Table of Contents
Document Summary
RecTrac offers you the ability to setup and issue Coupons that can, in turn, be used as discounts against the price of services and products you provide. RecTrac Coupon functionality offers a great deal of flexibility to meet needs. You can generate serialized Coupons for individual use (For Example: You might give Coupons to the first 50 registrants for a particular Season) or you can generate mass distribution Coupons (For Example: You might include a Coupon in your Summer Brochure which goes out as a mass mailing). Additionally, Rules can be linked directly to Coupons in order to govern their use. Generally speaking, these are Transaction type rules that are used to determine how, where and who might use a Coupon.
Once you have created your Coupon Codes, patrons can use them to apply purchase discounts for the services you provide. Additionally, you can run reports and inquiries about Coupons.
Note: RecTrac provides for the creation of Coupon Codes and for their use as price discounts. RecTrac does not provide a means for generating the physical coupon (or e-coupon), itself.
License – Maintenance Agreement
The Coupons Interface is free. Use of the interface requires a VSI 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.
Setup Steps
This document will walk you through the basic steps required to:
- Create Coupon Codes.
- Link basic Transaction-type Rules to a Coupon.
- Link the Coupon Code to the Fees for which they can be used as discounts.
- Ensure your Payment profile is set to Allow Coupons.
- Use Coupons to apply a discount toward Fees in RecTrac Global Sales
- Use Coupons to apply a discount toward Fees in WebTrac.
- Run basic Coupon reports and inquiries.
If you have additional questions about RecTrac Rewards setup and operation 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 web site 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 3.1.04.00 or greater.
- The User ID with which you sign into RecTrac has the requisite permissions and ability to access all modules and functions pertaining to RecTrac Coupons, to include but not limited to: the Coupon Management, Profile Assignments, Module Management, and RecTrac Daily Processing functions.
- You understand RecTrac DataGrids and how to maneuver through them.
- You understand RecTrac Profile Hierarchy.
- You understand the Coupon program at your Department including who, how , and when they may be used.
- You understand RecTrac Rules and how to use them to govern the use of Coupons in your System.
File Maintenance Setup
File Maintenance for Coupons is required in the following areas:
- Coupon Management
- Fee Update
- Profile Assignments • Payment profile(s).
Note: 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 VSI Design. Your setup and Design may vary.
Create a Coupon Code
The Coupon Maintenance program allows you to add, change, delete, and clone Coupon Codes that can be used to offer discounts for purchases in RecTrac/WebTrac. You may issue coupons to your patrons, and they can use them as payment. Coupons can be used toward payment for items in all RecTrac modules, as desired.
- In RecTrac, go to Management Ribbon • System Management • Financial Management Group • Coupon Management.
- Click Add. You will continue to the Coupon Update screen.
- Enter a Coupon Code. For Example: 20PCNT.
- Enter a Description for the Coupon. For Example: 20 Percent Coupon.
- Expand the Drop-down list for Coupon Type and select whether your coupon will be.
- Flat - A "Flat Rate Coupon," where the value entered in the Amount field will be a flat dollar amount. So if you enter "10.00" in that field, the coupon will be good for $10.00 off the purchase price.
- Percent - A "Percentage Coupon," where the value entered in the Amount field will be a percent. If you enter "10.00" in that field, the coupon will be good for 10% off the purchase price.
Note: Full percentage rates start on the left-hand side of the decimal. For Example: a 10% coupon would be entered as 10.00. A 10.5% coupon would be entered as 10.50.
- Based on your selection in the field above, enter the value of the Coupon in the Amount field.
- Determine whether you wish to Serialize Coupons.
- Serializing your coupons allows you to create a unique record for each coupon linked to this Code. Unique records allow for specific tracking and (optimally) one-time usage only. Serializing your coupons also allows you to create a specific number of "limited edition" coupons.
For Example: You might wish to reward the first 50 families who sign a child up for your Summer Camp activities with a 20% coupon good on their next purchase. Creating a Coupon Code and linking 50 unique serial coupons to it would allow you to accomplish this.
- Serializing your coupons allows you to create a unique record for each coupon linked to this Code. Unique records allow for specific tracking and (optimally) one-time usage only. Serializing your coupons also allows you to create a specific number of "limited edition" coupons.
- Determine whether you wish to Allow Serial Reuse. This option is applicable only if opting to Serialize Coupons
- When this option is selected, a patron holding a serialized coupon can use it more than once.
- When this option is de-selected, a patron hold a serialized coupon can use it one time only.
