Exporting your Catalogs to Auction Flex
Importing your catalogs into Auction Flex (Legacy) may seem challenging at first. This step-by-step tutorial will guide you through the process of exporting from AuctionWriter and importing into Auction Flex.
1. Navigate to your catalog
When you’re ready to import your catalog into Auction Flex, click the Export button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
2. Set Export Settings
- To include both data and images in the export, select Data & Images.
- Use the dropdown menu to select Auction Flex as your platform.
- Click Export to download your catalog on your device.
3. Extract the File
- Locate the .zip file and right-click on it. Select Extract All from the menu. (or double-click the zip folder on Mac)
- For detailed instructions, see our guide on unzipping files on Mac and Windows.
4. Verify the export
- After extracting the file, you should see a single folder containing all images and data (a single .csv file) for your auction.
- Image files will follow a consistent naming format, matching the corresponding lot or inventory numbers.
Importing to Auction Flex
Note: After completing your first import, future imports will be significantly faster. Auction Flex will remember your import settings.
1. Access the Import Function in Auction Flex
- Navigate to the Easy Navigator screen in Auction Flex.
- Click Auction Lots & Preview Images:
- Then, click the Import Lots button:
2. Select and Upload Your Spreadsheet:
- Use the Browse button to locate and select your exported .csv file:
- Once selected, click the Next Step button to proceed.
3. Map Spreadsheet Columns to Auction Flex Fields:
- Add the corresponding fields, you must follow the exact order from top to bottom:
- Order matters. Make sure that the fields are listed top to bottom in the following order:
- Lot#
- Lead/Title
- Description 1
- Description 2
- Description 3
- Description 4
- Description 5
- Min Est Each
- Max Est Each
- Consignor/Vendor Code
- Do not skip any columns. It is crucial to map each column to a field.
- For data that you do not want to include, use the “-Ignore Column.” fields when mapping. For example, to ignore estimates during import, your mapping would look like this:
4. Verify Data Alignment:
- When you are finished mapping fields, click Next Step.
- In the preview, you can review if your mapping settings are correct.
- You must check Skip First Row When Importing.
- Use the horizontal scroll bar to view additional columns.
- In most cases, AuctionWriter descriptions are not lengthy enough to populate the Description 4 and Description 5 columns with data. It’s perfectly fine for these columns to appear as empty cells in the preview. However, it’s still necessary to include these fields during mapping to ensure accurate data transfer.
- When mapping fields to “Ignore column”, the preview will look something like this:
- Click the Next Step button to continue.
5. Miscellaneous Options
In this step, you can set additional preferences as needed to align with your auction setup:
- Combine Descriptions: Uncheck the box in the second field.
- Fallback Consignor ID: Use the third/final field to assign a fallback consignor ID. Even if individual consignor codes are already assigned, including a fallback is best practice.
- If a lot is missing a consignor ID, Auction Flex will skip it during the import, potentially causing issues such as misaligned lot images. Should this occur, it’s recommended to delete the entire auction, make corrections, and re-import to avoid further disruptions.
- Click the Next Step button to continue.
6. Importing Images
- In the Inventory Import Step 5 window, choose “Assume image name same as lot#…”
- Click the Next Step button to continue.
7. Execute the Import
- In the Inventory Import Step 6 window, initiate the import by clicking the Import Inventory button.
- Monitor the process for any errors or warnings, and review the import summary upon completion.
- If a message appears, understand that oftentimes, these messages are not reporting errors with the importing process. However, they are important to address for a smooth auction. Here is an example of a import summary with a warning message:
Here’s an example of how to address warning messages effectively:
- Identify the Warning:
- For instance, the warning “NO Match Consignor Code” indicates that Auction Flex could not map a consignor code to a specific lot.
- Steps to Avoid This Error:
- Verify that each lot in your AuctionWriter catalog has an assigned consignor number.
- Ensure that all consignor numbers in your AuctionWriter catalog already exist in Auction Flex before importing (see details below).
- Assign a fallback consignor number during the import process (refer to Step 5: Miscellaneous Options for more information).
By taking these proactive steps, you can minimize errors and ensure a smoother import process.
Additional Tips:
Before Exporting:
- Ensure all lots have a Consignor Number.
- Note that any titles exceeding 50 characters will be automatically shortened, as Auction Flex truncates longer titles.
Before Importing:
- Create all consignor IDs before importing. You can verify consignor IDs in Auction Flex under a customer profile’s “Cust Code” field.
- Use the fallback consignor number option during Step 4 of the import to ensure all items are assigned IDs.
If Issues Arise During Import:
- If the import skips lots (e.g., due to missing consignor data), we recommend deleting the lots, fixing your catalog in AuctionWriter, re-exporting, and re-importing your catalog following the steps above.
Summary
By following this guide, you’ll successfully import your AuctionWriter catalogs to Auction Flex. We understand the export process can seem overwhelming the first time. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, do not hesitate to contact our support team– we’re here to help make your experience as seamless as possible.