Topic Doc: Gift Certificates | Gift Cards
RecTrac 3.1
Table of Contents
Document Summary
RecTrac allows you to sell and redeem Gift Certificates/Gift Cards. Gift Cards and Gift Certificates are the same thing in RecTrac. The difference between the two is what the customer receives at the time of purchase.
- Gift Certificates typically are printed on paper.
- Gift Cards typically are printed on hard plastic PVC type cards.
Optionally, you can keep the entire Gift Certificate/Card process electronic, if desired. In this event, physical certificates and cards are not distributed. Rather, the customer gift balance is kept electronically within the system and displayed on receipts.
If opting to print and distribute hard copy gift certificates (i.e. paper certificates) and or gift cards (i.e. plastic cards), RecTrac allows you the flexibility to use your own design with system-generated numbers or to use 3rd party card stock to issue pre-printed/pre-numbered gift certificates/cards.
Gift Certificates/Cards are Service Items in RecTrac 3.1, and they are maintained in the Point of Sale (POS) module. Gift Certificates/Cards can be sold/redeemed through Global Sales, Touch POS, and WebTrac.
Note: Henceforth, this document uses the term Gift Certificate for both Gift Certificates and Gift Cards unless specifically noted otherwise.
License – Maintenance Agreement
The Gift Certificate Interface is free. Use of the interface requires a Vermont Systems license and annual maintenance agreement for RecTrac and the component modules discussed in this document. Prior to implementing any process outlined in this document, please contact the Vermont Systems Sales department at 1-877-883-8757 to verify that you are authorized to use the modules discussed in this document and if not, to obtain a quote and/or approval.
Pricing options exist for "POS Lite," in the event you do not own the POS module but still want to sell/redeem gift certificates. Contact Vermont Systems Sales for further information or to obtain a quote.
Setup Steps
This document provides the following basic instruction for Gift Certificates in your RecTrac database.
- Set up a Gift Certificate Service Code.
- Create and Link a Gift Certificate Payment Code.
- Link Gift Certificates to Fees so items can be purchased using them.
- Sell Gift Certificates.
- Redeem Gift Certificates for purchases.
- Refund, Recharge, Renew, and Void Gift Certificates
- A List of current Gift Certificate Inquiries and Reports
If you have additional questions about Gift Certificate setup and use after reading this document, please contact Vermont Systems Customer Service by phone at 887-883-8757 or generate a Support Case through the Customer portal of the Vermont Systems website using your Customer ID and password.
Before You Begin
This document is written with the following assumptions. If any of the items listed below is NOT true, contact Vermont Systems Support prior to continuing, as the steps in this document may prove difficult to complete and unexpected results may occur.
- Your organization is running RecTrac 3.1.03.01 or greater.
- You have a full understanding of the Gift Certificate program at your department.
- The User ID with which you sign into RecTrac has the requisite permissions and ability to access all modules and functions pertaining to Gift Certificates, including but not limited to: Service Item Management, Payment Code Management, Profile Management, Fee Management, and Daily Processing.
- You understand RecTrac DataGrids and how to maneuver through them.
- You understand RecTrac Profile Management and hierarchy.
- You understand RecTrac Fees/Rules/Questions, Criteria, and the multiple levels of hierarchy at which Fees/Rules/Questions can be linked in RecTrac. This document does not provide instruction for RecTrac Fee/Rule/Question Maintenance beyond the minimum requirements necessary to set up and process Gift Certificates.
File Maintenance Setup
You will visit the following program modules to establish and maintain a Gift Certificate program in RecTrac:
- Service Item Management
- Payment Code Management
- Profile Management
- Fee Management
Notes:
- All file paths and screen/tab locations in this document refer to file paths and screen/tab locations as they appear in the standard, default Vermont Systems Design. Your setup and Design may vary.
- This document uses the term Gift Certificate for both Gift Certificates and Gift Cards unless specifically noted otherwise.
Service Item Management
Gift Certificates in RecTrac are maintained as Service Items.
- In RecTrac, go to Management • POS Management • Service Item Management.
