Introduction
The Simulcast Admin Console is an application for Windows that allows block clerks the ability to take and display live and proxy bids for a current Auction Event. The Admin Console also allows clerks to change lights, announcements, and conditions of a sale, as well as chat with bidders during the event.
Installation
Download and Install
The latest version of the Simulcast Admin Console can be downloaded from your auction's AutoRemarketers website when logged in as an admin. Simply navigate to Setup > Download Software and navigate to the Admin Console application.
From here, you can download older versions as well, but we recommend installing the latest version (Standard Setup File).
Logging In
When you first start the Admin Console after installation, you will be prompted to enter the Client Information for your database. This information will be provided to you where you downloaded the software.
To log in, you will need an account user configured with the correct permissions to enter bids. This is configured in your AutoRemarketers site when logged in as an admin by navigating to Accounts > Manage Account Users.
Merely enter the username and password for an admin user you have configured, and you should be able to login. After a successful login, the system will save your login information for future use of the Admin Console until the configuration file is either altered or removed.
Login and Configuration
Settings
Simulcast System Select - This will allow you to select the server you wish to connect to. The primary server is most reliable but can be bypassed for the secondary or tertiary servers if the system seems to be responding too slowly, or not at all.
Interface and Event/Admin Console - The radio buttons here will allow you to select whether to start the Admin Console alone, the screen alone, or all that are selected.
Version - The current version of the Admin Console will be shown in the bottom left corner.
Floor Screen/Auctioneer Screen
Using the Floor Screen and Auctioneer Screen dropdowns, select the screen(s) you would like to use. With over a dozen options to choose from, it is up to you to determine which screen(s) match your requirements.
When you have selected your desired settings, click "Login" and the selected screens/admin console will open.
Chat & Inventory
The Chat & Inventory sections, located to the right of the Admin Console, can be expanded or contracted using the "Expand >" checkbox.
The chat section allows the block clerk to read messages from online bidders and send public or private responses to those bidders in the Bid Client window.
The inventory listed here under the run list section of the Admin Console is typically synced with the run list from your <auction>.autoremarketers.com run list for the selected event. If there is no inventory present in the run list upon opening an event from within the Admin Console, you will be presented with an error explaining this.
You can select an inventory unit to be "active" on the block by double left clicking the left the inventory record's row. You can also skip forward or go back to a previous unit by using the "Next Item" and "Prev[ious] Item" buttons.
As inventory changes through the sale, you can use the "Refresh Run List" button to update the listings here to a more recently synced list.
Vehicle/Event Information
The vehicle and event information section is located at the top left and displays information regarding the active/selected inventory unit.
Item: Will display the Year, Make, and Model of the active unit.
Seller: Will display the seller name of the active unit.
Proxy Bid: Will display the amount of the high proxy bid submitted for the active unit.
Bidder: Will display the bidder of the current high bidder.
Status: Status of the current event as dictated by the Admin Console.
Stk #: Will show the Stock Number for the active unit.
VIN6: The last 6 digits of the VIN number of the active unit.
Odometer: The odometer reading for the active unit.
Book: The book price, if entered, for the active unit.
Reserve: The reserve/floor price of the active unit.
Run #: The lot/run number of the active unit.
Message/Bid History
The Message and Bid History section, located under the Vehicle/Event Information section, will display status updates, bids, announcements, and lights as well as changes to these datasets as they are submitted.
Lights and Announcements
To change a unit's light selection(s), merely check or uncheck the "Drive", "AS/IS", "Caution", "T/A", "White", and/or "Purple" checkboxes.
To change announcements, select one or more by double left clicking the announcement, prefixed by a series of "\" symbols, from the box below the light selections. This will apply the announcement to the current vehicle.
When changing a light or announcement, keep in mind that this removes proxy bids as it is changing the promise of the unit from when the proxy was originally submitted.
To enter a custom announcement, type the announcement in the input box located under the message, "Type a message below and press enter key:".
Announcements with the "\" symbol...
\\ =Announcements with 2 "\" symbols will apply to the unit itself and auto-populate on future crossings of the block.
When you type a message and click the "+" button, the announcement will be added to the list of "Pre-Made" announcements. Clicking the "-" button with an announcement in this list selected will remove it.
Pressing "Enter" with a message entered will apply it to the unit, but will not add it to the list of announcements.
Bid and Event Management
The bid and event management sections, located to the right of the Lights and Announcements sections, gives the clerk the ability to take floor bids, change bid and asking price increments, navigate to specific run numbers within the run list, and more.
The numbered blue buttons are the increment selection buttons and require bids to be submitted in the increment selected. This can also be selected using the "Bid Increment" dropdown locate to the right.
The scrollable list on the right is separated into two tabs: Ask and Bid. This allows you to set the Asking Price or a Custom Bid Price by selecting the intended tab and clicking on the respective intended number. You may also submit a custom starting bid amount or enter a custom bid by entering it into either the Start Bid input or Cust. Bid input box.
The blue "<< Prev" and "Next >>>" buttons will navigate to the previous or next units in the run list. You may also navigate to a set Run Number by entering it into the "Run #" input box and pressing Enter.
Start With Proxy Bid will start the auction off with the proxy bid as the current high bid.
Clear All Bids will clear all existing bids, including proxy bids, from the actively selected unit.
Start Event - Will show the event as started or will allow you to pause the event when the event is in progress.
End Event - Will end the event.
Retract Last Bid - Will retract the last submitted bid and defer the highest bidder to the previous bid received.
Floor Bid Override - This button will override the last online bid received and force it to show as a floor bidder.
Reset Status - Will reset the status of the currently selected unit.
About to Close - Notifies bidders that the bidding on the selected unit is about to close.
Selling All the Way - Notifies bidders the selected unit has bypassed the floor and the vehicle WILL sell to the highest bidder.
Stop Bids - Will stop further bids from being submitted. This also occurs on the first press of the "Sold", "If Sale", and "No Sale" buttons if bidding was not already stopped.
Buyer Badge - When bids have stopped, and if the bidder is a floor bidder with a badge number, the badge number is entered here and either sold or sold on an IF sale.
Sold! - If Bidding has been stopped, this button will sell the selected unit to the high bidder.
If Sale - If Bidding has been stopped, this button will conditionally sell the selected unit to the high bidder.
No Sale - If Bidding has been stopped, this button will decline the sale of the selected unit.
Re Run - This button will attempt to re-run the selected unit unless it has already been sold.
Miscellaneous
Options and Integration
This is a section for setting up the options when you first open the Admin Console.
Keyboard Shortcuts
You may also configure Keyboard shortcut keys to help if you prefer. For example, the Going Once and Going Twice options are ONLY available when using keyboard shortcuts.
In addition to these, the Numpad + and - keys will submit a floor bid at the increment selected or retract the previous bid respectfully.