GC Auctions Overview

Applies to: GC Events with GC Auctions enabled

Roles: Events administrators

Location: Events > [Your event] > Auction

Outcome: You understand what GC Auctions does, where to find it, and the end-to-end flow for running an auction at your event.

Summary: GC Auctions lets you run silent auctions, live auctions (coming soon), and paddle raise (coming soon) appeals as part of a GC Events event. Bidders register once, bid from their phones or raise a paddle in the room, and check out from a single invoice when the night is over.

This article covers

• What GC Auctions is used for
• The three auction components
• Turning on Auctions for an event
• Finding the Auction menu
• The high-level flow from setup to reporting

What GC Auctions is used for

GC Auctions brings your auction fundraising into the same place you already manage event registration. Instead of juggling bid sheets, a separate auction vendor, and a spreadsheet of pledges, you set up items and appeals on the event, register bidders, run the auction, and collect payment, all in GiveCampus.

The three auction components

• Silent Auction: Bidders browse items and place bids from their own devices during a set bidding window. GC Auctions tracks every bid and supports maximum bids (automatic bidding up to a cap). It can also extend an item's close time when a bid lands in the final minutes (anti-sniping).
• Live Auction (coming soon!): Your auctioneer sells items from the stage. GC Auctions records the final result for each item: the winning amount and the winning paddle number.
• Paddle Raise (coming soon!): Your auctioneer calls out giving levels (e.g., $10,000, $5,000, $1,000), and guests raise their paddles to pledge. In GC Auctions, each paddle raise is set up as an appeal. Pledges are recorded against an Online Giving form, and you can project a live fundraising slide in the room.

Note: Live Auction and Paddle Raise may not be available for every Partner during the beta period. If you don't see Run of Show or Paddle Raise in your Auction menu, contact your Partner Success Manager.

Step 1: Turn on Auctions for your event

1. Open your event and go into edit mode.
2. In the event's edit menu, select Setup.
3. Find the Auctions card ("Run silent auctions, live auctions, and paddle raise appeals within your event.").

4. Turn on the toggle. The card updates to "Auctions enabled for this event."

   

   [Screenshot: Event Setup page with the Auctions card enabled]

When you turn on Auctions, GiveCampus creates the auction for your event with default settings. You'll fine-tune those on the Auction Settings page.

Tip: If you don't see the Auctions card on the Setup page, Auctions isn't enabled for your school yet. Contact your Partner Success Manager.

Step 2: Leave edit mode to find the Auction menu

The Auction menu lives in the event's regular (view mode) sidebar, not in the edit menu. After you turn on Auctions:

1. Leave edit mode and return to the event.
2. In the event sidebar, select Auction. It appears below Event Attendance.

The Auction menu expands to show:

• Dashboard
• Settings
• Items
• Paddle Raise
• Run of Show
• Bidders
• Bids
• Closeouts or Checkouts: this item is labeled Closeouts when you're holding results for admin review. A yellow dot appears when bidding has ended and winners are waiting for review.

Note: Turning Auctions off later hides the auction tab and catalog but keeps your auction data. Once an auction has been scheduled, you can't turn Auctions off for that event.

Step 3: Get to know the Auction Dashboard

The Auction Dashboard is home base on auction night. It shows:

• Auction Controls: A Silent Auction card shows the end time and status, with buttons to extend, pause, close early, or reopen bidding. A Live Auction card shows items sold, with buttons to open or close the live auction.
• Totals: Total Committed, Items Sold, Bidders with Bids, and Items with Bids.
• Breakdowns: Item Breakdown, Checkout Status, and Paddle Raise (pledges made, pledges paid, bidders pledging, and pledged amount).

While bidding is live, the dashboard refreshes automatically every five seconds.

The high-level flow

1. Turn on Auctions on the event's Setup page.
2. Configure settings: goal, starting paddle number, how winners are notified, payment collection, silent auction dates, and paddle raise pledge form.
3. Add items and paddle raise appeals.
4. Register bidders online ahead of time or at check-in.
5. Run the auction: silent bidding, the live auction from the Run of Show, and paddle raise pledges.
6. Review and close: resolve flagged items and unknown paddles, then select Confirm & Notify.
7. Collect payment and report on results.

Who can do what

• Viewing the auction requires the View Event permission.
• Most auction work requires the Manage Registrations permission: changing settings, running the auction, reviewing winners, and creating check-in or projection links. The Superadmin, Events Superadmin, Advanced Events Admin, and Basic Events Admin roles include it.
• Turning Auctions on or off from the Setup page requires the Edit Event permission.

Keywords: auctions, GC Auctions, silent auction, live auction, paddle raise, appeal, auction menu, enable auctions, auction dashboard, gala, fundraising event