- Fill out the other fields as needed.
- THEN
- IF opting to Serialize Coupons, click Serial Coupons at the bottom of the screen and go to Serial Coupons below.
- IF opting to add Rules to your Coupons, click the Rules tab and go to Adding Rules to Coupons below.
- IF opting to do neither, click Save to return to the previous screen. You can repeat these steps to make additional Coupon Codes or skip to Set Your Payment Profile to Allow Coupons below.
Serialize Coupons
The Serial Coupon Maintenance program allows you to add, change, delete, and clone Serial Coupons linked to a Coupon Codes. Serializing your coupons allows you to create a unique record for each coupon linked to this Code. Unique records allow for specific tracking and one-time usage, if desired. Serializing your coupons also allows you to create a specific number of "limited edition" coupons.
For Example: You might wish to reward the first 50 families who sign a child up for your Summer Camp activities with a 20% coupon good on their next purchase. Creating a Coupon Code and linking 50 unique serial coupons to it would allow you to accomplish this.
- From the Coupon Update screen, click Serial Coupons. You will continue to the Serial Coupon Management DataGrid for your Coupon Code.
Note: The Serialize Coupons option in Coupon Update must be selected in order for the Serial Coupons to be active..
- Click Add. You will continue to the Serial Coupon Update screen.
- Enter the serial number you wish to use for the initial serialized coupon in its field. Serial Coupon Codes may consist of up to 30 alpha-numeric characters. For Example: 001, or A, or 20PCNT-001, or 20PCNT-A, etc….
- Click Save. You will return to the Serial Coupon Management DataGrid where your new record will be displayed.
- Repeat Steps 2-4 above to create additional Serial Coupons
OR
Expedite the creation process by highlighting/selecting the Serial Coupon you just created and clicking Clone to launch the File Maintenance Clone dialog.
The File Maintenance Clone function allows you to clone an existing record that may have similar features to a new record you would like to create. This process can save a tremendous amount of time, especially when building a new database.
Use the "i" and "?" Help icons on the upper-right-hand corner of the screen for field definitions, if needed.
- Regardless of how you opt to create your remaining Serial Coupons, when you are done, click Back. You will return to the Coupon Update screen.
- THEN
- IF opting to add Rules to your Coupons, click the Rules tab and go to Adding Rules to Coupons below.
- IF opting not to add Rules, click Save to return to the previous screen. You can repeat these steps to make additional Serialized Coupon Codes or skip to Set Your Payment Profile to Allow Coupons below.
Add Rules to Coupons
Adding Rules to Coupons allows you set parameters on their use. For Example: You might create Coupons that are:
- Valid on weekdays only
- "Early Bird" (6:00-8:00am) only
- Valid only for a specific date range
- Valid only for Seniors, aged 55+
- Good when registering for Youth Activities only
- Good for one use only (non-serialized)
- Etc.…
Without Rules, any Coupon you create can be used any time for any transaction, provided your Payment profile is set to Allow Coupons and the clerk processing the transaction has the proper Permissions to see the Coupon Code during Daily Processing, so IF you wish to place restrictions or allowances on your Coupons to govern their use, it will be necessary to add Rules.
Note: Coupon Code Update contains a Permissions field.
- From the Coupon Update screen, click the Rules tab.
- Click Add Rule. You will continue to the Rule Update screen.
- Add the Rule and its criterion/criteria as you normally would.
- When adding Rules to Coupons, keep the following in mind:
- Transaction Type should be only those that involve an actual payment.
- Rules for Coupons work just like Rules for modules. You can Group Rules together, you can link them as Sets and/or as Templates, etc…
- There is no Rule Hierarchy for Coupons. Rules apply only to the Coupon Code to which they are linked. Whereas you can link Rules at the Module, Category, Type, SubType and Season level elsewhere in RecTrac and have those Rules apply to all items within the Module, Category, Type, SubType or Season; Coupon Rules must be linked directly to the Coupon only.
Note: Refer to RecTrac Rules Overview for assistance as needed.
- When you are finished with Rules, click Save. You Coupon Code will be created and you will return to the Coupon Code Management DataGrid.
- Repeat the Steps in this section of the document as needed to create additional Coupon Codes, Serialized Coupons, and/or to Add Rules to existing Coupons
OR
Exit back to the main RecTrac menu.
Link Coupon Codes to Fees
In order to use Coupons as discounts, the Coupon Codes you create must be linked to the Fees to which they will apply. This is done in the Coupon List field in Advanced Fee Update.
