GC Auctions - Running a Live Auction

Applies to: GC Events with GC Auctions enabled (Live Auction)

Roles: Events administrators with the Manage Registrations permission

Location: Events > [Your event] > Auction > Run of Show

Outcome: Each live auction item is recorded with its winning amount and winning paddle, ready for review and checkout.

Summary: Your auctioneer sells live auction items from the stage. GC Auctions doesn't track every bid called out in the room. Instead, your team records the final result for each item from the Run of Show: the winning amount and paddle number.

This article covers

• How live auction timing works
• Building your Run of Show
• Recording a winner during the live auction
• Editing a result
• Reserve prices and unsold items

Prerequisites

• Live items are added on the Items tab with the Section set to Live.
• Bidders have paddle numbers.

How live auction timing works

Live auction doesn't have its own settings card or schedule. Live items don't have a countdown timer; they're resolved on stage. Winners can be recorded whenever the auction is open for bidding:

• From the dashboard's Live Auction card, select Open auction to open bidding. If you also have a silent auction, this opens all items, silent and live.
• If you pause bidding from the dashboard, you won't be able to record live winners until you resume. Pausing affects the whole auction, not just the silent items.

Because live results are entered by hand, auctions with live items always use Hold for admin review. You'll review every live result before winners are notified.

Step 1: Build your Run of Show

Go to Auction > Run of Show. Live items appear here automatically as you add them, along with any published paddle raise appeals. Drag rows to put them in the order your auctioneer will present them.

Each row shows its type (Item or Paddle raise) and state (Pending, Active, Sold, or Completed).

Step 2: Go live

When the live auction begins, select Go live. The console shows:

• Program Items on the left, with Now showing and Up next labels
• A control panel on the right for the current item, showing its starting bid, bid increment, and reserve

The console refreshes every five seconds, so multiple team members can follow along.

Step 3: Record the winner

When the auctioneer closes the bidding on an item:

1. Under Final Bid, enter the Winning amount in whole dollars, with no $ or commas.
2. Enter the Winning paddle number.
3. Select Assign winner.

GC Auctions checks that the paddle number belongs to a bidder in this auction. If it doesn't, you'll see "No paddle with that number in this auction." Double-check the paddle and try again.

The item is marked Sold, showing the amount, the winner's name, and who recorded it. The console then moves on to the next item automatically.

Step 4: Edit a result if needed

Made a typo? On the item's panel, select Edit, update the amount or paddle, and select Save. Editing a result doesn't advance the console to the next item.

You can also adjust results during admin review, before winners are notified.

Reserve prices on live items

If you enter an amount below the item's reserve, you'll see a warning ("This amount is below the reserve…"). You can still assign it. The item is flagged Below reserve in review, so you can decide whether to keep the sale.

Ending the live auction

When the last live item is done, select Close live auction on the dashboard's Live Auction card. Any live items without a recorded winner are marked unsold. Recorded winners are kept and flow to Review Winners. Silent bidding isn't affected and keeps running until it closes.

Tip: There's no "pass" button for an item that doesn't sell. Just move on to the next item. Anything without a winner is marked unsold when you close the live auction.

Keywords: live auction, run of show, go live, auctioneer, hammer price, winning bid, paddle number, assign winner, edit final bid, reserve, unsold