• Event Check In using Online Bidding

Printable Quick Reference Cards (QRCs):

• Event Check in for Online Bidding Events QRC
• Check in for Bidsheet Pro customers using online registration
• Check in for Bidsheet Plus / No online registration
• Buying and assigning tickets at check in


• How to Register and Log in - ideal to print and share with guests
• How to Bid online and Self Check out - ideal to print and share with guests
• Saving Silent Auction Pro website to your phone's home screen

It is important to speed your attendees through the check-in process as quickly as possible. The fundamental purpose of checking in attendees at your event is to enter all contact information into the software and issue their bidder numbers so that they can bid on items. The software assigns bidder numbers and these bidder numbers are then used by the software at the time of check-out to produce invoices and auction reports.

Depending on the specifics of your event, you will want to use one of our two help pages dedicated to the "how" of an organized Check In.

Use the Check In: Using Participants Report help page if...

• You are selling tickets through Silent Auction Pro™ and most of your guests have a ticket before the event starts
• You are utilizing mobile bidding at your event, and most of your guests have already signed up for online bidding

Use the Check In: Using Check In Tools help page if...

• You are selling tickets through Silent Auction Pro™ and most of your guests will buy a ticket at the door
• You are utilizing mobile bidding at your event, and most of your guests are unregistered
• You're not selling tickets, or using mobile bidding (every guest walking in the door is unregistered for your event

Share this guest-centered help page with your guests/online bidders to help them get registered for bidding.

1. Collect and record admission money.
2. Enter or verify the contact information and mark the contact as a bidder.
3. Swipe the bidder's credit card to place on file for optional express check-out. If the check-in line is long, this can be done any time during the event.
4. Mark the guest as "present" by updating Checked In status to YES.
5. Optional for mobile bidding: Verify that the bidder can sign in to the online bidding page.
6. Print a bidder number for the attendee.

To reduce long lines at check-in

• Encourage attendees to pre-pay/pre-register for your event.
• Use the integrated credit card processing so that your attendees can register online and place their credit cards on file ahead of time. This sets them up for express check-out.
• Print out bidder numbers for pre-paid attendees and have these bidder numbers sitting on a table separate from the check-in computers.
• Direct all pre-paid attendees to the pre-paid area to pick up their bidder numbers and quickly enter into your event. People will automatically stand in a line if they see one! Provide good signage and a team member to direct pre-paid attendees out of the line to the pre-paid check-in area.
• If a ticket has been purchased by another person and you don't know the name of the guest, don't pre-enter the person as "Guest Of ..." These contact records rarely are updated with the real guest name may end up causing problems at your event. It's best to just enter the guest as they arrive at the event.
  • Only first names and last names are required, but more information is useful, especially email addresses and phone numbers.
  • The more information you have in your contacts database ahead of time, the less you will have to do at check-in (thus, shorter lines).
• For paper-based events, use fast printers to avoid the typical printing bottleneck; laser printers are often the fastest and print with excellent clarity.
  • Have plenty of paper and spare ink/toner cartridges on hand.
  • Connect each computer to its own printer.
  • Use settings on your printer that make it print faster without compromising the print quality; set this as the default.
  • Test all computers and printers before people start coming through the door.
• Provide multiple check-in stations.
  • There is no restriction on how many computers can access your group account at the same time.
  • Provide one computer/printer/card reader station for every 75 to 100 expected attendees.
  • Provide a minimum of three stations, but there is no harm in having four or five or more computers at the check-in/check-out area.
  • Make sure you have a mouse for each computer.
• Practice using the system.
  • Auction assistants who will staff the computers at check-in/check-out should practice ahead of time with the demo account, have good computer skills, and the ability to type.
  • Use people who work well under pressure to staff the check-in/check-out computers; it is always a hectic situation.
  • Review Setting up for the Event and Training Auction Assistants and Volunteers help topics.