--- title: How to Set Up and Launch your Silent Auction description: In this article, we will provide you with a detailed step-by-step guide on how to easily set up your silent auction. --- [Skip to content](https://help.trellis.org/setting-up-your-auction#main-content) English Show submenu for translations ![Trellis-MainLogo-AllWhite-01.png\]](https://help.trellis.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Trellis-MainLogo-AllWhite-01.png?height=40&name=Trellis-MainLogo-AllWhite-01.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [Raise an urgent issue (out of office hours)](https://formcrafts.com/a/urgentform) [Raise an urgent issue (out of office hours)](https://formcrafts.com/a/urgentform) Help & Learning - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Help & Learning](https://help.trellis.org/?hsLang=en) 2. [Silent & Live Auctions](https://help.trellis.org/silent-live-auctions?hsLang=en) 3. [Set Up Your Auction](https://help.trellis.org/silent-live-auctions?hsLang=en#set-up-your-auction) # How to Set Up and Launch your Silent Auction ## Learn how to configure, publish, and go live with your silent auction on Trellis. ### **Enable Silent Auctions** 1. From your **Dashboard**, click **Edit** on the fundraiser you're working on. 2. In the sidebar, navigate to **Silent & Live Auctions**. 3. Toggle on **Enable Auctions**. If you selected "Silent Auction" during your initial setup wizard, this may already be enabled. 4. Leave **Show silent auction tab to donors** disabled for now — you'll turn this on when you're ready to launch. ![](https://help.trellis.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jun-10-2026-09-12-42-9796-PM.png?width=496&height=204&name=image-png-Jun-10-2026-09-12-42-9796-PM.png) ### **Configure Auction Settings** 1. Click **Auction Settings** in the left-hand menu. 2. Set your auction **Start Date/Time** and **End Date/Time**. 3. Choose who covers transaction fees — the purchaser or your organization. ![](https://help.trellis.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jun-10-2026-09-13-24-6566-PM.png?width=670&height=248&name=image-png-Jun-10-2026-09-13-24-6566-PM.png) 4. Select your preferred bidding visibility: enable **Anonymous Bidding** to hide bidder names, or leave it off to show names publicly. Either way, you can always view all bids under **Dashboard \> Results \> Bids**. 5. Enable **Auction Notifications** to alert donors when bidding opens. You can customize this email in the **Messaging System**. ![](https://help.trellis.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jun-10-2026-09-14-14-3307-PM.png?width=670&height=115&name=image-png-Jun-10-2026-09-14-14-3307-PM.png) 6. Review the **Auction Upsells**. We recommend having both of these toggled on: - **Donate Your Bid** — allows losing bidders to donate their bid amount. - **Overtime Bidding** — extends bidding by 2 minutes if a bid is placed in the final 2 minutes. ![](https://help.trellis.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jun-10-2026-09-14-54-5689-PM.png?width=670&height=127&name=image-png-Jun-10-2026-09-14-54-5689-PM.png) 7. Optionally, enable the **Auction Item Donation Form** to collect items directly from your network. [Learn more about the donation form.](https://help.trellis.org/donating-items-to-your-silent-auction-using-the-donation-form?hsLang=en) **Heads Up!** Your auction starts and closes automatically based on these settings, and credit cards are charged as soon as the auction ends. Double-check your end date and time before publishing. ### **Add Your Sponsors** Add your Sponsors before adding your auction items to easily link them. [See How to Add Auction Sponsors](https://help.trellis.org/how-to-add-auction-sponsors?hsLang=en) for a full walkthrough. ### **Add Your Auction Items** Add your silent auction items before going live. See [How to Create Silent Auction Items](https://help.trellis.org/how-to-create-silent-auction-items?hsLang=en) for a full walkthrough. ### **Launch Your Silent Auction** 1. Toggle on **Show silent auction tab to donors**. 2. Click **Publish Changes**. 3. Set your [fundraiser page status to Live](https://help.trellis.org/change-page-status?hsLang=en). ![Screenshot 2026-08-27 at 1.47.22 PM](https://help.trellis.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%201.47.22%20PM.png?width=437&height=341&name=Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%201.47.22%20PM.png) **Pro Tip:** Want to preview your auction before showing it to donors? Follow [this guide on previewing your silent auction](https://help.trellis.org/how-to-preview-your-silent-auction?hsLang=en). --- ### **Frequently Asked Questions** **Can I change an auction item from Silent to Live if it already has bids?