Auction Setup
Click the Auction Setup (gavel) button to get started creating and maintaining an auction.
You can then set up a variety of auction settings. For example, you can designate the buyer premium rates and add expenses to an auction.
Set Auction Name & Dates
The Auction Setup Maintenance screen allows you to change the name and date(s) of your auction. The Auction ID is the specific number for this auction (1 being your first auction, 2 being your second, and so forth).
Choose Auction Type
Choose the type of auction you are holding:
- Non-Cataloged Single Consignor (clerk on the fly)
- Non-Cataloged Multi-Consignor (clerk on the fly)
- Cataloged
- Automatically Determine (culmination of the previous three options; this means, for example, you can have a 500-lot auction, and if you only get to catalog the first 300 lots, you can clerk the remaining 200 on the fly)
AutoNumber Bid Cards
If you have pre-printed bid cards that are not in numerical order, you would leave AutoNumber Bid Cards unchecked.
If you have bid cards in numerical order or you are going to use Auction Flex to print your bid cards, use the AutoNumber Bid Card feature to assign bidder numbers as customers check into your auction.
The AutoNumber Bid Cards feature will not assign numbers that have been reserved to a customer’s record. In this case, AutoNumber Bid Cards will just skip over them.
If AutoNumber Bid Cards is not selected, it will be up to the cashier to manually assign the bidders a bid card number at the check in station.
BP & Tax Settings
Selecting the BP & Tax Settings screen is where you can make an auction specific change to the Buyer’s Premium Rate. Note that this setting defaults to the buyer’s premium rate you’ve already setup, so you may not need to change it.
From BP & Tax Settings tab, you can also create an Alternate BP Rate, which is commonly used when online bidders have a different buyer’s premium than your live bidders. Next to the Alt Buyer Premium Rate you will see Alt BP Applies to BidCard#’s => and a field to enter a bid card range. The bid card numbers entered here are how Auction Flex knows when to apply the alternate buyer’s premium rate. For example, let’s say your live bidders pay a 10% buyer’s premium and your online bidders pay 13% buyer’s premium. In this example, the online bidders have bid card numbers ranging from 2000 to 3000. To setup the different buyer’s premium rates, you would enter 10% into the Buyer Premium Rate and 13% into the Alt Buyer Premium Rate. Then, you would then enter 2000-3000 for the bid card range that the Alt Buyer Premium Rate applies to.
Buyer’s premium settings are not what you use to apply a surcharge amount, which is a separate feature in Auction Flex. If you are interested in applying a surcharge rate to bidders who pay with a credit card, call our office and a rep will be able to assist you.
Additional Options
Description – When conducting internet auctions, use this tab to provide a brief description of the auction, which will be displayed when the auction is uploaded.
T&C (Terms & Conditions) – This information will print on your catalogs, online catalogs, and bid-cards.
Location – Here, you can enter the location of your physical building, as well as an optional Ship From Location, if this is different from your office address.
Report Options – This is an auction specific, invoice-editing section. Within Auction Flex, you can set the default header or footer message for your invoices, and the Report Options section would be used if you have a specific auction that will have a different header or footer from the default. This also applies to company logos, which will appear on your bidder invoices and consignor settlement reports.
Email – The Email tab allows you to create alternate email body options, ideal if you need to change the messaging on your invoice emails.
Ring Options – This setting is for Webcast auctions only.
PayType Surcharge – Here, you can charge payment type surcharges to buyers or consignors.
Notes – This field is for any information you would like to keep note of after the auction.
Menu Features
B.Charges – The tool lets you set up buyer charges in Auction Flex.
Expenses – Use this tool to assign various charges/expenses to your auction.
Commission – You can set the commission on a per-auction basis, rather than using the default commission by consignor.
Increments – Allows you to set the bid increments for online auctions on a per-event basis.
Copy Settings – This feature lets you copy the settings from one auction to another. These settings include Buyer Premium, Tax Settings, Buyer Charges, Check-In Options, Upload Settings, Bid Increments, Pay Type and Surcharges.