How to Integrate Auction Software with a Donor CRM

Integrating auction software with a donor CRM means connecting your fundraising event platform to your donor database so contact information, donation amounts, and engagement data flow into one place automatically. According to CharityAuctions.com, nonprofits that sync auction data with their CRM and follow up with donors within 48 hours see significantly higher donor retention rates than those managing data separately. This guide covers three integration options: native direct integration, automation tools, and bulk spreadsheet imports. See the post-auction follow-up guide for how to use this data effectively after your event.

Why integrate auction software with your CRM?

Integration saves you from juggling data between five or even ten different fundraising platforms. Your CRM is the center of your fundraising data. Your auction data should flow toward it.

Integrating auction software with a CRM helps you:

• Bring donor data and donation data into one platform for analysis
• Segment your donors
• Make donor outreach easier
• Reduce data errors
• Cut back on hours spent on data transfer

But how do you sync auction data with your donor CRM? We cover three options: native integration, automation tools, and bulk spreadsheet imports.

According to CharityAuctions.com platform data:

• Nonprofits that sync auction donor data with their CRM and follow up within 48 hours see significantly higher donor retention rates
• Organizations using native CRM integration spend 75% less time on post-event data entry than those using manual spreadsheet imports
• CharityAuctions.com integrates natively with leading nonprofit CRMs, reducing post-event data transfer to minutes rather than hours
• According to nonprofit sector research, CRMs are used by 67% of nonprofits and rank among the most effective tools for donor data management

See charity auction ROI benchmarks for data on how donor retention affects long-term auction revenue.

What auction data should you sync with your CRM?

You do not have to sync everything. Choose based on what you track in your CRM. Here are our suggestions.

Data to sync:

• Donor contact information
• Non bidding registrant contact information
• Donor preferences (for example, preferred contact method)
• Donation amounts
• Ticket sales
• Total revenue
• Event costs
• Basic event details (name and date)
• Engagement metrics

Data to skip:

• Full bidding histories
• Minor event details
• Item catalog and item descriptions
• Shipping statistics

Learn which auction reports are worth your time. See the auction analytics and reporting guide to identify which reports to export from your auction platform.

1. Native CRM integration

Sometimes your auction software and donor CRM already integrate. It is easy to miss among the dozens of features.

With a direct CRM integration, your two platforms speak to each other. No work required on your end.

When to use native integration:

• Your auction platform and CRM have built in integrations with each other

How to check if your platform has native integration:

• Search for integrations on your auction platform website
• Look for your CRM under a "CRM" or "Integrations" tab in your auction software
• Check for your auction software in an "Integrations" tab in your CRM

Steps for native integration:

1. Select your CRM within your auction software integrations, if available
2. Or contact your auction platform to access their integrations

CharityAuctions.com is silent auction software with native CRM integration that connects directly to leading nonprofit donor databases.

2. Automation tools

When your software does not come with its own integrations, you can still integrate through an automation tool. These tools let your platforms speak to each other. You can automate data transfer tasks to sync auction data.

The tool most likely to work with your platforms is Zapier. With Zapier, you set up a trigger from your auction software (like "new winning bid") that automatically runs a task in your CRM (like updating donation records).

When to use automation tools:

• Your auction software and CRM are both supported by the same automation tool
• You have a lot of event data to sync
• You host multiple fundraising events per year
• Manual transfers take too much time

How to check if your platform integrates:

• Check if your auction software and CRM are in Zapier's app list
• Or check the app list on your chosen automation tool website

Steps for using automation tools:

1. Search for a Zapier tutorial on how to set up your first Zap
2. Set a trigger from your auction software such as "new winning bid" to update donation records in your CRM
3. Or follow your automation tool's setup procedures

If you use a paid Zapier plan, ask for a nonprofit discount.

3. Bulk spreadsheet imports

If you cannot integrate your platforms, you can still transfer data in bulk. Export auction reports as spreadsheets. Then import them into your CRM. This works for any auction software and CRM.

When to use bulk imports:

• Your platform has no direct integrations and no automation tool integrations
• You do not have much event data to export
• You do not host events often

Steps for bulk spreadsheet imports:

1. Download your auction reports from your auction software
2. Map your fields (edit spreadsheet column headers to match your CRM fields)
3. Convert spreadsheets to CSV if they are not already
4. Upload your CSV files into your CRM via its import data feature

The basic steps are the same for any CRM. Here are detailed tutorials for common donor CRMs:

• Salesforce: search "Salesforce data import tutorial" for official documentation
• HubSpot: search "HubSpot data import tutorial" for official documentation
• Donorbox: search "Donorbox import data tutorial" in their help center
• Bloomerang: search "Bloomerang import data" in their help center
• Bonterra: search "Bonterra self-importing data" in their training portal
• Blackbaud (Raiser's Edge): search "Blackbaud data import" in their knowledge base
• DonorPerfect: search "DonorPerfect online import module" in their documentation
• Neon One CRM: search "Neon CRM guided data import" in their academy

Important: Always preview your bulk import before submitting. Often your import cannot be undone. Your CRM will ask you to review your data before uploading.

Next steps

• Charity auction software: Compare platforms and features
• How to use auction analytics: Reports worth your time
• Auction management tools: Save time with automation
• Create your auction: No credit card required