- Click Add.
Note: Default Record Add Permissions determine whether or not you receive a Default Record Add pop-up message upon clicking Add.
If you receive the pop-up message, you have Permissions to add "Regular" Records and Default Records to your database. Expand the Drop-down list and make your selection:
- If you have a Default Gift Certificate Service Item established in your database, you may opt to use that, if desired.
- If you have a Default Service Item established in your database, you may opt to use that, if desired.
- If you do NOT have Default records established in your database, Vermont Systems recommends choosing --New Blank Record-- as that option will create a new Service Item.
If you do NOT receive this pop-up dialog, you do NOT have Permissions to add Default Fee Records to your database. You will be adding a new Service Item only.
Default Record Permissions are maintained on your Permissons profile • Default Record Permissions group.
- You will continue to the Service Item Update screen.
- Enter a Service Item Code. This is a mandatory field.
- Expand the Drop-down list for Record Type and select Gift Certificate.
- Enter Long and Short Descriptions in their respective fields.
- Fill out the remaining fields in the Core Settings Group as desired.
- Click Gift Certificate Settings to expand the Group.
- Determine whether you wish to use Pre-Numbered Gift Certificates.
- When this option is de-selected, the system will issue incrementally numbered gift certificates. Numbering starts at "1" and increases by one (1) every time a Gift Certificate Service Item is sold.
- When this option is selected, the clerk will be prompted to enter a number at the time of purchase. Numbers can be numeric only. Up to 15 digits are allowed. Numbers cannot be repeated in the system. This is a good option if:
- You issue Gift Certificates on 3rd party pre-printed/pre-numbered card stock.
- You want to manually number your Gift Certificates at the time of purchase regardless of the card stock (if any) being used.
Note: You can mix and match by Service Item, if desired, meaning you can have some Gift Certificate Service Items set to Pre-Numbered and some Gift Certificate Service Items set to system-numbered. Regardless of your numbering convention, the system will DISALLOW any duplicate Gift Certificate numbers.
- Determine whether Full Use Required. When this option is selected, the gift certificate is good for one use/purchase only because the full value of the gift certificate will be used at the time of the sale. If the actual amount of the sale is less than the full value of the gift certificate, the remaining balance automatically will be removed; it will not be left on the card for further use nor given back to the customer as change.
Note: If using this option, Vermont Systems recommends creating an Unused Gift Certificate GL Code and Cost Center (optional) and linking them in the Financial Settings group of your Static Parameters profile, as doing so allows you to track unused Gift Certificate amounts funds, if desired. If you opt not to create and link an Unused Gift Certificate GL account, then any unused gift certificate funds simply disappear from the system once a portion of the gift certificate is used.
- Determine whether you want to Allow Alternate Household Link. When this option is selected, a gift certificate can be linked to a household other than the one making the purchase at the time of sale. It can also be linked to free form "Daily Name." This is a good option if:
- You allow patrons to purchase a gift certificate for someone else in your database as a gift, for example.
- You allow patrons to purchase a gift certificate for someone not in your database.
- You "sell" gift certificates through the Daily/Guest Household and give them to patrons for such things as Raffle Winnings, Rain Checks, Item Returns, etc….
Note: When selling gift certificates to the Daily/Guest Household in RecTrac, you will always have the Alternate Household Link and Daily Name options. Regardless of how this option set, those choices always appear for the Daily/Guest Household.
- Determine whether you wish to Print PIN on Receipt. The sale of a Gift Certificate Service Item automatically generates a PIN. Selecting this option ensure the number is printed on the receipt. This is a good option if you opt to Require Gift Certificate PIN during redemption. See Additional Payment Profile Maintenance below.
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Months and Expiration Date: Set the Expiration policy for your Gift Certificate program:
- If gift certificates are valid for <x> Months from the date of purchase, enter that value in the Months field and leave the Expiration Date field blank.
- If gift certificates have a static expiration date, click the Calendar icon Expiration Date field and enter that date. Leave the Months field blank.
