Introduction If you ve never run a silent auction before, this guide can be a helpful resource for envisioning and planning your event. It provides a general description of how to run a silent auction event using Bidstation silent auction software, your own mobile devices and a Square account. Bidstation is flexible software that adapts well to variations on what is outlined below, but the suggested flow described here works well as a foundation for most auction events. Bidstation silent auction software will help you: plan and prepare materials before the event check-in/check-out and track bids and payments during the event review and process payments and run reports after the event Bidstation is Windows PC software for running a silent auction, synced with an app and integrated with Square. You use Bidstation software on your PC to plan your auction (create bid sheets, import attendee lists, enter items, etc.). You use the Bidstation app to check in guests and collect payments at your event. The guide below provides detailed instructions for using Bidstation software on your PC. The instructions for using the Bidstation app are found here. You will need a Square account to run the Bidstation app. BEFORE THE EVENT Before the event you will need to install software and enter all your items into the software database, including starting bid amounts and descriptions, which will be featured on your bid sheets. You will also enter confirmed attendees and assign them bidder numbers in advance. You will need to print bid sheets and display materials in advance of the event. If you are planning a raffle or other fundraising activities you will need to prepare for those as well. 1. Download and Install Software Download and install Bidstation software on a Windows computer to be used at your auction for administration. When you run the program for the first time you will need to register it with your license key. In the navigation menu click File, select Register and input the license key sent to you by email when you purchased the software. Also when you run the program for the first time you will be asked to log in to your Square account to authorize Bidstation to use it. Select yes to configure your Square account at this stage. A page will appear confirming you re your oauth token was generated successfully. (If you have multiple locations in your Square account 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 1
you will be asked to select a location to use with Bidstation.) Make sure you log in to the right Square account (the one you will use for your event) in Bidstation and on the devices that will be used at the event. Square authorization can be done at this stage, or later from the Setup window. See the Instructions for the Bidstation app for more detail. 2. Create a new database When you install BidStation to use it for the first time it has a sample database. You can use this sample database for practice but to run your auction you will need to create a new database. To create your new database, click File, select New Database from the drop-down menu, name the Database and save it in a location of your choice on your computer, i.e., desktop, documents, etc. Once saved, the new database path and filename will be displayed at the top of the Bidstation dashboard. Now you are ready to import or input Items and Attendees, and to create documents in preparation for your silent auction. At this time it is also recommended that you fill in the Setup screen. Find the Setup tab in the navigation menu and fill in the fields at this point (recommended) or at any point later before your event. The Setup screen needs to be completed before printing invoices if you want your organization s name to appear on the invoice, or if you want to include taxes or surcharges on the invoice. 3. Enter items data Items can be added one at a time or imported from Excel or a CSV file. Click the Add new button to add a new item. Items details to be entered include: title, item number (same as catalogue number), and type (silent, basket or live). For item number, select a unique number for each item. Optionally include a description of the item and the value if you plan to use Bidstation to make bid sheets. When you are finished click Add. 4. Other (advanced) preparations for Items: Create baskets, create and print displays and certificates If you are using baskets or have items that need displays or certificates you can prepare them at this stage or later. Before you create baskets or prepare other Items materials you will need to go through your items and decide what is needed to display items and what certificates are needed. Consult the Bidstation User Manual, resources or videos to see how to prepare these materials. Note: Thank-you letters for donors should be prepared in advance if you are creating Baskets. 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 2
