only doing Level I at this time. Otherwise, click here to register for the tournament.After registration, check your login (USER NAME and PASSWORD) at the eNegotiation Tournment start page. If your account is not activated within one business day, contact the tournament registrar.

3. Review tournament instructions (1.5 hrs)

To see the latest tournament instructions click here. If there are any discrepancies between the eNegotiation site and this document, the eNegotiation site is probably right. To confirm, send email to

4. Install the Smartsettle client (10 min)

Be sure that you can go online. See "Smartsettle Infinity Quick Setup" for detailed instructions.

5. Set email notification (5 min)

Choose “Set Email Notification…” from the Smartsettle File menu and enter your email address. Email Notification will check all your online cases for changes. After your negotiations are finished, turn Email Notification off to stop receiving the 'changes waiting' emails.

6. Complete Smartsettle Level I training (8 hrs)

From the Smartsettle Help menu, find and complete tutorials T01 Introduction through T08 Working Online. Unless you are accustomed to using many applications at once on your computer and quickly switching between them with ALT-TAB, we recommend that you print the corresponding document before practicing a particular tutorial. You must successfully pass the quiz before you receive credit for Smartsettle Level I Training and can begin the tournament negotiation. Consult the User Guide (also on the Help menu) for more explanation if necessary.

7. Study competition case and submit pre-negotiation questionnaire (2 hrs)

Study the general background of your case. Log in at the eNegotiation START page to see your confidential information and complete the pre-negotiation questionnarie. You need to submit the questionnaire before you begin negotiating. Study your confidential information carefully and plan a strategy.

8. Access your case (10 min)

After you have completed the pre-negotiation questionnaire and passed the quiz, you may request your case access codes (Short Case Name & Case Password) from training at smartsettle.com. Start the Smartsettle client and access your case on the server.

9. Communicate in Joint Session (1 hr)

Use the Smartsettle joint session area to send a greeting to your opponent. Come back to the Joint Session often to read and send new messages. Look here for some suggested conversation that you can use during the course of your negotiation. Remember to Network Synchronize before and after entering information.

10. Enter Graphic View (1 hr)

Open Graphic View with the private party password sent to you by Training. Create reference packages as needed, e.g., better, worse, optimistic, fair, etc..

11. Modify satisfaction graphs and set importances (2 hrs)

For each issue, open its satisfaction graph, enter the importance and change the points or the bars. After you enter an importance value for each issue, arrange them from highest to lowest and compare the order with that given in your confidential information. Be sure that the order agrees with that given in your confidential information. You must negotiate according to the preferences assigned in your confidential information. There is a penalty for errors, so be careful! Your preferences will be recorded by Smartsettle after you have made two proposals or accepted one Suggestion (whichever happens first). You are not permitted to change your preference representation after that.

12. Negotiate (3 hrs)

Optimistic Proposal: Create a package and move the issue value flags to represent an optimistic proposal, i.e., one that would give you more than you expect. Send that proposal to your opponent. Each time you make a proposal, let your opponent know in Joint Session.

Suggestions: Gererating Smartsettle Suggestions are optional but recommended. From the Generate menu, choose Suggestion. Generate a few Suggestions. Accept any Suggestions that look fair to your side.

Fairness: When both parties accept the same package, you will have a tentative agreement. When this happens, post a message in Joint Session something like this: “We have a deal. Let’s try to find an improvement.”

Efficiency: From the Generate menu, choose Improvement. If Smartsettle finds a package with a higher rating, but it doesn't actually seem better to you, that probably means that you were either not successful in accurately representing your preferences or you have not fully adopted the preferences that were assigned to you. In most cases, you will get a higher score if you accept the improvement.

13. Reach final agreement (25 min)

If it appears that you have a final agreement, then send a message to your opponent something like this: “Do we have a final deal?” If they say yes, then say, “Congratulations, we have a deal. Part ways on friendly terms saying something like, "Looking forward to negotiating with you again sometime”.

14. Submit post-negotiation questionnaire (20 min)

Completing the post-negotiation questionnaire is a prerequisite for recognition of your standing in the competition (See Checklist).

15. Request certification (optional)

If you are a top performer in the tournament you may request recognition from the eNegotiation Tournament registrar. If you are also in the regular Smartsettle training program and would like to receive Smartsettle Certification, contact us with your request to recognize the level that you have completed.

16. Verify attendance and submit evaluation (for Professionals)

If you are also expecting to receive credit for Professional Development or Continuing Education, please verify your attendance and submit an evaluation.