Barcoding & Warehousing
Best practices for managing the physical side of your operation — from the moment an item arrives at your premises to the moment it leaves. The digital and physical should always be in sync.
Every item record created in Bidsquare is automatically assigned a unique Item ID. This ID is permanent — it never changes regardless of how many times the item is moved between consignments, auctions, or locations. It is the most reliable identifier in the system and the foundation of every barcoding workflow. Lot numbers change between sales. Reference numbers are optional. The Item ID does not change, ever.
Select any items in any list view, then use Batch Actions to print labels. Custom label templates are managed in Settings.
Bidsquare provides two distinct label formats that serve different purposes at different stages of the item lifecycle. Understanding when to use each is the foundation of a clean physical operation.
The QR code on a display label links directly to the item's live lot page on your published website. Critically, it is tied to the item's permanent Item ID — not its lot number. This means the same QR label remains valid even if the item is moved to a different auction with a different lot number. You never need to reprint a QR label just because the lot number changed.
Beyond the two standard label types, Bidsquare includes a full drag-and-drop label template builder. Custom templates let you create labels sized and structured exactly for your physical label stock — Dymo, sheet labels, or any other format.
- Include Reference Number if you use a legacy ID system — gives your team two ways to identify any item
- Include Location to support warehouse scanning and shelf management
Bidsquare ships with built-in size templates for Dymo label rolls — choose the Dymo size that matches your stock and you're ready to print. Avery sheet labels (several labels on a single A4 sheet) aren't preset, but you can build any of them as a custom size. Enter the values below into the custom-size fields and you'll have a perfectly aligned sheet.
When you add a custom Avery size you'll be asked for: cell width & height (one label), cells per row and number of rows (the grid), horizontal & vertical gap (the space between labels), and page margins (sheet edge to the first label). For every Avery format below the vertical gap is 0 mm — that spacing is absorbed into the top and bottom margins instead.
All values are in millimetres. If your size builder asks for centimetres, divide by 10 (for example, 99.1 mm = 9.91 cm).
| Avery code | Labels | Grid (cols × rows) | Cell W × H | H-gap | Margins (top/bottom · sides) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L7169 | 4 | 2 × 2 | 99.1 × 139.0 mm | 2.8 mm | 4.0 mm · 4.67 mm |
| L7165 | 8 | 2 × 4 | 99.1 × 67.7 mm | 2.8 mm | 13.5 mm · 4.67 mm |
| L7173 | 10 | 2 × 5 | 99.1 × 57.0 mm | 2.8 mm | 13.5 mm · 4.67 mm |
| L7163 | 14 | 2 × 7 | 99.1 × 38.1 mm | 2.8 mm | 15.1 mm · 4.67 mm |
| L7160 / J8160 | 21 | 3 × 7 | 63.5 × 38.1 mm | 2.54 mm | 15.1 mm · 4.67 mm |
| L7159 / J8159 | 24 | 3 × 8 | 63.5 × 33.9 mm | 2.54 mm | 13.0 mm · 4.67 mm |
| L7654 / J8654 | 40 | 4 × 10 | 45.7 × 25.4 mm | 2.54 mm | 13.0 mm · 4.67 mm |
| L7651 / J8651 | 65 | 5 × 13 | 38.1 × 21.2 mm | 2.54 mm | 10.7 mm · 4.67 mm |
Print your layout on plain A4, hold it up against a real label sheet, and check the alignment before printing on the labels themselves. If rows drift after the first few labels, the cause is usually a fractional error in the vertical gap or top margin — adjust in 0.1 mm steps. Minor batch-to-batch variation exists between Avery print runs.
Bidsquare includes a built-in barcode scanning workflow that lets you scan multiple physical items in sequence and perform batch updates across all of them simultaneously. This is the system's primary tool for high-speed physical operations — processing a delivery, updating locations after a move, or changing statuses at the end of a photography session.
In any inventory list view, select the Filter by Barcode option. The field accepts rapid barcode scanner input — scan one item, scan the next, scan the next. Each scan adds the item to your working selection. When you've scanned all the items you need to update, open Batch Actions and apply any update — location change, status change, auction assignment, or any other supported batch operation — to all of them at once.