** Yes, you can change the Offering Type from Silent to Live while your auction is open if the item has bids. The bids will remain when you switch the Offering Type and will be reflected in your Live Auction Preview section if not deleted manually. **Can I reopen silent auction items that had no bidding?** If you have auction items that did not sell (received no bids), you can reopen the entire auction to allow more bidding. This reopens bidding on every unsold item in that auction, not just one. To reopen your silent auction, navigate to your Builder \> Auction Settings and set your new start and end date.  **How does anonymous bidding work?** When the Anonymous Bidding toggle is enabled, on the auction item pages, bidding history will be hidden from other bidders, so they can only see the current winning bid amount. No bidder names or past bids are shown. You can still see all bids that have been placed in the Dashboard under Auction Bids. ![](https://help.trellis.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-04-24%20at%2011-08-48%E2%80%AFAM-png.png?width=287&height=314&name=Screenshot%202026-04-24%20at%2011-08-48%E2%80%AFAM-png.png) --- ### **Related Articles** - [How to Create Silent Auction Items](https://help.trellis.org/how-to-create-silent-auction-items?hsLang=en) - [How to Add Auction Sponsors](https://help.trellis.org/how-to-add-auction-sponsors?hsLang=en) - [Checklist for Launching Your Silent Auction](https://help.trellis.org/checklist-in-publishing-your-silent-auction-using-trellis?hsLang=en) - [How to Send an Auction Bulk Upload Request](https://help.trellis.org/auction-items-and-sponsors-bulk-upload?hsLang=en) - [How to Manage Bidders During and After the Auction](https://help.trellis.org/manage-bidders?hsLang=en) - [How to Generate and Download Your Auction Printouts](https://help.trellis.org/how-to-generate-and-download-your-auction-prinouts?hsLang=en) --- - [Admin & Reporting](https://help.trellis.org/admin-reporting?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Welcome to Trellis](https://help.trellis.org/admin-reporting?hsLang=en#welcome-to-trellis) - [Understanding Fees](https://help.trellis.org/admin-reporting?hsLang=en#understanding-fees) - [Understanding British Columbia Provincial Sales Tax](https://help.trellis.org/admin-reporting?hsLang=en#understanding-british-columbia-provincial-sales-tax) - [Reports & Exports](https://help.trellis.org/admin-reporting?hsLang=en#reports-exports) - [Troubleshooting](https://help.trellis.org/admin-reporting?hsLang=en#troubleshooting) - [Set Up and Manage Your Banking](https://help.trellis.org/set-up-and-manage-your-banking?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Add Your Banking Details](https://help.trellis.org/set-up-and-manage-your-banking?hsLang=en#add-your-banking-details) - [Understanding Your Payouts](https://help.trellis.org/set-up-and-manage-your-banking?hsLang=en#understanding-your-payouts) - [Tax Receipts](https://help.trellis.org/tax-receipts?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Set Up Your Tax Receipts](https://help.trellis.org/tax-receipts?hsLang=en#set-up-your-tax-receipts) - [Manage Your Tax Receipts](https://help.trellis.org/tax-receipts?hsLang=en#manage-your-tax-receipts) - [Build and Design Your Fundraiser](https://help.trellis.org/build-and-design-your-fundraiser?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Build Your Fundraiser](https://help.trellis.org/build-and-design-your-fundraiser?hsLang=en#build-your-fundraiser) - [Fundraiser Settings](https://help.trellis.org/build-and-design-your-fundraiser?hsLang=en#fundraiser-settings) - [Manage Your Fundraiser](https://help.trellis.org/build-and-design-your-fundraiser?hsLang=en#manage-your-fundraiser) - [Live Event Views](https://help.trellis.org/build-and-design-your-fundraiser?hsLang=en#live-event-views) - [Messaging & Campaigns](https://help.trellis.org/messaging-campaigns?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Automated Messages](https://help.trellis.org/messaging-campaigns?hsLang=en#automated-messages) - [Creating Messaging Campaigns](https://help.trellis.org/messaging-campaigns?hsLang=en#creating-messaging-campaigns) - [Manage Your Messaging Campaigns](https://help.trellis.org/messaging-campaigns?hsLang=en#manage-your-messaging-campaigns) - [Analyze Your Messaging Campaigns](https://help.trellis.org/messaging-campaigns?hsLang=en#analyze-your-messaging-campaigns) - [Donor Experience](https://help.trellis.org/messaging-campaigns?hsLang=en#donor-experience) - [Event Ticketing](https://help.trellis.org/event-ticketing?