- If gift certificates never expire (i.e. if they are good "forever"), leave both fields blank.
- If opting to issue physical gift certificates, click the Picklist icon for Gift Certificate Template and make your selection from the Template Management DataGrid.
Gift Certificate templates are maintained in Template Design Studio. TDS Template Type = Giftcard.
See Also: Topic Doc - Template Design Studio
- The Gift Certificate Detail button leads to the Gift Certificate Detail Management DataGrid and lists all the Gift Certificates/Cards of the Service Item type you selected that have been sold in your system. Settings on the screen allow you to change select information for individual records, if needed. The DataGrid will be blank until a gift certificate of this Service Item type has been sold.
- Expand the other Groups on this tab as needed (WebTrac Settings, Miscellaneous Settings, Additional Settings, Shipping Information, and Access Ticket Settings) and make any desired changes.
Use the "i" and "?" Help icons on the upper-right hand corner of the screen for field definitions, if needed. - Click the Fees, Rules, Questions, and Comments tabs as well to add applicable Fees, Rules, Questions, and/or Comments as needed.
- Save the record when done. You will return the Service Items DataGrid.
- Repeat these steps as needed to create additional Gift Certificate Service Items.
Fee Considerations
As noted above, this document provides basic instruction only with regard to setup and daily processing functions regarding your Gift Certificate program and so does not cover the actual creation and linking of Fees for gift certificates. However, when establishing Fees, consider the following:
- Fee Type = Standard Fee.
- Transaction Type = Purchase.
- Leave the Tax Table field blank. Tax should NOT be charged for the sale of a gift certificate. While tax may be charged on items purchased with a gift certificate, the sale of the certificate, itself, should not be taxed, as doing so effectively taxes the same dollars twice.
- Enable the Fee Required? option to ensure the fee is always charged.
- The Amount Field:
- IF you sell one (1) gift certificate type only and it is always the exact same amount, (For Example: $25.00) enter that value in the Amount field.
- IF you sell multiple gift certificates by dollar value and you create a separate Service Item for each dollar amount, the Amount fields should be a static value for that amount. In the Example Above, Service Item 0002 is a $50.00 Gift Card, so the Amount on the linked Fee would be $50.00. (Similarly, if Service Item 0001 were a $25.00 Gift Card, the Amount on the linked Fee would be $25.00.)
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IF you sell multiple gift certificates by dollar value (or by arbitrary value) and you create one (1) Service Item only for all gift certificate sales, you might:
- Set the Amount field to the dollar value most commonly sold.
- Create a Fee Group and use a Fee Prompt for the Amount.
- Link the Fee Group to the Fee in Advanced Fee Update.
- Such a set up might look as follows:
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IF you sell multiple gift certificates by dollar value (For Example: $25, $50, $100) and you create one (1) Service Item only for all gift certificates and you link a separate Fee for each dollar value, you might:
- Disable the Fee Required? option on the Fee.
- Create a Fee Group and use a Fee Prompt to ensure all possible Fees display. Consider setting Max Fees Allowed to be Selected to "1."
- Link the Fee Group to the Fee in Advanced Fee Update.
- Link the Fee(s) appropriately within Fee hierarchy. Where a Fee is linked determines what it will impact. The following chart displays where you can link a Fee to the POS Service Item Module and what impact it will have.
Fee Linked | Fee Applies To |
---|---|
To the Service Item Module | All Service Items in your database |
To a Service Item | That Service Item only |
To a Service Item Category | All Service Items in your database to which that Category System Code is linked |
To a Service Item Type | All Service Items in your database to which that Type System Code is linked |
To a Service Item SubType | All Service Items in your database to which that SubType System Code is linked |
Create and Link a Gift Certificate Payment Code
In order to use Gift Certificates as payment, you need to establish a Gift Certificate payment code.
When patrons opt to redeem their Gift Certificates, the Payment Code you create here is what you will enter in the Pay Code field to complete the transaction.
To Create a Gift Certificate Payment Code
- In RecTrac, go to Management • System Management • Financial Management Group • Payment Code Management.
