New and Improved Features! (smartphone friendly version)
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 list to make sure you don't miss any:
- Embedded Video tutorial to get your team started.
- Help maps with links to relevant lessons for the specific tasks.
- Team Directory with email links.
- Modular layout with each module and all elements within modules optional and editable.
- Built-in menu of Themes to apply to your site.
- Color-picker for choosing/creating custom colors for your site's background and headers.
- Integrated catalog displays both Gala and Online Auction with tools for your team to toggle between filtered views and to control which elements are visible to the public and when they display.
- Custom message space at the top of the catalog for each item category.
- Public Preview button so your team can preview the catalog without logging out.
- Display Order setting allows you to dictate the order items are displayed in the web catalog (by Item Name, Number, Category or specified display order.)
- Bulk Editing now available for Pricing Display, Item Status, Online Opening Time.
- Header and Navigation bar tab can be edited.
- Registration process streamlined to three screens.
- Auto look-up function on first/last names and emails allows your team and online buyers to select existing user records (reducing duplicates).
- Option for online buyers to create a password to allow them to also use the same account for bidding in your online auction.
- Required fields are designated for Online Ticket Sales only, your team will not be blocked by missing info.
- Ability to limit the number displayed in "Choose Quantity of Ticket(s) to Buy" dropdown menu.
- Public Preview button on Ticket Types Admin page allows you to preview the tickets you create as they will appear on the public menu.
- 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.
- Opening Time for Bidding added.
- Public Viewing opening and closing times added to control when items are visible (independent of whether bidding is open)
- Default opening and closing times for bidding allow you to specify the times for all items added to the online auction. Default times can be overridden using individual or bulk edits.
- Donor receipts can be printed or emailed for item donations or sponsorships.
- Anonymous flag hides donor name in all public views.
Custom Fields:
- Can now be sorted by clicking on column headers on all data pages.
- Chair role added to further protect sensitive credit card information and to avoid mishaps with critical site settings.
- User-generated, password protected accounts are created during online ticket purchase process and online auction registration, whichever comes first. The same account can be used for both transactions and the software will direct the user to update or create an account based on the email provided.
- Manage Users tab moved to Admin dropdown menu.
- Self Check-Out feature allows you to send an email to your Gala guests during the event which allows them to review their cart and pay for their order via a smartphone.
- Online Reports now share the same robust format as Pre and Post Auction Reports.
- View Reports tab moved to Admin dropdown menu
Printed Materials:
- Printing section added at Admin > Site Settings to consolidate all printing and bid sheet settings in one place.
- More choices for displaying online bidder names for items transferring from online to gala.
- Reorganized Print Menu moved to Admin dropdown menu.
- Available with premium subscriptions.
- 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.
- Admin > Site Settings menu reorganized and relabeled by feature/function to make navigation more intuitive.
- General relabeled Customize Your Site
- Communications section added to allow review and editing of all email addresses, templates and text blocks from a central location. Individual settings are also controllable at the feature level and edits to either will update both locations.
- Catalog section added to consolidate all catalog settings.
- Live Auction relabeled Gala Auction everywhere.
- Printing section added to consolidate printing and bid sheet settings.
- Credit Card section visible to Users with Chair role only, relabeled Payment/Credit Cards, custom payment instructions moved here.
- Online Donation Form section added to combine Donate Now and Online Item Donation settings 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 specify the order of items in your catalog.