This is the key workflow for any physical scenario where you're handling items in sequence: processing an incoming delivery, moving a batch from photography back to storage, or pulling a group of lots for an auction.
Receiving-Dock), assign them to a consignment, and set their Inventory Status to Received — all in a single operation.Awaiting Photography to Awaiting Cataloging simultaneously. One scan session. One batch action. Every item correctly advanced.The Filter by Barcode field works with any USB or Bluetooth barcode scanner — the scanner outputs the barcode value as keyboard input directly into the field. Staff can scan items at full walking pace without touching the keyboard or mouse. For high-volume intake operations, a $30–$50 USB scanner pays for itself in the first hour of use.
When you have a large batch of item photos, Bidsquare can associate hundreds of images with their item records in a single upload. Navigate to Auctions › Manage Lots › Add New Item dropdown › Bulk Load Images and select how images should be matched to items using the Associate By dropdown.
Choose the method that fits how your image files are named or organised:
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Lot Number | Filename: 101_1.jpg, 101_2.jpg. The number after the underscore sets image display order. | Most common. Use after lot numbers are assigned. |
| Item ID | Filename: 12345_1.jpg where 12345 is the system Item ID. | Photography before lot assignment — images attach immediately without waiting for lotting. |
| Reference Number | Filename: YourRef_1.jpg matching the Reference Number on the item record. | Operations with an existing internal ID system. |
| File Name from CSV | Matches using the LotImage column from a prior item CSV upload. | When filenames were pre-mapped during a batch item import. |
| Barcode Image | Include a scan of the item's printed barcode label as a separator image between each item's photo group. No file renaming needed. | Operations that barcode items at intake — photograph in sequence, include a barcode scan between groups, upload the whole folder. |
For large catalogs, split image uploads into batches of 500 files. Always spot-check a few items after each batch to confirm images attached to the correct records before continuing. Files that don't match any item are silently skipped — no error is thrown.
[ItemID]_1.jpg, [ItemID]_2.jpg. Upload via Lots & Items → Bulk Load Images and select Item ID as the matching identifier. This decouples photography from the lotting workflow — images can be uploaded the day they're shot, before lot numbers are assigned, and will attach correctly to the right records.Warehousing
Setting up item locations, keeping them accurate, using packing slips, and configuring your admin for physical operations staff.
Item Locations are named physical spaces in your facility — bays, shelves, rooms, storage units, cages — that you assign to individual item records. When a location is recorded in Bidsquare, any staff member can find any item in seconds without a physical search. Combined with Inventory Statuses and Bidsquare's built-in barcode scanning tools, Item Location tracking transforms your warehouse from a space you navigate by memory into a system you navigate by data.
Before assigning locations to items, set up the full list of named locations in your facility. Think of each location as the smallest unit you need to navigate to — the level of granularity that lets any team member find an item without asking someone else.
A-Bay-01,A-Bay-02Storage-S1,Storage-S2Office-Secure,Loading-DockPhotography-Studio
- Photography Studio
- Cataloging Desk
- Loading / Receiving Dock
- Auction Floor / Viewing Room
- Packing & Dispatch
- Off-site Storage (address)
Every buyer invoice in Bidsquare has an associated Packing Slip — a deliberately price-free version of the invoice intended for physical handling, packing, and shipping operations.
This makes it safe to hand to warehouse porters, packers, and third-party shippers without exposing financial data to anyone who handles the package.
- Internal pick sheet — printed and handed to warehouse staff to pull the correct items from storage for a buyer's collection or packing appointment
- Shipped in the box — included in the shipping package so the buyer can verify what was sent, without revealing what anyone paid
The ⚙ gear icon in every list view lets each staff member configure exactly which columns they see — and what appears in CSV exports. Warehouse staff don't need the same view as the finance team or catalogers. Setting up a purpose-built warehouse view dramatically reduces errors and speeds up physical operations.