- Click Add. You will continue to the Payment Code Update Core Settings screen.
- Enter your Pay Code number. For Example: Gift Certificate or 20 or 20 - Gift Certificate.
- Expand the Drop-down list for Payment Type and select Gift Certificate. Select "Gift Certificate" regardless of whether you issue physical Gift Certificates or Gift Cards or whether you process them electronically.
Note: DO NOT SELECT "GIFT CARD." The "Gift Card" option in this list is for use with the 3rd party Lynk Giftcard solution only.
- Enter a Description and Long Description for this pay code. For Example: Gift Cards.
- (Optional) Expand the Drop-down list for Valid Gift Certificate Service Items and select the Gift Certificate Service Items for which this Payment Code will be valid.
- IF this Payment Code will be used for ALL Gift Certificate Service Items, you can leave this field blank.
- IF you want certain Gift Certificate Service Items only to be used with this Payment Code, select the appropriate Service Items. This is a good option if you want to track/separate Service Item Gift Certificate by Payment Code. If you use this option, the assumption is that you will have multiple Gift Certificate Payment Codes in your database and that certain Gift Certificates only will be valid for certain Payment Codes. For Example: Pool Gift Certificates will be valid at the Pool only and Golf Course Rain Checks will be valid at the Golf Course only and you will have separate Payment Codes for each in order to keep them separate and for tracking purposes.
- Fill out the remaining fields in all groups on this screen as necessary.
Use the "i" and "?" Help icons on the upper-right hand corner of the screen for field definitions, if needed. - Click Save. You will be returned to the Payment Code Management DataGrid.
- Repeat these steps as needed to create additional Gift Certificate Payment Codes, if needed.
- Exit the DataGrid when done.
To Link a Payment Code to Your Payment Profile
To use Payment Codes in RecTrac, they must be linked in the Allowed Pay Codes field of your Payment profile.
- In RecTrac, go to Management • System Management • User/Menu/Profile Management Group • Profile Management.
- Highlight/select your Payment profile and click Change.
- Scroll down to the Pay Code Restrictions Group.
- Click the Picklist icon for the Allowed Pay Codes field and highlight/select the Gift Certificate Payment Code you created above. Any Pay Codes already in the field will remain selected.
- Click Select. You will return to the Payment profile.
- Ensure your Gift Certificate Payment Code appears in the Allowed Pay Codes along with all other valid Pay Codes for this profile.
Note: To process returns/cancellations that result in a refund and to place the money back on the customer's gift certificate, the Payment profiles must have Refund Now as an Allowed Refund Option and your Gift Certificate Payment Code must be listed in the Allowed Refund Pay Codes (Refund Now) field. Use the steps provided above as guide.
- Remain in the Payment profile and continue to the next section below.
Additional Payment Profile Maintenance
The Core Group of the Payment Profile contains additional Gift Certificate options which should be set.
- Determine whether to Require Gift Certificate PIN. The sale of a Gift Certificate Service Item automatically generates a PIN.
- Select this option if you wish to have the PIN input during the payment process. To complete the sale, you will need a valid gift certificate number and the PIN which is linked to it.
- De-select this option if you require a valid gift certificate number only during the payment process.
Note: Service Item Management provides the option to Print PIN on Receipts. Additionally, PINs are listed with their Gift Certificate in Gift Certificate Detail Inquiry.
- Determine whether you wish to Require Household Match on Household Linked Gift Certificates. Select this option to require a household match for gift certificate redemption. Gift certificates can be redeemed only if a member of the household is linked to the sale for which the gift certificate is being redeemed.
- When this option is selected, a gift certificate "sold" by the Daily/Guest Household to a non-member (i.e. to a free form name entered at the time of sale) may be redeemed when processing a Daily/Guest Sale only.
- Enabling this option is a good idea if you link your gift certificates directly to households in your database, for it ensures that only members of the linked household can use them.
- Keeping this option de-selected is a good idea if you make use of the Daily Name field and allow Households to purchase gift certificates to non-members (i.e. to people who are not in your database.
