How to Process Payments for your Live Auction Using Trellis

In this article, we will guide you on using our platform to process payments for your live auction.

Trellis supports collecting payments from in-person live auctions where bidders use physical paddles. We recommend having an auctioneer or host facilitate the bidding process. Online bidding is only supported for silent auctions.

While bidding is taking place, we recommend having dedicated volunteers log the highest bids and the corresponding paddle number or donor name. To ensure accurate record-keeping, ask multiple volunteers to do this simultaneously. We also recommend you ask the auctioneer to call out the winning paddle number and bid amount once the item sells.

When the live auction concludes, you can use the information below to easily enter and charge your donors for their winning bids.

1. Ensure Your Live Auction is Setup

• From your fundraiser builder, go to Silent and Live Auctions, and ensure the feature is enabled.

• (Optional) Set up your live auction items in the auction builder. You can also create silent auction items when processing payment via the Check-In Tool or the SES. This article explains how to set up live auction items. 

2. Decide How You Want to Process Payments

• Using the Check-In Tool - If your guests have checked in using the check-in tool, you can utilize the same tool to locate them by their paddle number or name and conveniently add items to their cart.

• Using the Sales Entry System - This tool allows you to manually enter the details of any individual and charge them accordingly. This is best if you are not using the Check-In Tool.

Continue reading for how to use each method.

3. Process Payments Using the Check-In Tool

The Check-In Tool is the best way to process payments if you used this system for check-in and to manage your attendees. 

• Go to the Check-In Tool in the Event and Sales Manager. You can get here from your Fundraiser card in the dashboard.

• Search for the attendee that won the live auction item. You can search by attendee name or paddle number.

• Click on the Cart icon to manage the attendee's cart.
• Click Add Purchasable from the cart.
• In the dialog:
  • Switch the Purchasable Type to Live Auction Item
  • Enter in the Live Auction Name (note, you can not select an existing Live Auction Item)
  • Enter the Value of the item. If unknown, leave blank.
  • Enter the Winning Bid Price.
  • Choose if you want to send a tax receipt to the purchaser.
  • Click Add To Cart

• The auction item will now be created and added to the attendee's cart. .

• From here, you can complete the purchase (which charges the card on file) or mark the auction item as paid (if you are accepting offline payment).
• To accept offline payment:
  • Click the vertical 3 dots next to the Live Auction Item
  • Select a payment method
  • Click confirm

• Marking as Paid instantly removes the auction item from the attendee's cart and creates an "offline checkout" so that the purchase is recorded in the Trellis system, but the credit card is not charged.

4. Process Payments Using the SES

The SES is the best method of charging live auction items if you did not use the check-in tool to manage your attendees. 

• From the Event and Sales Manager, select Sales Entry System
• From the Purchasable Select page, look for Live Auction Item at the bottom of the list.
  • Note: Auctions must be enabled in your builder for this to appear.

• Click Add to Cart
• In the dialog, select if you want to Create New or Select from Builder
• If you create a new item:
  • Enter the live auction item name
  • Enter the value of the item and the sales price
  • Choose whether a tax receipt should be sent

• If selecting from builder:
  • Choose an existing live auction item on this fundraiser
    • If you end up auctioning off two of the same item, you can choose an item that has already been paid for to automatically create a duplicate.
  • Enter the sales price
  • Choose whether a tax receipt should be sent.

• Click continue to complete the checkout
  • You will need to enter in your attendee's information

By utilizing our platform to effortlessly add items to your guests' cart, you can conveniently keep a record of these transactions for future reference and use them in future campaigns.