Auto Clerking Bids From Outside Source
Auction Flex can accept an array of different types of alternate bids, and the software can also automatically clerk bids from an outside source. One key use case for this feature is when you hold online auctions through a separate company and the outside source provides you with a spreadsheet of alternate bid results. Follow these steps to automatically clerk bids from an outside source.
1. On the Easy Navigator screen (or Navigator toolbar), click the Check-in Customers button.
2. In the Check In Customers For Auction window, click the Advanced button.
3. If your customers have already been checked in to Auction Flex with the same bid card numbers they were assigned on your outside bidding platform, click the Import Alternate Bids button and follow the prompts to import your bids.
4. In the Alternate Bids Import Step 1 window, navigate to find the location of the spreadsheet file on your computer, and click the Next Step button.
TIP: We advise saving the spreadsheet as a .CSV file type, and to format the cells of the spreadsheet as Text. This prevents potential problems that might arise during the import process.
5. In the Alternate Bid Import Step 2 window, indicate to Auction Flex which columns contain which information. If you are importing these bids and they are winning results, then select the Set Bid Starts Same As Bid Max checkbox at the bottom of the window. This tells Auction Flex that the bids are winning amounts. When you are done making changes, click the Next Step button.
In our example, we have column A of our spreadsheet listed as containing bid card numbers (BidCard#), column B containing lot numbers (Lot#), and column C containing the price of the lot (Bid MAX).
6. In the Alternate Bid Import Step 3 window, preview the lots as they will be input into Auction Flex. If the first row on the spreadsheet is a header, you can select the Skip First Row When Importing checkbox. When you are done making changes, click the Next Step button.
7. In the Alternate Bid Import Step 4 window, click the Import Alt Bids button.
8. After the bids have been imported, you will return to the Check In Customers For Auction window. Click the Auto-Clerk This Auction Using Alt Bids button.
9. A confirmation box will ask whether you would like to review the information before clerking. We recommend you always review prior to running the Auto Clerk function.
10. You will receive one more confirmation message asking if you wish to auto clerk the bids before the software automatically clerks your auction. You may then opt to email the results to all of your online bidders from this area, as well.
NOTE: Just taking alternate bids on lots DOES NOT mean that those items are sold. They MUST still be clerked to receive a “sold” status.
Auction Flex uses the bid increments you have set up to determine who the winning bidder is. These increments need to be uploaded before you upload your auction. (In Auction Flex, select Auction Setup from the Auction menu, and then click the Increments button to view your bid increments.)