- Save your changes. You will be returned to Profile Assignments.
- Repeat these steps for other Payment profiles in your database, if any.
Allowing Gift Card Purchases and Reloads in WebTrac
If you wish to sell gift cards in WebTrac, and allow patrons to reload them, then you'll want to visit your Daily Processing profile and select the option to Include PDF gift cards when emailing receipts, on the Miscellaneous Information group.
When this option is enabled, patrons will see a link on the confirmation screen for each gift certificate being purchased. Once patrons confirm and process their payment, the ensuing receipt will contain a .pdf for each gift card purchased. WebTrac users can also reprint gift card .PDFs by going to My Account • Reprint • Reprint a Receipt. They will see a link to reprint gift cards.
To Enable the Option for Gift Card Sales in WebTrac
- In RecTrac, go to Management • System Management • User/Menu/Profile Management Group • Profile Management.
- Highlight/select your Daily Processing profile and click Change.
- Expand the Miscellaneous Information group.
- Select the option to Include PDF gift cards when emailing receipts.
- Save your changes.
Link an IDSwipe NONE profile to the WWW User ID
To allow Gift Card purchases and reloads in WebTrac, you must link an IDSwipe "NONE" profile to your WebTrac User ID. The following steps assume your WebTrac User ID is "WWW." If you are using an alternate WebTrac User ID, then substitute the User ID accordingly.
- In RecTrac, go to Management • System Management • User/Menu/Profile Management Group • Profile Assignments.
- Expand the Type: ID Swipe tree.
- Highlight/select "NONE."
- In the Linked Profiles column, expand the User Tree.
- Click and hold on the NONE profile from step 3 above. When you have "grabbed" the profile, a red box will appear that displays the profile name.
- Drag and drop. Drag to the WWW User ID in the middle column. When the box turns green, release the mouse. This will link the profile to the WWW User ID.
- Exit Profile Assignments.
Set Item Fees to Allow Purchase by Gift Certificate
In order for patrons to purchase items using gift certificates, the Fees linked to the items for sale must have the allowed Gift Certificate Service Items populated in the Gift Certificate List field in Advanced Fee Update.
- In RecTrac, go to a Fee linked to an item which can be purchased using a gift certificate.
- Highlight/select the Fee and click Advanced Fee Change. You will continue to the Fee Update screen.
- Expand the Payment Settings Group.
- Click the Combo Box icon and select the Gift Certificate Service Items that can be used for payment toward this fee.
- This field allows you to limit the Fees to which gift certificates can be applied during a sale. For Example: You might disallow the purchase of Gift Certificates and/or alcohol with gift certificates but allow the purchase of anything else with them. In that event, you would leave this field blank for all Fees linked to Gift Certificate Service Items and alcohol items. For all other items, however, (Activity Registrations, Facility Rentals, Lockers, etc. &@8230;, you would enter the applicable Gift Certificate Service Items in this field.
- Wildcarding is allowed. To allow use of all Gift Certificate Service Codes, enter a single asterisk (*) in this field.
- Click Save. Changes take effect immediately.
- Repeat these steps for all applicable Fees for which Gift Certificates will be allowed as payment.
Note: To set the Gift Certificate List field value for multiple Fees in bulk (as opposed to doing it by individual Fee as outlined above), use the Bulk Change program in Fee Maintenance (System Management • Fee/Rule/Question Management Group • Fee Management). Access the program and Add GiftCertificateList to the Bulk Changes to Add box. Process your bulk changes as you normally would.
Use the "i" and "?" Help icons on the upper-right hand corner of the screen for field definitions, if needed.
This completes the File Management Setup for Gift Certificates in RecTrac.
Daily Processes
The following sections offer some basic instruction/information regarding the sale and redemption of Gift Certificates in RecTrac.
Note: The steps and examples that follow are performed using standard RecTrac Global Sales. These processes also can be performed via Touch POS, provided the applicable buttons are available on your Touch menus.
