Bid sheet design

Overview

You can design your bid sheet online using Sourcing Optimizer, or you can design it offline and then upload it to the application. Your bid sheet can be your own design, or it can be based on a downloadable Keelvar template.

If you are designing your bid sheet offline, note the following requirements:
  • It must be an Excel spreadsheet.
  • The first row in the spreadsheet must contain column names.
  • There must be one row per lot.
  • There must be a column which identifies lots; the values must be unique.
  • Bidder-input columns must be left empty.

Best practices

When you are designing your bid sheet, consider the following best practices:

  • Use descriptive identifiers for lots.
  • Group the bidder-input columns together after the purchaser-input columns.
  • Include a column for historical prices for analysis.
  • Ensure that any columns that will be used for cost calculation and analysis are marked as mandatory.

After you upload your bid sheet, Sourcing Optimizer converts your design into its own bid sheet format. It determines which column to use as the lot identifier; whether columns require a number, currency or text input; if columns are mandatory or optional; and whether columns require purchaser input or bidder input.

Updating the bid sheet during an event

You can update and edit the structure of the bid sheet design after an event is published and throughout the duration of the event.

If your event is live, before editing the bid sheet, you may have to first pause the event. For more information about pausing an event and the actions that require you to pause the event, see Pausing an event.

Updates and changes made during a live event can impact the bidder's ability to upload their bids. In certain circumstances, after the bid sheet design has been updated, bidders are required to download the updated bid sheet and use this version to submit their bids because the previous — and now outdated — bid sheet will no longer be accepted by Sourcing Optimizer.

Sourcing Optimizer's error messaging informs bidders when they must download an updated bid sheet. However, as an event organizer or team member, it is useful to be aware of what updates will require additional bidder actions. The following bid sheet updates made during a live event require the bidder to download the updated bid sheet, enter their bids, and then upload the bid sheet to Sourcing Optimizer to successfully submit their bids:

  • Updating the lot identifier (Lot ID) column.
  • Adding new columns or lots.
  • Editing a column name.
  • Editing bidder visibility for columns or lots.
  • Adding or editing global bid inputs.