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How to Set Up and Display Your Live Auction

In this article, we will provide you with a detailed step-by-step guide on how to set up and display your live auction items.

How to Add Live Auction Items

  1. In the Builder Sidebar, select Silent & Live Auctions.
  2. Toggle Enable Auctions.
  3. Click Auction Items, then click Add Item in the top-right corner.
  4. Set the Offering Type to Live, fill in your item details, and click Save.
    • In the Tags/Categories field, simply enter the tag or category that you want to use, and then press enter. This will automatically generate and assign the tag to your item. Please note that currently, there is no feature to delete existing tags, but you can easily replace them by retyping or entering a new tag.
    • Attachments via email are commonly utilized for intangible items like electronic gift cards. These attachments are exclusively sent to the winning bidder.
    • Organizations can choose to include additional fees, either fixed or a percentage, to cover costs such as shipping. If there are any additional fees, a note will be visible to the donor when they place a bid. However, it is highly recommended that organizations also include this information in the item description to ensure that donors are well-informed.
    • In the "Connected Sponsors" field, you have the option to type in and search for the sponsors you have previously added, and then link them to the item. This allows you to easily connect the sponsors to the items in your silent auction.

Pro Tip: Use the Listing ID field as your key identifier to keep items organized, especially if you have a large auction catalog.

How to Add Auction Sponsors

  1. In the Silent & Live Auctions section of the sidebar, select Auction Sponsors.
  2. Click Add Sponsor in the top-right corner.
  3. Fill in the sponsor details and click Save.

How to Showcase Your Live Auction Items

Live auction items do not have their own dedicated page the way silent auction items do. There are two options for displaying them on your fundraiser home page:

Option 1: Custom Sections (Recommended)

Custom sections give you control over how live auction items are displayed and are the best way to feature them prominently.

  1. In the Fundraiser Builder, click the blue + button to add a new section.
  2. Select Custom Section and choose Two Columns.
  3. Set one column to an image or gallery and upload a photo of the live auction item.
  4. Add a custom description in the other column.
  5. Click Save and publish your fundraiser.

Screenshot 2026-05-11 at 10.20.58 AM

Please Note: Custom Sections are not connected to the Auctions Builder. You will need to create and update these sections manually.

Option 2: Live Auction Preview Section

  1. In the Fundraiser Builder, click the blue + button to add a new section.
  2. Select Live Auction Preview.

Doing Good 2024!

Please Note:

  • Displays a maximum of 6 live auction items
  • Shows only a short snippet of each item's description
  • Items are not clickable
  • The countdown timer is based on your Event Date/Time set in Event Settings 

FAQ

Can I bulk upload my auction items?

Yes, this article walks you through the steps to requesting an auction item and sponsor bulk upload.

Can donors bid on live auction items online?

No. Trellis no longer supports online bidding for live auctions. 

How do I process payments after the live auction ends?

See our article on How to Process Payments for Your Live Auction Using the Sales Entry System for next steps.

Need Help?
Did this answer your question? If not, feel free to reach out to our Product Engagement Team via the blue chat icon or email support@trellis.org.