Certain processes (Gift Certificate Purchase, Redemption, and Reload) also are available to patrons through WebTrac, provided your WebTrac menus are configured to allow it.
Purchasing a Gift Certificate
- In RecTrac Global Sales/Touch/WebTrac, process the sale of a Service Item as you normally would. Select the Service Item and click Add to Cart.
- Depending on the setup of your Gift Certificate(s) you may be:
- Prompted to enter a Gift Certificate Number. This is controlled by the Pre-Numbered Gift Certificates option in Service Item Management. The system allow numbers up to 15-digits.
- Given the opportunity to select an Alternate Household and/or enter a Daily Name before going to the Payment Screen. This is controlled by the Allow Alternate Household Link option in Service Item Management.
- Prompted for Fees before going to the Payment Screen. This is controlled by how your set up your Gift Certificate Fees.
- Click the Payment button when ready.
- At the Payment Screen, complete the sale as you normally would.
- The receipt will contain the gift certificate information. If opting to Print PIN on Receipt (Service Item Management), that will be included.
- If opting to print hard copy certificates/cards, you will be prompted for that process upon completing the sale.
Note: Gift Certificates/Cards NOT printed at the time of sale can be printed/reprinted using the Gift Certificate Reprint program (Reporting • Gift Certificate Reprint).
Redeeming a Gift Certificate
- In RecTrac Global Sales/Touch/WebTrac, process a sale for which payment by gift certificate is allowed.
- Select the item(s) into the Shopping Cart and click the Payment button when ready.
- Select your Gift Certificate Payment Code.
- Ensure the correct Gift Certificate is listed in the Gift Certificate field.
- In the event a household has more than one (1) Gift Certificate, the Drop-down list will be required.
Note: Your setting in the Default Gift Certificate Payment Value field on your Payment Profile • Core 2 screen determines whether a Gift Certificate Number will display or whether your cursor will default to a Swipe Field upon selection of the Gift Certificate Payment Code. Displaying a Gift Certificate Number is the default option so it is used in the example above.
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IF your Payment profile is set to Require Gift Certificate PIN, enter the PIN in its field.
- If the customer cannot supply this number, it can be ascertained in Gift Certificate Detail Inquiry.
- Enter additional information as needed, and complete the sale as you normally would.
- Receipt information will display the following Gift Certificate information:
Refunding/Returning a Purchase to a Gift Certificate
Note: To process returns/cancellations that result in a refund and to place the money back on the customer's gift certificate, Payment profiles must have Refund Now as an Allowed Refund Option and your Gift Certificate Payment Code must be listed in the Allowed Refund Pay Codes (Refund Now) field.
- In RecTrac Global Sales/Touch, process the Cancellation as your normally would (go to Purchase History • Select the Item • Click Cancel).
- Click the Refund button.
- On the Refund Screen, expand the Drop-down list for Refund Option and select your Gift Certificate Payment Code.
- Ensure the correct Gift Certificate is listed in the Gift Certificate field.
- In the event a household has more than one (1) Gift Certificate, the Drop-down list will be required.
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IF your Payment profile is set to Require Gift Certificate PIN, enter the PIN in its field.
- If the customer cannot supply this number, it can be ascertained in Gift Certificate Detail Inquiry.
- Enter additional information as needed, and complete the refund as you normally would.
- Receipt information will display the updated Gift Certificate information:
Reloading/Renewing a Gift Certificate
When you "reload" a gift certificate, you increase the available balance on it. Gift Certificates can be reloaded at any time, regardless of whether the card has been used in full or still has a balance remaining. Reloading a Gift Certificate also renews it, in the event your Gift Certificates use Expiration Dates/Months. With regard to expiration dates and renewals, reloading a gift certificate will (along with increasing the balance on it):
- If Using Fixed Expiration Dates - Change the current expiration date on the gift certificate to the Expiration Date listed on the Gift Certificate Service Item, provided the new date is later than the original date.
