Cataloging/Lotting Timed Items by CSV Spreadsheet

This is a quick guide for filling in the Timed Auction Lotting spreadsheet to create your lots in the system. If you have not received this template, please contact Webtron to obtain a copy or click here to download a new copy of the Guided Timed Auction Lotting Template.

If you’ve decided to use the Spreadsheet Import method for adding your Lots and Listings to the Webtron Dashboard, you can start the Lotting process before even creating your Auction.

As part of our Onboarding and Training program, you will have received a special Guided Timed Auction Lotting Template from Webtron, please open this spreadsheet up in either Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or your spreadsheet editing software of choice.

If you can’t find the Onboarding Pack we sent you, click here to download a new copy of the Guided Timed Auction Lotting Template.

The Webtron Dashboard requires certain columns/Item fields to be filled in order to Convert your Items from Ghost to Real Item status, each of the Required columns/fields is marked out with a * in this guide.

Item Type* (Column A)

The first column of the spreadsheet is the Item Type. For Timed Auction Items, there are two Item Types:

• Lot – For Standard Bidding (Bidding on the Increment and Setting Auto Bids) and supports optional Purchase Options – Buy Now or Make Offer.
• Listing – For setting a Buy Now price (Purchase Price) or Make Offer option. No Bidding options.

Fill in either LOT or LISTING in all caps in each row cell.

Lot Number* (Column B)

Under the Lot Number column, you can enter in a Lot/Listing Number for each of your Items. If filling in the Lot Number manually, you can start from any number, and fill in either numeric (numbers) or alphanumeric (letters and numbers) values.

Alternatively, if you leave this column blank, the Webtron Dashboard will be instructed to automatically assign Lot Numbers in ascending order starting from 1 after you click Upload Items inside the Dashboard.

Title* (Column C)

The Title column sets the name of your Item. We recommend structuring your Item Title using keywords and dates where appropriate. If you’re unsure what to enter, a good rule of thumb is structuring the title around “What your Bidders would type out in Google to find your Lot”.

Item Titles can be up to 225 characters long, but we recommend 75 characters or less.

Summary (Column D)

The Summary column is where you can enter in a short 1-2 sentences containing the key information about your Item. The Summary field is best used to provide a brief snapshot either about the item, or useful information like Estimates, Tax status (Inclusive, Exclusive, Exempt etc.) or whatever you feel is appropriate for that Item.

Item Summaries can be up to 300 characters long, but we recommend 120 characters or less. The Summary column/field is also optional and can be left blank.

Description (Column E)

The Description column is where you can enter the full details of your Item. The Description is best suited for longer descriptive content or technical details about your Item. Description is optional and can be left blank.

Whilst the Item Summary displays below the Item Title on your Portal, the Item Description is found exclusively on the Item Details page (accessed by your Bidders through clicking the Item Title itself or the More Details button on the Item).

Descriptions can be up to 3000 characters in length, and can be further formatted after importing your spreadsheet, such as adding:

• Bold
• Italic
• Strikethrough
• Dot Points

1. Number Points

• And basic HTML formatting, like Tables.

Category* (Column F)

The Category is a general category name that you would like to assign to an Item. Assigning a unique Category to an Item or Items will allow bidders to filter your auction by Category. You can either assign the same Category ID Number to all items or enter a unique Category ID Number for each of your Items.

Required Formatting – Refer to your Category Tree and type out or copy paste the Category ID Number inside any cell under the F Column and from Row 3 onwards, then wrap the number in square brackets, like this: [124]

You can then copy and paste that Category ID for each row of Items you create by pressing CTRL C to copy, then CTRL V to paste.

You can also quick-format copy the Category ID by floating your mouse over the bottom-right corner of the cell, when the white plus sign turns black, hold left-click and drag downwards to assign that Category ID to multiple rows.

Vendor* (Column G)

The Vendor column allows you to assign a Vendor profile to each Item. You can either list all items under your default Vendor profile (Your business/trading name), or you can assign different Vendors to different items.

When creating a Vendor profile, a unique Vendor ID Number will be generated, you can retrieve this from the Users & Groups > Vendors menu.

Required Formatting – Refer to the Users & Groups > Vendors menu if you need to retrieve the ID Number for a Vendor profile. Type out or copy paste the Vendor ID Number inside any cell under the G Column from Row 3 onwards, then wrap the number in square brackets, like this: [2]

You can then copy and paste that Vendor ID for each row of Items you create by pressing CTRL C to copy, then CTRL V to paste.

