An input column is a bid sheet column where the input is entered manually by a purchaser or a bidder. You can add an input column to your bid sheet from the Add a column area of the Columns tab.
After you click to add an input column, a form for configuring the column settings opens.
- Name: Enter a name for the column.
- Description: Optionally, enter a description for the column.
- Placement: Select from the list where in the bid sheet you want to place the column. You can place the column at the beginning of the bid sheet, the end of the bid sheet, or before any other column in the bid sheet.
- Input by: Select whether the column is a purchaser-input or bidder-input column.
- Purchaser: The column information is provided by the purchaser designing the bid sheet. If you want to include the column in downloaded reports, select the Descriptive column checkbox.
- Bidder: The column information is provided by the bidder when completing the bid sheet.
- Purchaser with bidder specific values: The column information is provided by the purchaser but can be specific to each bidder. You can populate bidder-specific columns from the Surrogate Bidding menu.
- Requirement: Select whether the bidder must complete the column to submit their bid.
- Mandatory: The bidder must complete the column to place a bid.
- Optional: The bidder is not required to complete the column to place a bid.
- Visibility: Select whether the column will be visible to bidders or hidden from bidders.
- Type: Select the data type of the column: Text, Number, or Currency.
If you select Number or Currency as the Type, you can set the number of decimal points the entered values will round to from the Round values to list.
If you select Currency as the Type and have configured multiple currencies, you can select a currency from the Currency list.
If you select Currency as the Type, you can allow the bidder to define the currency of the column by selecting the Allow bidders to define the currency for values in this column checkbox. - Limit the values which can be provided for this column: If you want to restrict the input to selectable choices, enter the values in this field, one option per line.
- Minimum value: Optionally, set a minimum input value for the column. This option is only available for Number or Currency columns.
- Maximum value: Optionally, set a maximum input value for the column. This option is only available for Number or Currency columns.
After you configure the input column settings, at the top of the page, click Save changes.