In the unlikely event that your venue loses power or Internet connectivity during your event, we encourage you to have a backup plan in place and be ready to implement it. This backup plan mirrors the steps an organization takes if conducting the auction without an Internet connection.

Before your event

1. Prepare Guest File Folders as described below.
2. Prepare Package File Folders as described below.
3. Gather the Backup Plan List of Supplies as described below.
   
4. Export the All Bidders Report (Reports > Data Exchange Reports) to a .CSV formatted file, open it in Excel, remove all columns except for the Bidder Number, First Name and Last Name columns.
5. Print the list in Bidder Number order (as it was downloaded). Then sort by Last Name and print it in order by Last Name. You should now have two printed lists, one in bidder number order (Guest List by Bidder Number) and one by last name (Guest List by Name).
   
6. Print the Packaging Status report (Reports > Activity Reports). This report shows which donations belong in which packages.
7. Have on hand a means of capturing credit card/payment information (e.g.: manual credit card imprinter and slips).

Check-in

1. When a guest arrives, look up his/her name on the Guest List by Name report to find the guest’s pre-assigned bidder number.
2. Ask the guest how he/she plans on paying for auction purchases.
3. If the guest plans to pay by credit card, capture the credit card information on the slip.
4. Retrieve the guest’s Guest File Folder. If the guest is not pre-registered, retrieve the next consecutive extra Guest File Folder that you prepared as described below.
   
5. Hand the guest the prepared contents of the folder.
6. Place the guest’s credit card information into the folder.
7. Re-file the guest’s folder in bidder number order.
   

Silent Auction Bid Recording

For each silent auction package:

1. Circle the winning bidder’s number on the bid sheet.
2. Check inside the Catalog Package File Folder to see if there are any gift certificates associated with the package.
3. File the silent auction bid sheet and any corresponding gift certificates in the Guest File Folder of the winning bidder.

Live Auction Bid Recording

For each live auction package:

1. Fill out the bid sheet for that package with the winning bidder's number and name.
2. Have the winner sign the bid sheet to acknowledge his winning bid amount.
3. Check inside the Catalog Package File Folder to see if there are any gift certificates associated with the package.
4. File the signed Bid Sheet and any corresponding gift certificates in the Guest File Folder of the winning bidder.

Check Out

1. When a guest arrives at check out, ask the guest for his/her bidder number.
2. Retrieve the guest’s Guest File Folder.
3. If the guest is paying by credit card, confirm you have already captured the guest’s credit card information. Calculate the amount the guest owes. Hand the guest any gift certificates that accompany his packages. (These gift certificates should have been filed in the guest’s Guest File Folder during silent and live auction bid recording – above.) Then, retrieve the auction packages that the guest has won.
4. If the guest is paying by cash or check, calculate the amount the guest owes, accept the payment, hand the guest any gift certificates that accompany his packages. (These gift certificates should have been filed in the guest’s Guest File Folder during silent and live auction bid recording – above.) Then, retrieve the auction packages that the guest has won.

Post Event

1. Login to your ReadySetAuction Control Center.
2. Enter all winning bids into ReadySetAuction. We suggest you work through your guest folders in order, taking care to record all winning bids in @Event > Record Sales.
3. To confirm that you entered all winning bids from the bid sheets, take a look through the Bidding Activity by Package report (Reports > Activity Reports) for packages that have not been sold (i.e. # Bids = 0).
   
4. Check out each guest starting with the first guest folder (@Event > Check Out). If the guest paid by credit card and you have signed up for a merchant account through ReadySetAuction, enter the credit card number information and submit the transaction.
5. As you check out each guest, the system will automatically email that bidder his receipt. To customize the language at the top of receipts, go to Patrons > Communications > Receipts. To print additional bidder receipts, go to @Event > Create Receipts. 
6. You may also choose to print the Bidder Thank You Letters, which can include receipt information. To compose the Bidder Thank You Letters, go to Patrons > Communications > Bidder Thanks. To print the Bidder Thank You Letters, go to Patrons > Printed Materials > Bidder Materials. 