Creating Baskets: Under Items, highlight two or more items, right click and select Make Basket. Your donors, values, and descriptions will be combined in one item profile to create a new basket item. Give it a new title and a new number and click Add. Creating Certificates and Displays: Go to Create Documents, pick a template (certificate, display, etc.) and click Open. A template will open in Word. Switch to Word to edit, print, insert logo, modify design, etc. To learn more about creating basket and other documents see the resources section. 5. Add attendees and assign bidder numbers If you have a list of people who bought tickets, enter them manually or import from Excel or CSV using an import template created in Bidstation (under File, Import, Import Templates) Preassign bidder numbers in advance of the auction. Assigning bidder numbers in advance helps save time and prevent errors at registration. Attendees details to be entered include: name, table assignments if you are using them, email address if you plan to use the email functions, mailing address if you want it to appear on the invoice. The minimal headers to import from Excel are FirstName and LastName. 6. Make your bid paddles Print out pre-assigned bidder numbers on cards or paddles for the live auction. You would do this outside the program or use a Bidstation template. It is also advisable to create some cards or paddles with unassigned numbers on them for guests who arrive but are not on the attendee list. 7. Print bid sheets Figure out what kind of bid sheets you want to make for items, make determinations of what you want to include, and use the software to make duplicate copies of bid sheets in the Create Documents window according to your specifications. Click ok to see template options. Use the From and To fields to specify a range of item numbers. Other documents such as displays, certificates, labels for items or bags if you need them, and thank-you letters can also be prepared at this time. See Resources for detailed instructions on creating bid sheets and other documents. 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 3
8. Create Receipt Tags for Other Bids Receipt Tags refers to a list of non-auction items sold at the auction, and it serves as a shortcut in the program for rapid entry of sales and donations at the auction. If you are selling anything at the auction other than auction items (e.g. raffle tickets, drinks, raise-a-paddle pledges, etc.) this function will allow you to quickly record the bidders who have purchased these non-auction items during the event. In creating Receipt Tags you are essentially creating shortcuts in the software program to let you enter items quickly, such as raffle tickets, games, wine-pull, raise-a-paddle, etc. Creating the Receipt Tags list in the program ahead of time is easier than entering them at the auction. The advance preparation allows for speedy entry of sales (usually done in batches in a dedicated area away from guests). At the auction you ll be able to simply select an item from a drop-down list (under Receipt in the Other Bids window) and quickly enter all the bidder numbers of people who purchased that item. To create the receipt tags, select the Receipt Tag button on the dashboard. Type the name of the item you want to do quick input of sales for and the amount and click Add. 9. Print Tally Sheets for all Other Bids From time to time during the event people will likely buy things. People may use their bidding numbers to purchase raffle tickets, drinks, donations, etc. Prepare tally sheets ahead of time for each Other Bids item you expect to sell at the event and for the live auction. Print multiple copies of tally sheets for sellers to use to record purchases throughout the event. Tally sheets would be made outside the Bidstation program. 10. Print other materials Print labels, displays and certificates if you are using them. Print thank-you letters to donors if you created them using Bidstation. You may want to print the attendee list in advance (if you have one) but this is likely better done at the auction since it is likely to be most up-to-date then. The attendees list can be printed from the Reports button (select Attendee Report). Confirm all materials are printed before the auction. 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 4
AT THE EVENT At the event you will need to welcome and register guests, checking them in and, ideally, saving their credit cards on file so that they can avoid lining up to pay at the end of the event. 11. Set up items on display with bid sheets For each item, set out duplicate copies of the bid sheet, or one bid sheet as well as a cue card that includes the item number on it. When you collect the bid sheets to record winning bids you will need to record the winning bid on the extra sheet and leave one copy behind. Secure the bid sheets so they don t fly away or get moved. 12. Registration set-up Set up a table, stand or area for registration. You will likely require more than one area, depending on the size of your event. 13. Put out welcome kits and bidder numbers Put the welcome kits (optional) and bidder numbers in a place near the registration desk for quick access. You will need bidder number paddles or cards with pre-assigned numbers on them as well as paddles/cards with unassigned numbers on them if you expect guests who are not on the attendee list already in the software program. You will also need to have the attendee list with bidder numbers handy (printed or on the app) in this location. 14. Workstation set-up Set up a computer with Bidstation and with a printer in an area separate from guests and free from distractions or frequent interruptions. 15. Check in: Registration and Saving Card on File Use the Bidstation app on mobile devices at the event to check in guests. The full instructions for using the Bidstation app are found here. All attendees need to be Registered (with their names entered in the software) and receive a bidder number. When guests arrive, volunteers will greet them and check if they are preregistered in the Bidstation app. Give the guests a paddle or card with their bidder number on it. If a new guest arrives who is not on the attendee list, enter their details in the app, assign them a new, unassigned bidder number, and give them the paddle/card with their number. Be sure to enter their bidder number in their Attendee profile. 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 5
