Check out the New and Improved Features!
The first thing you're likely to notice is how different your new site looks. The new version is tablet and smartphone compatible and the new look was necessary to scale the screen display to the smaller screens.
The new look may be a little disorienting at first, but the good news is that most of the data entry functions are unchanged. Instead of clicking on text links, you'll click on buttons and icons. Some fields and labels have been renamed and some controls have been moved to new locations, but the fields themselves and the way records are created and managed are virtually unchanged.
The great news is that we have added some exciting new features and improved some old ones. Since most of the changes came from our customers' collective Wish List - we think you're going to be as excited about them as we are. In fact, we're so excited to show them off - we created this mini-tour to make sure you don't miss any:
Dashboard:
Donors:
Donor Receipts are set up independently of the Guest/Sales Receipts and can also be generated from the Donor Page.
Custom Fields:
Ticket Sales:
In addition:
Password protected user accounts can be created by visitors to your site during the online ticket purchase process or when registering for the online auction, whichever comes first. The same account can be used for both transactions and the software will direct users to update an existing account or create a new one based on the email address they provide.
Your supporters can now donate money without buying a ticket, even if no additional items are for sale. The editable "Click here for non-ticket transactions" label appears when either "allow additional donations" is enabled or items are flagged to be offered for sale during online registration.
Self Check-Out:
See the self check-in and self check-out features in action here.
Gala guests can check themselves out on their smartphones:
You can view complete information on the Self Check-out feature here.
Users:
Reports:
Print Settings:
View the Print Settings here and learn more about the display choices for online items transferring to the Gala auction here.
Print Materials
Mobile Bidding now available with premium subscriptions:
What is Mobile Bidding?
Mobile Bidding allows your gala guests to place bids on smartphones rather than paper bid sheets - but it is more than simply "going paperless". By projecting a realtime display of bids as they are placed, kudos are tacitly provided to bidders and frenetic bidding can be excellent (and motivating) entertainment. Mobile bidding can add a refreshing new twist to established events - and it's a great vehicle for increasing the visibility and bidding on premium silent items that just missed the cut for your Live Auction.
Mobile bidding can also be used to allow simultaneous online bidding by supporters that are unable to attend your event.
1. During your Gala event, guests receive an email invitation to participate in mobile bidding. The invitation includes a link which brings them to your catalog of Mobile items (logged in and ready to bid.)
2. As guests bid on items, their bids are projected in a large display, visible to everyone at your gala (shown above). The smartphone view has easy links to view the items bid on, outbid on and won, and the projected display allows everyone on the room to witness (and encourage) the bidding.
3. At a pre-determined time, the mobile bidding closes and items are awarded to the high bidder. If desired, multiple "rounds" of mobile bidding can be offered, much like silent table closings - with staggered closings of items and displays to be projected configured ahead of time.
4. At the desired time, guests (gala, mobile, and online bidders) are emailed an (optional) invitation to check-out on their smartphone. The invitation includes a link to their account where they can review their purchases and pay with a credit card (just a click of a button if they vaulted a credit card).
Site Settings Menu:
1. Added Communications section - see below.
2. Added Catalog section to consolidate catalog settings in one place.
3. "Live Auction" relabeled "Gala Auction" everywhere.
4. Added Printing section to consolidate printing and bid sheet controls.
5. Added Online Donation Forms section to consolidate controls for Donate Now (cash and online store) and Online Donation Form for items in one place.
What you won't find:
Public Donors and the Donor Page: We are working on a replacement feature for highlighting your important donors that is easier to use and more versatile.
Coupons and Discounts: These will also be handled differently and eventually added back. If you have used the coupon feature in the past, contact support and we can help you with a CSS workaround until the new feature is available.
Processing Manual Refunds: This feature still exists, but can only be enabled by the support team. Contact us if you need your site to process refunds manually.
Highlight Item in Public catalog: This feature has been replaced with the ability to control the display order of your catalog.