Uplading Yur Catalgue Creating a Catalgue A simple timed auctin catalgue shuld cntain fur kinds f infrmatin: Lt Number Descriptin Start Price Reserve The best way t frmat yur catalgue is t use Micrsft Excel and designate 1 clumn fr each f the abve fields: (If yu d nt have a cpy f Excel, Ggle Drive ffers free spreadsheet sftware) (D nt split descriptins ver multiple rws r frmat cells with sft-breaks, a lt must ccupy a single rw nly) (Number values such as Start Price and Reserve shuld nt have any currency symbls, asterisks r cmma separatrs) Once yur catalgue is finished yu ll need t save the file as a Text f CSV file: 1) Save As 2) Enter file name 3) Click Save as type 4) Select Text (Tab delimited) r CSV (Cmma delimited)
Uplading t the Tlbx 1) Lg int the tlbx, scpe t yur sale and click the Lts tab 2) Click Multiple lts, select yur catalgue file and then Next 3) If yu are using a.txt file make sure the delimiter is set t [tab] If yu are using a.csv file make sure this is set t, (The lt imprter will then display the first few lts t help yu assign each clumn t the crrect field) 4) Click the drpdwn menu abve each clumn and select the crrect field, yu may nticed sme f the clumns are autmatically recgnised: (The descriptin type Bth Descriptins has been used in this example. Please see the fllwing page fr mre infrmatin n different descriptin fields) 5) Click Next and yur catalgue will start uplading
Shrt/ Lng/ Bth Descriptins Every lt has tw types f descriptins, a shrt and a lng: The Shrt Descriptin appears in the lt list It has a 250 character limit It ignres any HTML frmatting The Lng Descriptin is the full text displayed n a lt bidding page It has practically n character limit HTML frmatting will display Yu can emply these descriptins in ne f tw ways: 1. Link the Shrt Descriptin directly with the Lng Descriptin: Assign a single descriptin clumn t Bth Descriptins [RECOMMENDED] 2. Treat the Shrt and Lng descriptins independently: Assign a cmbinatin f Shrt Descriptin AND Lng Descriptin t separate clumns
Setting End Times Once the imprt is cmplete the tlbx will ask yu set end times. Yu will need t decide whether yu want all lts t end at the same time (subject t the autmatic 10 minute extensin) r set intervals between them, this is called a stagger (recmmended fr all sales ver a hundred lts). Yu als have the ptin t Grup these intervals if yu wish. 20 lts every 5 minutes, fr example. The yellw bx at the bttm f the windw summarises hw yur sale clses and can help yuidentify if yur stagger is apprpriate.
Uplading Descriptins with Frmatting Inserting frmatting t lt descriptins directly in the tlbx is flexible and user friendly, hwever, this methd is limited t nly editing ne lt at a time. If yu wish t apply frmatting t a large number f lts, it may be quicker t include HTML cde in yur lt descriptins and this will be recgnised during the imprt. The fllwing HTML cdes are supprted: Line = <br> (use tw tgether t separate paragraphs) break Bld = <b>text</b> Italic = <i>text</i> Underline = <u>text</u> Strikethrugh = <del>text</del> Hyperlink = <a href="website" target="_blank">hyperlink TEXT</a> e.g. T see what s n sale <a href="https://www.bidsptter.c.uk"target="_blank">click here</a> = T see what s n sale click here nte: hyperlinks will nt wrk if yur inverted cmmas lk like: r, as ppsed t: "
Categries It is imprtant t categrise yur catalgue apprpriately t ensure maximum pssible viewers t yur lts. All lts yu imprt r create will be assigned t the chsen categry f the sale, s it is imprtant t identify exceptins t this rule. This can either be dne directly in the tlbx r as part f yur uplad file with use f these three-letter cdes: Autmtive AUT Cars & Cmmercial Vehicles COV Catering Equipment CAT Fd & Beverage Prductin FOO General Cllective GEN IT Equipment ITE Manufacturing MAN Metalwrking MET Office Furniture OFF Other Industries OTI Plant & Machinery PAM Trade Stcks TRA Wdwrking WOO Yu may wish t specify items f IT Equipment within a sale f Office Furniture. In this example these particular lts shuld have ITE entered int clumn E, ther cells shuld be left blank:
Unifrm Frmatting in Excel If a lt descriptin is separated int multiple clumns f text, yu will need t cmbine these. Fr example: Yu will need t: 1) Insert a new clumn between B and C, restate the clumn header (preferably with a line break <br>), and cpy this dwn 2) Yu ll nw need t use the frmula CONCATENATE t cmbine these cells In this example, type in cell G2: =cncatenate(b2,c2,d2) Press Enter and yu ll see cell G2 cntains cmbined text frm all three cells: (this frmula can be applied t as many cells r as few cells as yu wish and in any rder) Duble-click the bttm right crner f cell G2 t apply this rule t the ther rws. 3) Give yur new descriptin clumn a helpful title fr future reference and save this spreadsheet as per page 1. (when imprting, remember t nly assign the new descriptin and ignre the ther descriptive clumns)