How to Export Your Auction Catalog to Wavebid
Yes, you can catalog your lots once from photos and import them into a Wavebid workflow. Gavelist writes the titles and descriptions from your lot photos and exports a CSV formatted for Wavebid import, so the fast photo-to-description work happens in Gavelist and the finished catalog flows into your Wavebid sale.
How to export your auction catalog to Wavebid
The workflow is photo-in, catalog-out, then import:
- Photograph the lots and upload the photos to Gavelist.
- Run the description pass. One action writes a title and description for every lot, at 1,000+ lots in about 10 minutes.
- Review and edit the drafts.
- Export a CSV formatted for Wavebid import. Gavelist produces the universal CSV/XLS that any spreadsheet-import platform accepts, with the lot data laid out in columns.
- Import into Wavebid using its catalog or lot import for a spreadsheet.
According to Estimint's cataloging analysis, manual cataloging of a 200-lot sale takes 46-64 hours, roughly 14-19 minutes per lot including photography, description writing, and data entry. According to AIM (2025), manual throughput runs 15-25 lots per hour by hand. The describing is the part a photo-to-catalog pass collapses before the file ever reaches Wavebid.
Catalog once, run it on Wavebid and everywhere else
The catalog you build is not tied to Wavebid. Gavelist exports ready-made files for HiBid, LiveAuctioneers, Proxibid, and BidWrangler, plus a universal CSV/XLS formatted for import by AuctionZip, AuctionMethod, Wavebid, AuctionFlex 360, and any other spreadsheet-import platform. You catalog once and decide where the sale runs, which is the point of platform-independent cataloging. According to Technavio (2025), the global online auction market is projected to grow by USD 3.98 billion from 2025 to 2029, and a catalog that moves freely between platforms is how a house reaches that growth without re-keying every sale.
Built for the way Wavebid houses work
Wavebid is auction-management software covering cataloging, clerking, and invoicing, used by full-service auction houses that run a back office. For those operations, Gavelist is the fast front end: it turns photos into written lots quickly, and its output imports into the Wavebid workflow, complementing the management stack rather than replacing it.
According to Bidspirit's auction catalog imaging guide (2024), multi-angle photography including front, back, side, top, and unique features is the standard for comprehensive detail visibility, and Gavelist reads every photo in a lot when it drafts the description that lands in Wavebid.
Frequently asked questions
How do I import a catalog into Wavebid? Catalog the lots from photos in a tool like Gavelist, export a CSV formatted for Wavebid import, and load it through Wavebid's catalog or lot import.
Does Gavelist work with Wavebid? Yes. It exports a universal CSV formatted for Wavebid import, so a Gavelist catalog flows into a Wavebid sale.
Can I use Gavelist alongside my existing auction management software? Yes. Gavelist handles the photo-to-description cataloging and exports a file your management software imports, so it adds a fast front end without replacing your stack.
Sources
- Estimint, "AI Auction Cataloging for Auction Houses." estimint.com
- Auction Item Manager, "Tracking Cost Per Lot." aimhq.com
- Bidspirit, "Auction Catalog Imaging Guide" (2024). bidspirit.com
More: list one auction on multiple platforms and every platform Gavelist exports to.