Pre-register guests credit cards (Save Cards on File) at Registration whenever possible to eliminate long line ups at the end of the event. Taking a card at registration assigns the credit card to the bidder number so that guests can pick up their items without lining up to pay at the end of the night. Guests who made donations but did not win an item can leave without visiting the checkout area at all. However, some attendees may not want to save a card on file at Check-in. They can save a card on file later if they choose, or they can use the Checkout function at the end of the event. Consult the Instructions for Using the Bidstation App for details on taking payments. 19. Make a backup of Bidstation Back up Bidstation on a USB memory stick part-way through Check-in, again after Check-in, and periodically at other times during the event. If a mistake is made or an accident happens with your computer, the full data can be restored using the backup. In Bidstation on your PC, under the file menu click Backup, name your backup file and save it to a location of your choice. 21. Run the silent auction Run your silent auction. Typically a silent auction is open for an hour or more, usually before dinner is seated. 22. Collect all bid sheets Close the auction with an announcement and once the auction ends, collect all the bid sheets and input all winning bids in the Bidstation program, in a space away from the main activities. Write the winning bidder number on the duplicate copy of the bid sheet and leave behind one copy of the bid sheet with the winning bidder number listed. You will find the Winning Bids icon on the dashboard. Once all the winning bids are entered into Bidstation you can print Invoices (find icon on dashboard) to be given out or picked up at the end of the night. But if you are selling other items at the event some of these need to be entered before your invoices are finalized. It is therefore recommended that you close sales on raffle tickets etc. before printing this main batch of invoices. Usually people print out a batch of invoices for auction items after the close of the silent auction and keep these in a stack for distribution when guests are leaving. 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 6
23. Label and organize auction items for pick up - optional After the silent auction closes, items may be left on the table for people to pick up. You will need volunteers stationed at the tables at pick up time. You may reorganize items in boxes or bags for people to take home. If you do this you will need labels pre-printed so you can put the items in big shopping bags or boxes and stick a label on at the time (e.g., Item #222 wine tour). 24. Sell Other Bids items according to your event plan If you are selling items other than silent auction items at your event, such as raffle tickets, wine pull tickets, drinks, or raise-a-paddle donations, people will likely be buying things throughout the event. Guests can use their bidder numbers to purchase any Other Bids items, which will help you prepare final invoices efficiently, on time for check-out. Tally sheets should be prepared ahead of time for the live auction and for each Other Bids item you expect to sell at the event. If you have volunteers available they can circulate with the sheets on clipboards. Record all Other Bids purchases on tally sheets and when a tally sheet is half or nearly full, take it to the area where you are running Bidstation and enter the bids and amounts in the Bidstation program. You can do this in batches along the way to save time later, or all at once when tallying is completed. For maximum efficiency you should prepare multiple tally sheets for each Other Bids category. To record Other Bids purchases, in the Other Bids window, select the item purchased from a drop-down menu under Receipt. Enter the bidder number and click Add. For speed you can press they enter key instead of Add. Note: You will need to have created Receipt Tags in advance 25. Close all sales Enter all winning bids and Other Bids in Bidstation that have not been entered. To enter winning bids, go to the Winning Bids window, enter the Item number, the Bidder number and the Amount if the winning bid in the fields. (Tabs may be used.) Press Add or the enter key to complete. 26. After dinner Live Auction and Raise-a-paddle You may plan to hold a live auction at your event, followed by a raise-a-paddle donation pledge. This is often done after dinner, toward the end of the night. Before the live auction, it is recommended that you stop selling raffle tickets. 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 7
