FAQ Check In

1. How should front desk staff handle blocked or duplicate bid numbers?
2. What’s the best way to distribute bid paddles at the event?
3. How can I find out which guests used Self Check-In?
4. What are the best practices for managing bid numbers with Advance Check-In?
5. Can guests print Bid Paddles at home?

A: If you're using Advance Check-In, it's important to know that bid numbers are not assigned sequentially during that process. Instead, the system uses a temporary placeholder number until the guest completes full check-in.

If you're asking guests to print their own bid number at home, rest assured that the software will not let you assign a bid number that has already been used. 

Just give your front desk staff a heads-up that if they are blocked when assigning a particular bid number, it's because the number was already issued via Self Check-In. They should just set the blocked bid number to the side and assign the next.

If you want to distribute all bidder numbers/paddles at the event, the best way to do so is with a greeter at the door for those who used Advanced Check-In.

Just before the event, you'll want to check the Tickets page to determine who used Self Check-In and pull those bid number paddles. The Greeter should also have access to a tablet or laptop so they can look up guests' bidder numbers.

Helpful Articles:

Overview: Advance Check-in

Setting Up Self Check-In

Inviting Guests To Self Check-In

1. If a guest isn't checked in, can I award them an auction item?

2. Do I have to check my ticketed gala guests in?

3. What is the advantage of checking in guests?

4. Is there a disadvantage to not checking gala guests in?

A: The primary goals of the Check-In process are to store (Vault) a guest’s credit card, provide them with their Bid Paddle/Bidder Number, and/or capture an accurate head count of attendees to support future event planning.

That said, if these goals don't align with how you're running your event, it's completely fine for guests to bypass the Check-In process.

*It's also helpful to know that guests can be automatically checked in through certain actions:

• The first time a gala item is awarded (or sold) to a ticketed guest, the system will automatically mark them as checked in.
• Similarly, if a ticket is sold to a guest from the Auction Night screen by going to: Auction Night > Check-In > Sell a Ticket, the system will check them in at that moment.

1. How do I schedule when Self Check-In invitations are sent?
2. How can I choose the date my Self Check-In invites go out?

A: The Advance Check-In (Self Check-In) feature was designed to let guests skip the lines by checking in online before your event—typically a gala auction—but it can be used for any event where tickets are issued.

Please note that the invitation to Self Check-In is not automated. You’ll need to send it manually when you're ready from the Tickets page, typically about a week before your event.

Instructions to Select and Invite Ticket Holders to Self Check-In: Inviting Guests To Self Check-In 

1. How do we handle handing out Bid Paddles when some guests check in early and others at the door?
2. How should we communicate that Advance Check-In guests can skip the front desk?

A: You can customize the Self Check-In Invitation and Confirmation email templates to let guests know how to skip the registration line. Simply explain that if they complete Self Check-In by [insert deadline], they’ll be able to head straight into the gala. Their registration packets will be waiting for them at their assigned tables.

Guests who don’t complete Self Check-In in advance can still pick up their materials at the registration desk upon arrival.

Feel free to adjust the messaging to match your event’s tone.