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Set Up Your Event Tickets](https://help.trellis.org/event-ticketing?hsLang=en#set-up-your-event-tickets) - [Manage Your Attendees](https://help.trellis.org/event-ticketing?hsLang=en#manage-your-attendees) - [Post-Event Management](https://help.trellis.org/event-ticketing?hsLang=en#post-event-management) - [Donor Experience](https://help.trellis.org/event-ticketing?hsLang=en#donor-experience) - [Sponsorships](https://help.trellis.org/sponsorships?hsLang=en) - [Silent & Live Auctions](https://help.trellis.org/silent-live-auctions?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Set Up Your Auction](https://help.trellis.org/silent-live-auctions?hsLang=en#set-up-your-auction) - [Manage Your Auction](https://help.trellis.org/silent-live-auctions?hsLang=en#manage-your-auction) - [Auction Close](https://help.trellis.org/silent-live-auctions?hsLang=en#auction-close) - [Donor Experience](https://help.trellis.org/silent-live-auctions?hsLang=en#donor-experience) - [Donations](https://help.trellis.org/donations?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Set Up Your Donations](https://help.trellis.org/donations?hsLang=en#set-up-your-donations) - [Donor Experience](https://help.trellis.org/donations?hsLang=en#donor-experience) - [Items for Sale](https://help.trellis.org/items-for-sale?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Set Up Your Items for Sale](https://help.trellis.org/items-for-sale?hsLang=en#set-up-your-items-for-sale) - [Raffles & 50/50](https://help.trellis.org/raffles-50-50?hsLang=en#main-content) - [How to Run a Raffle](https://help.trellis.org/raffles-50-50?hsLang=en#how-to-run-a-raffle) - [Running a Raffle in the USA](https://help.trellis.org/raffles-50-50?hsLang=en#running-a-raffle-in-the-usa) - [Managing Your Raffle](https://help.trellis.org/raffles-50-50?hsLang=en#managing-your-raffle) - [Draw Winner & Reporting](https://help.trellis.org/raffles-50-50?hsLang=en#draw-winner-reporting) - [Donor Experience](https://help.trellis.org/raffles-50-50?hsLang=en#donor-experience) - [Raiser's Edge NXT Integration](https://help.trellis.org/raisers-edge-nxt-integration?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Integration Set Up](https://help.trellis.org/raisers-edge-nxt-integration?hsLang=en#integration-set-up) - [How the Integration Works](https://help.trellis.org/raisers-edge-nxt-integration?hsLang=en#how-the-integration-works) - [Constituent Matching](https://help.trellis.org/raisers-edge-nxt-integration?hsLang=en#constituent-matching) - [Gift Sync](https://help.trellis.org/raisers-edge-nxt-integration?hsLang=en#gift-sync) - [Event Participation Sync](https://help.trellis.org/raisers-edge-nxt-integration?hsLang=en#event-participation-sync) - [Sales Entry System (SES)](https://help.trellis.org/sales-entry-system-ses?hsLang=en) - [Check-In Tool](https://help.trellis.org/check-in-tool?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Introduction to the Check-In Tool](https://help.trellis.org/check-in-tool?hsLang=en#introduction-to-the-check-in-tool) - [Managing Attendees](https://help.trellis.org/check-in-tool?hsLang=en#managing-attendees) - [Event Day](https://help.trellis.org/check-in-tool?hsLang=en#event-day) - [Post-Event Management](https://help.trellis.org/check-in-tool?hsLang=en#post-event-management) - [Fund-a-Need](https://help.trellis.org/fund-a-need?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Set Up Your Fund-a-Need](https://help.trellis.org/fund-a-need?hsLang=en#set-up-your-fund-a-need) - [Manage Your Fund-a-Need](https://help.trellis.org/fund-a-need?hsLang=en#manage-your-fund-a-need) - [Manage Pledges Post-Event](https://help.trellis.org/fund-a-need?hsLang=en#manage-pledges-post-event) - [Security, Privacy & Technology](https://help.trellis.org/security-privacy-technology?hsLang=en) - [New Features!](https://help.trellis.org/new-features?hsLang=en) - [Resources for a Successful Fundraiser](https://help.trellis.org/resources-for-a-successful-fundraiser?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Pre-Event Planning](https://help.trellis.org/resources-for-a-successful-fundraiser?hsLang=en#pre-event-planning) - [Trellis Feature Spotlight](https://help.trellis.org/resources-for-a-successful-fundraiser?hsLang=en#trellis-feature-spotlight) - [Support Resources for Donors](https://help.trellis.org/support-resources-for-donors?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Getting Started](https://help.trellis.org/support-resources-for-donors?hsLang=en#getting-started) - [Checkouts](https://help.trellis.org/support-resources-for-donors?hsLang=en#checkouts) - [Participating in an Auction](https://help.trellis.org/support-resources-for-donors?hsLang=en#participating-in-an-auction) [![Chill listening crop-3](https://help.trellis.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Trellis-MainLogo-LightGreenLeaf-01.jpg?width=117&height=55&name=Trellis-MainLogo-LightGreenLeaf-01.jpg "Chill listening crop-3")](https://trellis.org) Copyright © 2026, Trellis Social Enterprise