Handbid Release 2.49-2.50

We are excited to announce the release of some new features and improvements to the Handbid platform! Let's dive into the features for our releases 2.49 and 2.50:

Handbid's New Features Update

Auction Language 

How cool that Handbid allows end-users to view the application in 6 different languages. However, the system still sent automated messages (e.g. outbid notices) in English (not so helpful).  Now, Managers can now set a default auction language so that any automated texts or messages are sent in that language.

Allow users to manually enter their address 

Google Maps geocoding is great for most cases, but there are plenty of addresses it can't resolve.  Now we allow an end-user to enter their address manually if it can't be easily found with a Google places lookup.

Enhanced Filters for Bidder and Guest Lists 

The bidder list and guest list are starting to get a UX / UI overhaul. This is just the first stage of our plans to revamp the manager from the ground up (yes it's time).

• Managers can now set multiple filters on the bidder list to retrieve specific information.
• This filtered data can be easily exported out of the system or used in other parts of the manager
• Managers can now filter the guest list in the same way, exporting any filtered data out of the system 
• We have reorganized the guest list grid view to make room for additional information (including custom questions which we discuss next!)

Custom Questions on Tickets 

The vast majority of our customers only need to ask 1-2 questions on a ticket.  Our solution before, Custom Forms, is overkill in those cases. So we have built what we call "Custom Questions”.  Managers can add up to 3 custom questions to any ticket which can be a drop-down select list or free-form answers.  Answers will be shown in the guest list view, can be filtered, and are exportable.
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Record Appeals on the iPad Manager

Our iPad kiosk app has a great manager section that allows authorized managers to enter and process live auction winners, check-in guests, view statistics, manage a live stream, and manage in-room and remote bidding. The new feature we added to this section is recording in-room appeals.  Now managers can mass record live appeals right from the iPad!

Designated User Floor Bidders

For our commercial and hybrid auction clients who manage floor bids from the iPad app, we now allow you to designate a user as a floor bidder. This will inform the system to allow this bidder to outbid themselves. This also means that any max bids placed by this floor bidder would be treated as regular bids.  If you are not sure what a floor bidder is or how it works, please review our knowledge base articles before enabling this feature and we can explain it.

We have also improved the iPad stream manager to allow managers to designate floor bidders.  When a manager places a floor bid, the modal entry is much faster allowing managers to keep up with faster auctioneers.

Adding and Editing Items on the iPhone (managers only)

By enabling "Items management” from the Manager tool, a manager can allow another manager to add and edit auction, appeal, and forSale items.  No longer does a manager need to drag around a laptop or iPad.  Instead, managers can use the iPhone app to add items, edit them, hide them, open them, add or change photos, etc.  

This feature is also coming to Android.  We are in the process of improving the Android app and once that is done, we will enable this feature on Android (so hang tight!)

Improved Guest list Checkin on the Manager

Most of our staff prefers to do guest check-in from iPhones, Androids, or iPads. However, we know many of you would still prefer to use the manager web app.  We have now significantly improved the speed of guest check-in and also allow you to identify users who already have a card on file.  You can also edit a user's paddle number, add a card, or edit their guest information from this same modal!).  You need to see it to believe it. 

Once you go to register bidders, the bidder register screens have not changed, but it is next in line for an update so look for that to come out soon!

Other Improvements

• Managers can now show or hide bidder/donor information on the activity feed for Handbid TV and also on the Livestream tab.  You can set this setting on the GOALS tab in your auction settings.
• For stripe connect users, we have added in the field that you need in the transactions report to reconcile payments from your Stripe reports.
• Salsa users, there were a few cases where Handbid would get confused about whether a Salsa contact already existed. We fixed that problem so no duplicate contacts would get created.
• When you duplicate an item, we now also duplicate the photo along with it. Why we haven't done that until now is well.. Puzzling.
• We updated the Stripe connection features including refreshing your data and being notified when your Stripe account has been disabled
• We moved the donation description out of the Templates section and put it on the Donations tab (where we feel it belongs).  We also added in a WYSIWYG editor since the donation description allows for Rich Text on the Events WebSite.  So decorate away! 
• Stripe auto-updates cards from your end users (e.g. when it expires, they update it to the new expiration date). We now properly pull this information and update it in Handbid as well so users do not have to change out their cards when they expire.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a rounding issue with calculating cc fees covered by some clients
• Fixed an issue where the display sheets were sometimes ignoring the setting of which image to use
• Some alerts were disappearing in the manager.  We found them and put them back
• Some of our clients were using unsafe characters in their auction names. We are all about safety, so we fixed that problem.
• For those using landing pages (Digital Seen) the QR Codes on your display sheets will now go to your landing page! 
• When you delete a contact, we ask you if you want to undelete it when you import them again. 

If you have any additional questions or would like to learn more, please reach out to service@handbid.com!