- Item image (thumbnail)
- Item ID
- Lot Number
- Title
- Location
- Inventory Status
- Reference Number (if used)
- Image
- Lot Number
- Title
- Current Bidder (paddle)
- Image, Lot Number, Title
- Location
- Winning Bidder paddle
- Inventory Status (Sold – Awaiting Collection vs. Released)
- Custom Field: Shipping Method (if set)
Bidsquare can be configured to include item barcodes directly on printed invoices, packing slips, and settlement documents. When barcodes appear on these documents, any staff member can scan directly from the printed page to instantly pull up the item record or add it to a Filter by Barcode selection — no separate label required.
Document barcode settings are managed within your Print Label Template and document configuration settings. The barcode column can be enabled per document type.
Released to Shipper — location and status updated for every item in one scan session, no desktop required during packing.Returned to Consignor and location to Loading-Dock as the items are loaded for collection.Packing-Dispatch (or similar). When items are pulled for packing, update their location to this staging area. This makes it immediately visible to any staff member in the admin that these items are actively being processed and shouldn't be pulled for any other purpose. It also gives you a real-time count of how many items are in active dispatch processing.No system configuration compensates for a team that skips location updates. The value of Item Locations depends entirely on them reflecting physical reality in real time. A location system that's 80% accurate is nearly as misleading as no system at all — you can't know which 20% to trust. Establish location updates as a non-negotiable part of every physical handoff from day one.
Bidsquare's default fields and settings cover a general-purpose auction workflow. But no two auction houses operate identically — a fine art house, a general estate clearance operation, and a specialist jewellery auctioneer each have different physical flows, different compliance requirements, and different team structures. Inventory Statuses and Custom Fields are the two tools that let you reshape the system to match your actual operation rather than adapting your operation to fit the system.
Inventory Statuses represent the stages in your physical and administrative workflow. The system ships with no default statuses — you define exactly the stages that are meaningful for your operation. Every status you create becomes a filter, a batch update target, and a signal to any staff member about what needs to happen next.
ReceivedPending AuthenticationAuthentication CompleteAwaiting PhotographyCondition Report RequiredApproved for AuctionSold – Conservation HoldReleased
On-Site – Not Yet CollectedIn TransitReceived – UnsortedSorted – Awaiting CatalogingReady to ListListedSoldAvailable for Clearance
Received – VaultOut for PhotographyOut for ValuationBack in VaultOut for Auction FloorSold – Awaiting PaymentPaid – Released from Vault
- Photographers filter to
Awaiting Photographyeach morning - Catalogers filter to
Awaiting Cataloging - Managers filter to
Pending Review - Warehouse staff filter to
Sold – Awaiting Collection
Where Inventory Statuses define where an item is in your workflow, Custom Fields capture everything else specific to your business. The combination of the two — filtering by both status and custom field simultaneously — enables precise, operation-specific views that no default system can provide.
- Do Not Release — legal hold, disputed ownership, consignor request
- Insurance Certificate Required — item can't be released until paperwork is confirmed
- Fragile – White Glove Only — warehouse staff see this before any movement
- Photography Approved — images signed off by manager before cataloging begins
Status = Approved for Auction AND Do Not Release = unchecked before every publish to confirm nothing has been missed.
- Acquisition Source — which channels produce your best-performing lots?
- Sale Type — what percentage of your inventory ends up in live vs. timed auctions?
- Estate / Collection — group all items from a specific source for targeted reporting
- Condition Grade — does condition correlate with sell-through rate in your categories?
The full value emerges when you combine Inventory Status filters with Custom Field filters. These combined views are what replace the spreadsheets that most auction houses maintain outside the system.
