Auction Item Tree Terminology

The table below defines terms used to define the auction items within an Auction Tree in Setup > Bidding > Auction.

Field Name	Field Description
Root Items	A Root item is an item that is not the child of any other Auction Item. If a Root item contains child items then the Root item is also a Parent item. If it does not contain child items then the root is also considered a leaf item. A flat auction is an auction where all Auction Items are root items. In this case, all items are also leaf items (and thus winnable) as well. A flat auction would look like a normal list of items instead of forming a tree like structure.
Parent Items	A Parent item is any Auction Item that contains any other Auction Items below it in the tree. If a parent is not contained within another parent item, it is considered a root item. Note: Parent items are useful for organizing child item into groups as well as for implementing some methods of global control over their scion, like quantity and visibility.
Child Items	A Child item is any Auction Item that is contained by a parent item. The strict use of the term implies a one deep relationship with the parent item - the item falls directly and immediately under the parent. In other words, the term "child item" would not be used in reference to the child of a child (grandchild) item. A child item can also be a parent item if it also contains one or more child items. There is no special term for an item that is both a parent and a child.
Scion Items	The term scion is generally used in reference to a parent item (e.g., the parent’s scion). It refers to all items that fall below it somewhere in the tree: children, grand children, etc. The term "scion" could be used interchangeably with the word "descendants."
Leaf Items	Leaf items are child items that do not have child items of their own. They are the end of the family line. In Bidding, only leaf items can be won and awarded (although any level on the tree can be configured to accept bids).
Sibling Items	Two or more items are considered siblings when they are both child items of the same parent item (or both items are root items).
Hidden Items	Only non-root leaf items can be "hidden." An item is hidden when its parent item has been configured with the Hide Children field checked. A hidden item is not the same as a non-visible item.