Auctions

An auction provides the ability to offer items, such as time-off, that employees can bid on based on their preferences. In a preference style auction candidates bid on items simultaneously, ranking their preferred items by number (1 indicating the first choice, 2 the second choice, and so on). When the bidding timeframe is over (or at designated times), the auction is resolved and rules are used to process bids and assign auction item winners.

Auctions are resolved in turns. Auctions have multiple turns and for each turn, a group of winners is determined. Time-off requests are then created for the items employees have won and if the items pass validation, they are awarded to the employees. Awarded items are then added to the employee's schedule and to their calendar.

Auction workflow

  1. Create procedure sets. The procedure set selected in the auction configuration identifies bidder priority for the auction. Bidder priority is part of the criteria that determines auction item winners when an auction resolves. For details on creating procedure sets, see Build a sorting and matching procedure set.
  2. Create an auction template. An auction template serves as a starting place for creating an individual auction. An auction template must be created before creating an auction. See Create an auction template.
  3. Create an auction. See Create an auction.
  4. Bid on auction items. Employees bid on items from their My Auctions tile. See My Auctions tile.
  5. Manage and review auctions. Managers can access the All Auctions and Auction Summary pages from their Manage Auctions tile to review and manage auctions. See Manage auctions.
  6. Resolve auctions. The manager or administrator resolves the auction and the system determines the auction item winners. See Resolve an auction.

Auction terminology

  • Template Owner— Users who can create and edit auction templates. Access to request subtypes is necessary to create auction templates. Identify template owners when creating an auction template.
  • Auction Scheduler— Users who can create and manage auctions. Identify auction schedulers when creating an auction template or when creating an auction.
  • Auction item— The items employees can bid on and win during an auction. For example, an item may be periods of time-off for vacation weeks or vacation days.
  • Sold Out— The auction item has the maximum amount of winners and no further bidding is allowed for that item.
  • Resolve— The processing that occurs for an auction to determine who wins each auction item. Winners are determined based on the rules specified in the auction (bidder priority and maximum win properties). Auction resolution occurs in turns.
  • Turn— A turn selects a round of auction item winners. Auctions have multiple turns and for each turn, the rules for the auction are assessed and a group of winners is determined.
  • Win— When an employee wins an auction item, this secures the item for the employee and begins the validation process. For example, if the item is a vacation week a time-off request is generated and proceeds through the validation process.
  • Award— After an employee wins an auction item and the item passes validation, then the item is awarded, or granted, to the employee. For example, if the item is a vacation week then the time-off is added to the employee's schedule and calendar.