You can also quick-format copy the Vendor ID by floating your mouse over the bottom-right corner of the cell, when the white plus sign turns black, hold left-click and drag downwards to assign that Vendor ID to multiple rows.

Purchase Option*

Purchase Option sets the interactive option available for your Bidders on each Lot and Listing.

Purchase Options for the Lot Item Type:

• None (NONE) – Standard Bidding only, no Buy Now or Make Offer option on that Lot.
• Buy Now (BUY_NOW) – Standard Bidding plus a set Purchase Price, enabling a Bidder to buy that Lot outright.
• Make Offer (MAKE_OFFER) – Standard Bidding plus the option to Offer an Amount for a Lot, up to 3 times per Lot.

Purchase Options for the Listing Item Type:

• Buy Now (BUY_NOW) – Set Purchase Price for that Listing, enabling a Bidder to buy the Listing outright.
• Make Offer (MAKE_OFFER) – Sets the option to Offer an Amount for a Listing, up to 3 times per Listing.

Type out the Purchase Option you’d like to set, following these formats:

• For None, type out NONE in all caps
• For Buy Now, type out BUY_NOW in all caps, add the underscore by holding the SHIFT key and pressing the Dash “-” key on the top-right of your Keyboard (next to the Plus “+” sign).
• For Make Offer, type out MAKE_OFFER in all caps, add the underscore by holding the SHIFT key and pressing the Dash “-” key on the top-right of your Keyboard (next to the Plus “+” sign).

Purchase Price (Column S)

The Purchase Price column allows you to set a Purchase Price amount for Items using the Buy Now Purchase Option, or set a hidden Minimum Acceptable Amount for Items using the Make Offer Purchase Option.

Required Formatting – Whole Numbers only, Timed Auction Lots and Listings do not currently support decimal values. Do not type in currency symbols, brackets or decimal points, just the whole number, like this: 500

Opening Bid (Column T)

The Opening Bid column allows you to set an Opening/Starting amount for each item (i.e. the amount/value of the first bid for each Item). Setting an Opening Bid is optional, either type in the amount you’d like to set for the Opening Bid, or leave this column empty to start your item at 0 + the set Increment.

Required Formatting – Whole Numbers only, Timed Auction Lots do not currently support decimal values. Do not type in currency symbols, brackets or decimal points, just the whole number, like this: 500

Bid Increment* (Column U)

The Bid Increment column is where you can set the Increment amount or “rises” that you would like each bid to ascend in for each Item.

Required Formatting – Whole Numbers only, Timed Auction Lots do not currently support decimal values. Do not type in currency symbols, brackets or decimal points, just the whole number, like this: 25

Alternatively, Webtron can setup up an Auto Increment table with you, this will allow you to leave the Bid Increment column blank and, upon clicking Upload Items, the Webtron Dashboard will be instructed to assign an Increment based on the Opening Bid for each Item. (i.e. you may like $10 increments for amounts between $0 – $50, $20 increments for amounts between $51 – $100, and $50 increments for amounts $101 and over).

If you are already using Auto Increments, leave the Bid Increment column blank.

Reserve Price (Column U)

The Reserve Price column where you can enter in any Reserve Prices applicable to your Timed Lots. If there is no reserve applicable to your Timed Lots, either enter 0 or leave the cell blank.

Required Formatting – Whole Numbers only, Timed Auction Lots do not currently support decimal values. Do not type in currency symbols, brackets or decimal points, just the whole number, like this: 25

Contact Seller

Typing Y under the Contact Seller column will add the “Ask A Question” button to an Item. This will enable your Bidders to send through messages via an email inquiry to your Dashboard Admins on the Contact Seller notification list. Contact Seller is disabled by default, so you can leave this column blank or type N to manually disable Contact Seller.

Saving your Spreadsheet as a CSV

Once you’ve filled in all of your Item data, you’ll need to save your Timed Auction Lotting Spreadsheet as a CSV. You will find the steps to do this in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets below, this process also slightly differs between Windows and macOS, please click one of the tabs below to see the steps in your computer’s Operating System:

Saving a Spreadsheet as a CSV in Microsoft Excel on Windows 11

If you’re using the Desktop version of Excel, you can skip to Step 3 after pressing CTRL SHIFT S on your Keyboard, otherwise:

Step 1 – Click File