=== HOW TO MAKE GUEST FILE FOLDERS ===

To speed the check-in process for you and your guests, prepare the Guest File Folders.

You will use the Guest File Folders in the following two ways:

1.    When a guest checks in, a check-in volunteer will hand the contents of that guest’s folder, not the folder itself, to the guest.

2.    During bid recording, you will file a copy of each bid sheet into the winning bidder’s Guest File Folder. You do this:

·       to stay organized during the event and make it easier for you to retrieve the actual bid sheet in case questions arise about who won the package.

·       to provide quick access to the bid sheets in case you need to correct a data entry error from bid recording.

·       to locate a guest’s winning bids during check out if you are not using ReadySetAuction during your event (e.g.: your venue does not have Internet access). In this case, this filing system will be your primary mechanism for calculating a guest’s total purchases.

·       to serve as a backup checkout method in the unlikely event of a power failure or loss of Internet connectivity.

ReadySetAuction makes it easy for you to create the Guest File Folders by generating bidder labels, each containing a guest’s bidder number and name.

1. Download the Bidder Folder Labels "A" from Patrons > Printed Materials > Bidder Materials. The labels are formatted to print on #5160 or #8160 Avery® label sheets.
2. Affix labels to the tabs of the file folders.
3. Place file folders in numeric order by Bidder Number in a file box and label the box “Guest Folders.”
4. Place the corresponding bid card (paddle), a catalog, meal/drink tickets – anything you will need to hand the guest at check-in – into each folder.
5. Place an extra manila file folder, labeled for that guest, into each Guest File Folder. When a guest’s winning package includes a gift certificate, you will place the gift certificate into the manila folder that is within the guest’s folder. When the guest checks out, you can simply hand him/her the manila folder, which should now contain all of his/her gift certificates.
6. Prepare extra folders for walk-in guests and place these at the back of your “Guest Folders” file box. Note: If you prepare extra guest folders for walk-in guests, only hand one to a walk-in guest AFTER he has checked-in. Remember, ReadySetAuction must assign each walk-in guest his/her bidder number in order for bid recording to proceed smoothly.

=== HOW TO MAKE PACKAGE FOLDERS ===

To speed the checkout process for you and your guests, prepare Catalog Package File Folders.

You will use the Catalog Package File Folders in the following two ways:

1.    During initial set up, you will file gift certificates and other package paperwork into the corresponding Catalog Package File Folders. You do this so you can easily locate any necessary gift certificates and/or paperwork that must accompany a winning package.

2.    During bid recording, if you have extra copies of the completed bid sheets (that is you used NCR paper or carbon paper with your bid sheets), you will file a copy of each bid sheet into its corresponding Catalog Package File Folder. You do this:

·       to stay organized during the event and make it easier for you to retrieve the actual bid sheet in case questions arise about who won the package.

·       to provide quick access to the bid sheets in case you need to correct a data entry error from bid recording.

ReadySetAuction makes it easy for you to create the Catalog Package File Folders by generating Auction Package Folder Labels that correspond with the catalog numbers of your packages.

1.    After you have arranged and numbered your packages for the final time, download the Auction Package Folder Labels from Items > Printed Materials > Labels. The labels are formatted to print on #5160 or #8160 Avery® label sheets.

2.    Affix labels to the tabs of the file folders.

3.    Place file folders in numeric order in the file box and label the box “Catalog Package Folders.”

4.    File gift certificates and any other package paperwork (such as warranties, directions etc.) in the corresponding files.

=== LIST OF BACKUP SUPPLIES ===

1. Flashlights
2. Battery operated calculators (or you can use the calculators on your phones)
3. NCR receipt book
4. Duct tape
5. Pads of note paper
6. “Guest File Box” containing Guest File Folders
7. “Catalog Package File Box” containing Catalog Package File Folders
   
8. Red and blue pens
   
9. Pink or yellow highlighters
10. Cash box prepared for providing change
11. Staplers