From paper bid sheets to paid invoices
Before the auction, list the items with their values and give every bidder a paddle number. The bid sheets printed here show each value with the receipt wording for your country, so bidders see it before they bid. When bidding closes, one volunteer reads each sheet aloud and another types item, paddle, bid, Enter. With a big pile, split the sheets between two laptops and merge the files after. The desk warns about a paddle nobody registered, a bid below the opening bid and an item typed twice. Live auction lots, paddle raise pledges and dessert dash tables go on the same invoices.
At checkout, type the paddle, take the payment (part payments are fine), print the invoice or receipt, and tick each item as it leaves. The treasurer summary balances to the cent: sold, collected by method, still owed.
Example: a bike valued at $400 sells for $550. In the US the buyer's letter states the $400 estimate and that only the $150 above it can count as a gift. In Canada the bid passes the 80% test (the minimum is $500) and the receipt is for $150. The receipt calculator works any bid through both rules.
Questions from auction committees
How does silent auction checkout work with paper bid sheets?
When bidding closes, collect the sheets and type each one: item number, winning paddle, winning bid. Every bidder's invoice builds as you go. At the checkout table, look up the paddle, take payment, print the invoice or receipt, and tick each item as it is picked up.
Is a silent auction purchase tax deductible in the US?
Only the part paid above the item's fair market value, says IRS Publication 526. Publication 1771 says a payment over $75 that is partly a contribution needs a written statement with a good faith estimate of the value, and a contribution of $250 or more needs a written acknowledgment. The receipts here print both.
What is the 80% rule for auction receipts in Canada?
The CRA lets a charity issue a receipt to the winning bidder only if the item's fair market value was shown to bidders before the auction and is no more than 80% of the winning bid. The receipt is for the bid minus the value. A $400 bike sold for $550 gives a $150 receipt.
Do the people who donated auction items get a receipt?
In the US the thank-you letter describes the item but does not state its value, as Publication 1771 says. In Canada the CRA allows a receipt for the item's fair market value when donated, but not for services or for a business's own gift cards. Mark each item's type under Set up.
Can two volunteers type winners on two laptops?
Yes. Set up on one laptop, save a file and open it on the second. At the end, open the second laptop's file on the first and choose Merge. The same winner typed twice is kept once, and anything that differs is listed for you to decide.
What if a winning paddle number is not on the bidder list?
The winner is saved anyway and the paddle is listed under Needs a look. Add the bidder under Set up when you find out who it is, and the invoice picks up the name.
What happens if the browser closes during the event?
Every keystroke is saved in this browser on this laptop, including a half-typed winner. Reopen the page and everything is back. A private window forgets everything when closed, so the page warns you if saving looks off. Save a file now and then as a spare.
Can I get it as a spreadsheet?
Yes. Print and reports has a spreadsheet download with one row per item, the winner and the bid, plus the paddle raise, dessert dash and payments. It opens in Excel or Google Sheets.
Receipt rules: IRS Publication 1771, Publication 526 and Charity auctions; CRA Fundraising events: issuing receipts and sample official donation receipts. This page shows what that guidance says. It is not tax advice; your accountant has the final word.