Why are ghost state items useful?
Ghost state items provide a step between a CSV file and draft items on Bidlogix. One of the main advantages of ghost items is the ability to upload items in bulk without the upload being rejected should there be any missing or incorrect information in the upload. It shows you the errors, giving you the ability to correct these errors rather than having your upload rejected. It also allows you to easily delete items before they are converted.
Ghost items are in a pre-draft state. It allows you to upload any item with any amount of information, and guides you through any errors that may be present in your upload. You could use it to upload items you don't have the full details of yet, and can therefore recall the item later to add those details. Information can be incorrect or missing, and you can still recall your item whereas a converted item must be perfectly formatted. Without ghost items, uploads with any errors would be rejected in their entirety.
A good example of using Ghost items to their potential would be if you uploaded a series of items but had not decided on categories from these items. You could bulk upload the items with ideas for categories, then come back to them at a later date once the categories have been decided.
Creating Ghost State Items
Ghost items are items that have been uploaded one-by-one or via a CSV file but have not yet been converted.
These can be left in ghost form until you are ready to convert them, and can be retrieved as shown below.
The item type can only be changed if the item is in Ghost state. Once it has been changed, you can no longer change the item type.
Once Ghost state items have been converted, their status changes to Preview.
Retrieving Ghost State Items
Log into the administration area
Go to Auctions & Items and Create New Items
The second tab (next to New Items) reads Edit Items
You will see a list of all the auctions containing items still in Ghost status
Click on an auction title to go to the items in Ghost
A Second method is to go to your auction (Auctions & Items > View Auctions and select your Auction from the list)
Click the Create New Items button in the top right hand side.
This will bring up any ghost items for this auction, as shown below:
Important information about Ghost State Items
Item types can only be changed while an item is in ghost state. Once the item has been converted, you can no longer change the item type.
You can retrieve ghost items shown above.
When you apply a staggered end to a timed auction, this will automatically apply to ghost state items.
Once the items have been Converted their status changes to Preview.
How to Convert Ghost State Items
Tick the box next to any items you wish to convert (use the very top tick box to select all)
Click the green Convert button.
How to Delete Ghost State Items
Tick the box next to any items you wish to delete
Click Delete in the top right hand corner:
You will then be asked to Confirm that you wish to delete items. Press Delete Items to continue:
Orphaned Ghost Items (system admins only)
Orphaned items are created when an Auction is reconciled while still having Ghost Items associated with it. These items can no longer be edited or converted into real items. They can, however, still be deleted.