- If Using Expiration Months - Change the current expiration date on the gift certificate to "today" + the Expiration Months as listed on the Gift Certificate Service Item. For Example: "Today" is 20 September 20xe and the Expiration Months value is "24," then a gift certificate reloaded "today" would have a new Expiration Date of 20 September 20xg (two years from "today") regardless of what the original expiration date was.
- If Not Using Expiration Dates - No change will be made, as a Gift Certificate without an Expiration Date is good "forever."
Note: Touch POS provides a Renew button, which is separate from the Reload feature. When opting to use the Renew button in Touch, no additional money is added to the existing balance; rather the expiration date is simply extended using the guidelines listed above.
To Reload/Renew a Gift Certificate
- In RecTrac Global Sales/Touch, lookup and select the household/family member for whom you wish to process the gift certificate reload.
- Proceed to the POS Service tab/menu.
- Highlight/select the Gift Certificate Service Item type that was purchased originally.
Note: If you and the customer are unsure of which Gift Certificate Service Item was sold, you can ascertain that information in Gift Certificate Detail Inquiry.
- With the Gift Certificate Service Item selected in the DataGrid, click Reload Gift Certificate. You will proceed to the Gift Cards for <Selected Household> dialog.
- Enter the customer's Gift Certificate Number. This is a mandatory field. Use the Gift Certificate Detail Inquiry to find this number, if needed.
- Depending on the setup of your Gift Certificates, additional information may be needed, such as a Fee selection if using Fee Prompts.
- Click Continue when ready. The Gift Certificate Service Item will move to the Shopping Cart.
- Click the Payment and complete the transaction as you normally would.
- The Gift Certificate will be reloaded.
- IF your Gift Certificate Service Item is set up to use Expiration Dates or Months, the gift certificate also will be renewed as outlined above.
Note: Touch POS provides a Renew button, which is separate from the Reload feature. When opting to use the Renew button in Touch, no additional money is added to the existing balance; rather the expiration date is simply extended using the guidelines listed above.
Returning/Voiding a Gift Certificate
A gift certificate can be voided manually from Gift Certificate Detail Management, if needed. See below for details.
Another way to return/void a Gift Certificate is through Touch POS. To utilize the Touch POS option, you must add a Gift Certificate Return button in Touch Screen Maintenance. A gift certificate can be returned (aka: voided) using this button only if the Certificate has never been used to purchase goods/services.
Gift Certificate Detail Management
Gift Certificate Detail Management allows you to update gift certificate information manually on a gift certificate-by-gift certificate basis, if/when needed. Changes made in this program take effect immediately and, in the event of balance adjustments, make no cash/gl entries.
To Use the Gift Certificate Detail Management Program
- In RecTrac, go to Management • POS Management • Service Item Management.
- Highlight/select the applicable Gift Certificate Service Item and click Change.
- Expand the Gift Certificates Settings Group and click Gift Certificate Detail. You will continue to the Gift Certificate Detail Management DataGrid.
- The Gift Certificate Details Management screen lists all the Gift Certificates/Cards of the Service Item type you selected that have been sold in your system. Highlight/select the Gift Certificate you wish to update and click Change. You will continue to the Gift Certificate Detail Update screen.
- Make changes as necessary. To Void the Gift Certificate, you can zero-out the Amount and/or update the Expiration Date to make the certificate expired.
Note: Use Caution! Changes made in this program take effect immediately. In the event of balance adjustments, such as zeroing out the Amount, or expiring gift certificates, no cash/gl entries are made.
- The following fields cannot be updated:
- Cash Drawer, Gift Certificate Code, Number, Receipt List, and User Name.
- Click Save when done. You will be returned to the previous screen.
- Repeat these steps as needed to update other gift certificates or exit back to the main menu.
Gift Certificate Inquiries and Reports
Gift Certificate Inquiries
RecTrac provides two (2) Inquiry programs for gift certificates:
- Gift Certificate Inquiry - Inquiry • POS Inquiries • Gift Certificate Inquiry (scroll down in POS Inquiry to find this)
- Gift Certificate Detail Inquiry - Inquiry • POS Inquiries • Gift Certificate Detail Inquiry (scroll down in POS Inquiry to find this)
Note: Gift Certificates linked to Households also may be viewed using Household Inquiry.
