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Getting Started with Silent Auction Pro

This section covers how to set up your Silent Auction Pro™ user account and/or fundraising event for the first time. Review the Group Members help page to learn about the different membership roles before creating a group or event. Whether you are a group member, auction assistant, or auction/group administrator, the online help covers all aspects of using the software's features and optional components.

If you are only seeking information as an online bidder for a group's event, skip to the Placing Online Bids help page. If you need help as an online bidder, please contact your group's administrator rather than the Silent Auction Pro technical support line.

Organizations can start using Silent Auction Pro with these simple steps:

  1. Create a user account (all users)
  2. Create a group (group administrators only)
  3. Create an event (group administrators only)

Step 1: Create a user account

Each group member should have his or her own username and password. Group administrators should grant the appropriate level of access to members based on their roles.

  1. From the Silent Auction Pro home page, click the Sign Up / Log In button and then the Click Here to Get Started link.
  2. In the Create an Account form, type a username and password and click the Create Login button.
  3. Complete your user information and click Create Account.
  4. Next, either select a group to join from the Groups drop-down list or create a new group.

Step 2: Create a group

If your organization is using Silent Auction Pro for the very first time and you wish to be the group administrator, click the Create a Group button. The group and event names form the foundation for your customer-facing pages and correspondence, so choose these names wisely. Your group name should represent your group, not the event. (i.e., Soroptomists)

  1. Enter your group's information in the form, including the appropriate tax rate for your locality. See Tax Calculations and Taxable Items for more information on sales tax.
  2. If you have a logo for your group, upload it using the Browse... button to locate the file on your computer. See Uploading Images for more information.
  3. Click Submit to create your group.

Your group information is stored in the Silent Auction Pro software as long as you use the system at least once per year. You need only create your group once; after creating your group you will be prompted to create an event.

If another Silent Auction Pro member has already created a group for your organization, request to join the group by selecting it from the Groups drop-down list and clicking Submit. The request is automatically sent via email to the group administrator. When the administrator grants your request, you will receive an email notification and can start entering contacts and donations. If you already have membership to a group, the group number appears in the upper right corner of the Web page after you log in.

Step 3: Create an event

When creating an event, choose an event name that represents the event and the year, not the group. (i.e., A Chocolate Affair 2013). See the Events help topic for a detailed description of the event fields.

  1. Enter the event title, event date, advance sales ticket price, event day (at-the-door) ticket price, buyers premium mark-up (optional), and footnote (optional), then click Next.
  2. Choose optional Silent Auction Pro components and read the Services Agreement as it is the contract between you and Silent Auction Pro. Click on the checkbox next to "I agree to the terms and conditions of this agreement" to agree to the terms, then click Next.
  3. Enter your credit card information to place it on file as an agreement to pay at the close of your event. There are no up-front charges placed on the card and the final payment can be made by check or credit card. Click Process Card.

Congratulations! Now that you have created your user account, group, and event in Silent Auction Pro, refer to the remaining online help pages as you use the Silent Auction Pro software to manage your fundraising event.

Invite other group members to set up user accounts

Now that you have entrusted Silent Auction Pro as your fundraising management tool, invite other people within your organization to create an account and request access to your group. As the group administrator, you will receive an email notifying you whenever there is an active request to join your group. See the Managing Group Members help topic.

You will need to tell others your group number so that they can request to join your group. After logging in, your group number appears at the upper right corner of the screen along with your group name.

Step 5: Invite other people to join your group
  1. Go to the Group Admin Tools > Invite Group Members page
  2. Enter the list of email addresses for each person you want to invite to join the group. Emails should be separated by commas.
  3. Review the message and add any additional information you wish to add. Add your signature at the bottom.
  4. Click Send email invite button

When people complete the sign-up process you will receive an email from Silent Auction Pro and will also see a notification on the home page letting you know that a person has requested access to your group as a group member. Click on the link or on the Group Admin Tools > Manage Group Membership menu option to grant or deny their request.