| What you want to see | Filter combination | Replaces |
|---|---|---|
| Items safe to publish this week | Status = Approved for Auction AND Do Not Release = unchecked AND Condition Grade ≠ empty |
Manual pre-publish checklist spreadsheet |
| White-glove packing list | Status = Sold – Awaiting Collection AND Fragile = checked |
Manually flagged packing notes in email |
| Smith Estate items still in process | Estate / Collection = Smith Estate AND Status ≠ Released |
Separate estate tracking spreadsheet |
| All items needing manager sign-off | Status = Pending Review |
Physical in-tray or email thread with cataloger |
| Year-end 1099 consignor list | 1099 Required = checked (Consignor Custom Field) | Annual manual review of all consignor payouts |
| International shipments needing customs docs | Status = Sold – Awaiting Collection AND Customs Documentation Required = checked (Invoice Custom Field) |
Manual flagging in shipping notes |
The most effective implementations are designed together: map your physical and administrative workflow end to end, identify every stage that an item or record passes through, then decide which stages should be Inventory Statuses and which attributes should be Custom Fields. Statuses answer "where is it in the process?" — Custom Fields answer "what do we need to know about it?" Together, they should be able to replace every external spreadsheet your team currently maintains.
End-to-End Physical Workflow
The complete sequence — from item arriving at your door to item leaving your door — with every digital touchpoint in order.
The following sequence represents a best-practice workflow that keeps your physical and digital records in continuous sync. Each step has one clear digital action — complete it before the item moves to the next physical stage.
As each item comes off the truck or through the door, create the item record in Bidsquare (title only is sufficient), print an intake barcode label, and stick it to the item before it goes anywhere. If using the Vault Cataloging App (paid add-on), item records and images can be created on-site at the consignor's location before loading, syncing to the admin in real time.
Digital actions: Create item record → Set Inventory Status to Received → Assign location to Receiving-Dock → Print intake barcode label → Apply to item.
When items are moved from the receiving dock to their storage position, scan the item barcode and update the location to the shelf or bay they're placed in. If multiple items from the same consignment go to the same location, batch-update them simultaneously.
Digital actions: Update Location → set to storage shelf (e.g. A-Bay-04).
When items are pulled for photography, update their status. Photographers name image files as [ItemID]_1.jpg, [ItemID]_2.jpg and upload them via Bulk Load Images using Item ID as the matching identifier — images attach to the correct records immediately, with no lot numbers needed.
Digital actions: Update Location to Photography-Studio → Update Status to Awaiting Photography. After shooting: Upload images → Update Status to Awaiting Cataloging → Return item to storage and update Location back to shelf.
Catalogers work from the filtered "Awaiting Cataloging" status list. No physical item movement is needed for cataloging — they work from the digital record and images. When complete, the status advances to "Pending Review" or directly to "Approved for Auction".
Digital actions: Complete description, condition, estimates, starting bid → Update Status to Pending Review or Approved for Auction.
Once the auction is created and published, assign lot numbers — by scanning barcodes in the Lots & Items tab for physical ordering, or via CSV re-import for large catalogs. After lot numbers are assigned and the auction is published, print QR display labels for all lots and affix them to items, replacing or supplementing the intake barcode labels.
Digital actions: Assign lot numbers → Publish auction → Print QR display labels → Apply to items → Update Status to Approved for Auction.
When items are moved from storage to the auction floor or viewing room for preview, update their location. QR display labels mean every in-person bidder who scans an item arrives at the live lot page — with full images, description, and a bid button — before the auction has even started.
Digital actions: Batch-update Location to Auction-Floor.
After the auction ends and invoices are generated and sent, update sold items to "Sold – Awaiting Collection". This signals to the warehouse team that these items must not be released without confirmed payment and must not be moved for any other purpose.
Digital actions: Update Status to Sold – Awaiting Collection. For unsold lots: Update Status to Available for Re-listing or Returned to Consignor.
Print Packing Slips for the day's collections. Pull items using the location-sorted pick list. Move items to the staging area. When an item leaves the building — collected in person or handed to a carrier — update its location and status for the last time.
Digital actions: Print Packing Slip → Pull items → Update Location to Packing-Dispatch → When released: Update Status to Released to Shipper or Collected → Generate consignor settlement.
Every step in the workflow above pairs a physical action with a digital action. This one-to-one discipline is what keeps the system accurate. When the physical and digital drift apart — items on shelves whose location says something different, statuses that reflect yesterday's position — the data stops being trusted, staff stop maintaining it, and the system collapses into a list of records that nobody believes. The overhead of a single scan or a status update is seconds. The cost of rebuilding trust in the data after it's been neglected is weeks.