Inventory & Cataloguing in AS1
Auction Suite One provides auction houses with a structured system for managing articles from initial consignment and cataloguing through photography, auction allocation and eventual collection.
Article information is maintained within a single integrated platform, giving valuers, cataloguers, photographers, administrators and other team members access to consistent and up-to-date information throughout the auction process.
Inventory Management
Manage Articles from Consignment Onwards
Articles can be registered as soon as they arrive at the auction house, creating a clear record of the property in your care and its associated vendor or consignment.
Relevant information can be recorded at article level, including descriptions, categories, estimates, reserves, condition information, commissions and other auction-specific details.
Articles can then be allocated to the appropriate auction and managed throughout their lifecycle without duplicating information between separate systems.
Flexible Consignment Management
Auction Suite One supports the practical requirements of consignments involving different parties and commercial arrangements.
The person delivering or instructing the sale is not always the legal owner of the property. Solicitors, executors, family members and other representatives may also need to be recorded and referenced in auction documentation.
Additional contacts and email addresses can therefore be associated with the relevant records, while vendor commission arrangements can be defined at either consignment or individual article level.
This provides greater flexibility for estates, collections and other consignments where ownership, correspondence and financial arrangements may differ.
Cataloguing
Consistent and Detailed Article Records
Auction Suite One provides a structured approach to catalogue creation while allowing individual auction houses to determine the level of detail required for different types of property.
Catalogue information can include:
- article titles and descriptions
- categories and subcategories
- estimates and reserves
- condition information
- dimensions and other specifications
- custom attributes relevant to particular categories
- images and supporting documentation
Attributes
Attributes can be grouped and linked to specific article categories and subcategories. This helps guide data entry and encourages consistent terminology and catalogue structure across different members of the team.
For auction houses handling specialist property such as fine art, jewellery, watches, vehicles, collectibles or other categories, additional fields and attributes can be configured around the information relevant to those departments.
Rich Catalogue Descriptions
Catalogue descriptions support rich-text and HTML formatting where required, allowing information to be presented appropriately for online catalogues and other published material.
Because catalogue information is maintained against the article record, the same underlying data can be used across the wider auction workflow rather than being repeatedly entered into separate applications.
Article and Auction Allocation
Articles can be grouped, organised and allocated to forthcoming auctions as required.
If an article needs to be moved to another auction, its associated information remains connected to the article record, reducing the administrative work involved in reorganising a sale.
This provides auction teams with a clear view of articles awaiting cataloguing, articles allocated to sales and property progressing through other stages of preparation.
Photo Management
Photography forms an integral part of the article record within Auction Suite One.
Multiple images can be stored against each article, providing a central source for photography used in catalogues, online listings and external documentation.
Simple Image Upload
Images can be uploaded from desktop computers and supported mobile devices, allowing photography to be added as part of the normal cataloguing workflow.
Each image remains associated with its article through a unique identifier, reducing the need for manual file naming and separate image-management processes.
Image Processing
Auction Suite One includes functionality for resizing and optimising images for online use. This helps maintain appropriate image formats and dimensions without requiring staff to process every photograph manually in separate software.
Where articles are transferred between auctions, their associated images remain linked to them automatically.
Images in Operational Documents
Article images can also support internal and customer facing administration.
Illustrations can be included on documents such as pre-sale advice, post-sale advice and proofreading reports, making individual articles easier to recognise and helping reduce identification errors during auction preparation and administration.
Collections Management
Auction Suite One also provides functionality for managing the physical handover of articles following an auction or withdrawal from sale.
The Collections Management functionality can be used for both:
- buyer collections of purchased articles
- vendor collections of unsold or withdrawn articles
Collection records provide an audit trail showing which articles were released, when the collection took place and who collected them.
Barcode Supported Article Identification
Barcode functionality can be used during the collection process to identify individual articles and confirm that the correct property is being handed over.
This is particularly useful where a collection contains multiple articles or where items are being released to a courier or other authorised representative.
Explore Barcoding Integration →
Electronic Signatures
Collection documentation can be completed electronically.
Using supported Apple or Android devices with the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central app, an electronic signature can be captured at the point of handover and stored with the corresponding collection record.
This reduces reliance on printed collection documents and provides an immediately accessible record of the completed handover.
One Record Throughout the Article Lifecycle
Inventory, cataloguing, photography and collections are closely connected operational processes.
Auction Suite One brings them together around the individual article record.
From the moment an article is received, its catalogue information, images, auction allocation and subsequent collection history can remain connected within the same system.
This provides auction houses with clearer records, more consistent information and better traceability throughout the article lifecycle.
