How to Import Items Data into Bidstation from Excel
Typically, donated auction items are being collected in the weeks or months leading up to the event. Quite often an Excel sheet or Google sheet is used to track the details relating to the process of collecting the donations. Closer to the event date, it will be time to start preparing bid sheets and to do this using Bidstation’s amazingly efficient document create tools, you’ll need to import each items details into Bidstation. You won’t need to include details about whether an item has been collected, who collected it and so on in order to run your auction, but you will need to have details such as the title of the item, the value, the starting bid, they type (silent or live). You could input them one at a time in Bidstation, but importing from a spreadsheet is a faster and easier optoin. To import, you’ll need to prepare your item data so and consider what data you need to include by looking ahead at what will be needed for your event processes.
For example, to create bid sheets in Bidstation, you’ll want to choose the templates you’ll use and then consider each data point on the bid sheet. E.g., a bid sheet that has pre-printed bid increments will need to have an item value, a starting bid and a bid increment in order to be able to produce a bid sheet with pre-printed increments. If the bid sheet is also to include donor and/or item category on the bid sheet, knowing ahead of time will help you ensure your team is collecting the data you’ll need while they are busy securing items so that you have it handy to include in the item import sheet.
When you’re ready to build your import file, it’s helpful to know that Bidstation provides a convenient template with headers for importing Items and other data, found in the File Menu. Select File/Import/Import Templates, then select Item from the Import Type drop-down menu.
Select Generate and you will be prompted to save the Excel file to a preferred location. Save with the default filename or change it and Save.
The template will open in Excel. It provides pre-populated headers and follows the formatting conventions required for successful importing of Items into Bidstation. You may delete unused headers and you may re-order the headers and columns but you must not change the header titles or include other headers columns that are not provided in the template. Changing or adding headers likely will prevent the data from being imported.
Enter data in the Excel spreadsheet columns using the following required conventions, then Save:
- Title and Type are both required fields for creating a record and importing data. Title refers to what the item is to be listed as on invoices, bidsheets and other areas and type is ONLY one of three options:
- Silent
- Live
- Basket
- Item numbers (required before making bidsheet documents) may be entered in the field CatalogueNumber (equivalent to Item Number): Use numbers only (not alpha text) or leave blank if you want to add them later or use the item numbering tool in Bidstation’ Item screen.
- Do not use currency symbols such as “$” in the Value field
- Use any combination of symbols/letters/numbers up to 5,000 characters including spaces in the Description field
- To import ITEMS and apply a tax/surcharge, enter the numeral 1 in the IfSurcharge column. (The Tax/Surcharge field box in the item’s profile will then be checked if taxes should be applied to the winning bid.) Tax may also be toggled on or off for individual items in the item edit window.
- If you are not applying a tax/surcharge, leave the field blank or enter the numeral 0 (zero).
- Columns may be reordered or deleted, except for the required headers Title (of item), Type (Basket, Live or Silent) and Item Number.
To initiate importing, navigate to select File/Import/Items, and then locate Items list Excel sheet you have prepared, select the file and click Open. The items in your list will be added in Bidstation.
Imported information can be changed within the program as required. New items can be imported using the method described but must be imported from a new Excel/CSV file each time since importing always adds, and never overwrites or updates existing records. To update data, edit it in Bidstation or delete the record in Bidstation before re-importing.
For more information about importing items information consult the Bidstation™ User Manual, Section 9.