Go to Household Inquiry • Highlight/select a Household in the DataGrid • Click Service Items at the bottom of the DataGrid.
Gift Certificate Reports
RecTrac provides two (2) Gift Certificate Reports:
- VSI - Gift Certificate Activity Report-This is a Fixed Output that displays Initial Loads (purchases), Reloads, and Usage information by gift certificate.
- VSI - Gift Certificate Listing- Provides a basic listing of Gift Certificates issued in the system. This is a Dynamic Report Output that can be customized if desired.
These reports are run from the Gift Certificate Reports screen (Reporting • Report Listing • System Financial Reports • Gift Certificate Reports.
Gift Certificate Reprint
The Gift Certificate Reprint program (Reporting • Gift Certificate Reprint) allows you to print a single Gift Certificate or a selected range of Gift Certificates.
Troubleshooting
The following lists some common questions raised during Daily Processing when working with gift certificates and their possible solutions.
Only $0.00 of the <x> Payment can be Applied to Items in Your Shopping Cart - Part I
Problem: Users cannot remit for purchases using gift certificates due to the following Information message:
Solution: - Ensure the Fees being charged for the item(s) you are attempting to purchase are eligible for payment with the Gift Certificate Service Item being used. Refer to Set Item Fees to Allow Purchase by Gift Certificate above.
Only $0.00 of the <x> Payment can be Applied to Items in Your Shopping Cart - Part II
Problem: Users cannot remit for purchases using gift certificates due to the following Information message, but we have confirmed that the Fees being charged are eligible for payment with the Gift Card Service Items, as discuss in Part I above.
Solution: - If the Gift Card being used was created and linked AFTER the item you are trying to use it against was sold, the Detail Fee Records for the item that was sold will not contain the applicable Gift Card Codes. In this instance, you need to change the Detail Fee Records for the items that you're trying to use Gift Certificate against. This can be done through Fee Management • Bulk Change, using the Change Detail Records Linked to File Maintenance Records option. The "?" Help contains instructions and examples for running that program.
The Entered PIN does not Match the Selected Gift Certificate PIN
Problem: The system is telling me the gift certificate PIN does not match when trying to process a sale:
Solutions:
- If you REQUIRE a PIN for gift certificate redemption, use Gift Certificate Detail Inquiry to verify the PIN number as it is recorded in RecTrac.
- If you do NOT require a PIN for gift certificate redemption, ensure the Require Gift Certificate PIN option is disabled on your Payment profile.
The Selected Gift Certificate is Linked to Another Household and Cannot be Used
Problem: A Daily Name was used when a Household purchased a gift certificate and now that person cannot use it:
Solution - If allowing Households to purchase gift certificates for non-members (people NOT in your database), ensure the Require Household Match on Household Linked Gift Certificates option is disabled on your Payment profile.
The Gift Certificate Field is Blank for a Household that I know to have a Gift Certificate
Problem: When attempting to remit with a gift certificate, the Gift Certificate field on the Payment Screen is blank. I should be able to choose the Household's gift certificate.
Solution - The gift certificate may be expired, fully used, or voided. Use Gift Certificate Detail Inquiry to verify the status. If the gift certificate has expired or voided in error, use Gift Certificate Detail Management to make changes as needed. If the gift certificate has been fully used, you can Reload it, if needed.
The Selected Gift Certificate Cannot Be Used with the Selected Pay Code
Problem: When attempting to remit with a gift certificate, the system stops the transaction with the following information message:
Solution - The Gift Certificate Service Item Code likely is NOT listed as a Valid Gift Certificate Service Item on your Gift Certificate Payment Code. Review your Gift Certificate Payment Code and ensure the proper Service Item Codes (if needed) are listed in the Valid Gift Certificate Service Items field. Leave the field blank to allow the use of all Gift Certificate Service Items with this Payment Code. Refer to the Tool Tip or Full Screen Help for further definition, if needed.