For these events, people have bid cards or paddles with their bidder number on them. They hold up the paddles to bid on live auction items and to make pledges during raise-a-paddle as different levels are called out (e.g. $1000, $500, $100, $50). Volunteers record the paddle number on tally sheets. If you sold raffle tickets, the live draw can be held now, or you may combine it with a live door prize draw, to keep people in their seats while you prepare invoices for Checkout. 27. Enter tally sheets data in Bidstation Once you have concluded all your fundraising activities (live auction, raffle tickets, raise-apaddle, drink sales etc., take all remaining tally sheets to the area where you are using Bidstation to enter the bidder numbers and amounts in Bidstation. 28. Raffle draw or other engaging activity A raffle draw or other planned activity can help keep guests entertained while the invoices are being prepared. 29. Print remaining invoices after the live auction 30. Invoice pickup or distribution After the draw or last activity, people will start getting up from their seats. Notify guests if they have won something using a display (e.g. bid board) or other method. Distribute invoices to tables or arrange to have them pick them up. The invoice will clearly indicate whether a guest has Saved a Card on File or not. People who have not Saved a Card on File will need to check out to pay for their items. 31. Check-out Station volunteers at the table of items if you have left items on tables for people to pick up. Guests should show their invoices to pick up items. Guests who saved a Card on File will not need to pay with a credit card. Guests who did not save a card on file can go and pay at checkout and come back to pick up their items. You may want to use a Paid stamp to stamp invoices once an item is picked up. Another option is to print two invoices and have guests sign the one you keep to show they ve collected their items. 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 8
32. Collect payments from guests who did not save a card on file Collect payment using the Bidstation app for the amount indicated on the invoice for any guests who have not pre-registered a credit card. (See Bidstation app instructions.) AFTER THE EVENT Following the event, you can review bids and other bids for accuracy and input any cash or check payments. Next, process ExpressPay Card-on-File payments. Often people prefer to reconcile and process the next day following the event as this allows for time to review the data in the system before processing credit cards. If processing cards immediately after the event, use the PC that has the Bidstation software on it and process in a batch by selecting Process Batch in the Payments window. 33. Back up and pack up Open Setup in Bidstation and stop the Event Device Sync. Once the sync is stopped, make a backup of the Bidstation database on the computer and on a portable USB memory key or other removable storage device. This ensures that the database is secure and safeguards data in the event of loss or damage to the event computer. 34. Review data optional You may want to review your data before you process payments. This is an optional step. If you want to confirm all the amounts entered are correct before you process payments, look at all the amounts on bid sheets and double check the tally sheets against the entries in the system (under Winning Bids and Other Bids). You can also confirm the bidder numbers entered are correct. 35. Email invoices optional Event organizers sometimes like to make use of an optional automated feature to email invoices to guests. This can be used at notification time or after the event. It is not recommended during the event if you are running your first auction since many things are happening at once. To send email invoices, under Invoices choose Email Invoice, tick the boxes to select recipients and click Next. Select Invoice email from the Message Template drop-down menu. Make changes to the generic message that appears according to your needs and click Save, then Send. By clicking Save first, you can reuse the email after sending. To send email invoices you will need to fill in your email server credentials in the top fields. 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 9
Note: Some ISPs only allow a limited number of emails to be sent per hour/day. Check if you have limitations on email sending and adjust plans accordingly. 36. Process payments Use the Payments window to process payments in a batch or individually for all bidders with a Card on File. (You can also select to send email receipts from here.) To process in a batch select Process Batch in the Payments window. From here you can select all or some of the cards to process. Select Authorize when you are ready to process the payments. The other way to process a single payment is to open the Attendee s profile. From here you can process payment for an amount owing using the credit card on file, or accept cash or cheques. To process a card on file, Click Payment with Square. A single payment window will appear for the bidder. Select Process Payment. To add a payment using cash or cheque select Add Payment rather than Payment with Square. 37. Run Balance Owing report To see if anyone still owes money you can run a Balance Owing by selecting Payment Report, then Balance Owing in the Reports window. 38. Run report to find out event proceeds You can also run a report in Bidstation if you want to find out the event proceeds and see the breakdown of sales (e.g. silent auction items, raffle tickets, etc.). For a summary of the auction results go to Reports and select Bid Report and Auction Summary Report. 2019 AuctionZoom Ltd. Page 10