- In RecTrac, go to a Fee linked to an item that can be discounted using a Coupon Code.
- 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 Coupon Code(s)that can be used for payment toward this fee.
- This field allows you to limit the Fees for which Coupons can be used during a sale. For Example: You might disallow the use of Coupons for purchases of Gift Certificates and/or alcohol but allow them to be used for everything else. 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.), you would enter the applicable Coupon Code(s) in this field.
- Wildcarding is allowed. To allow use of all Coupon Codes, enter a single asterisk (*) in this field. In the example above, all the Coupon Codes that end with PCNT are wildcarded. ALL Gift Certificate Codes are wildcarded.
- Click Save. Changes take effect immediately.
- Repeat these steps for all applicable Fees for which Coupons can be applied during the payment process.
Note: To set the Coupon Code 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 Management (System Management • Fee/Rule/Question Management Group • Fee Management). Access the program and Add CouponList to the Bulk Changes to Add box. Process your bulk changes as you normally would.
Set Your Payment Profile to Allow Coupons
To apply Coupons toward a Fee, the Allow Coupons option must be selected on your Payment profile. When this option is selected, and Add Coupons button is available on the Payment screens in RecTrac and WebTrac. When this option is de-selected, the button is not available.
- In RecTrac, go to Management Ribbon • System Management • User/Menu/Profile Management Group • Profile Assignments.
- Highlight/select an applicable Payment profile and click Change.. You will continue to the Payment Profile Update screen.
- Select the Allow Coupons option.
- Save your changes. Changes take effect immediately.
- Repeat these steps for your additional Payment profiles, if any, and exit back to the Main Menu when done.
Note: This is NOT a System-Wide setting. This is a Profile-based setting only. IF you have multiple Payment profiles, then VSI strongly recommends ensuring the Allow Coupons option is set consistently on each profile.
This completes the File Maintenance Setup for RecTrac Coupons.
Applying Coupons Toward a Sale
Redeeming Coupons in RecTrac
When redeeming coupons in RecTrac, the clerk must verify the authenticity of the coupon. The clerk must also ensure whether the coupon being presented can be used for the current sale. Rules can help simplify the process of determining whether the Coupon can be used for the current sale.
- In RecTrac, process a sale as you normally would and proceed to the Payment screen.
- Make note of the Total Due field.
- Click the Apply Coupon button. Do this before Adding the Payment. The Apply Coupon DataGrid will appear.
- Highlight/select the Coupon Code presented.
- IF the Coupons are NOT Serialized, click Select you will return to the Payment screen.
- IF the Coupons are Serialized, enter the Serial Number in its field and click Select. You will return to the Payment Screen.
- Make note of the Total Due field again. Coupons are treated like Discounts, so there is no added line item. The price is simply adjusted by the amount of the coupon. In this example, a 20% Coupon is being applied to a $50.00 sale. Upon application of the Coupon, the Total Due is adjusted automatically to $40.00, or 80% of 50.00.
- Complete the sales as you normally would. The resulting receipt will detail the amount of the Coupon used in the Discount field.
Note: If you opt to Serialize your Coupons, the Redeemed flag will be set on the Serial Coupon that was used. Further use of a Serialized Coupon can be allowed or disallow by the Allow Serial Reuse option in Serial Coupon Update.
Redeeming Coupons in WebTrac
When redeeming coupons in WebTrac, it is the customer's responsibility to enter the Coupon Code during the web transaction. Rules can help determine whether the Coupon Code being entered can used for the current sale.
- The patron processes the sale as normal and proceeds to checkout.
- At checkout, the patron enters the Coupon Code in the Apply Gift Certificate/Coupons/Rewards group of the screen and clicks Apply
- IF the Coupons are NOT Serialized, the patron will continue to the Payment screen.
- IF the Coupons are Serialized, the patron will have to enter the Serial Number before continuing to the Payment screen.
- At the Payment Screen, the customer will see the "Coupon Successful Applied" message and the amount of the Coupon will be displayed. In this example, a non-Serialized 10% Coupon was applied to a $50.00 sale, resulting in a $5.00 Discount.
- The customer then completes the transaction as normal.
Note: If you opt to Serialize your Coupons, the Redeemed flag will be set on the Serial Coupon that was used. Further use of a Serialized Coupon can be allowed or disallowed by the Allow Serial Reuse option in Serial Coupon Update.
Coupon Reports
Coupon Reports are located on the Standard VSI Design here: Reporting Ribbon • Report Listing • System Financial group • Coupon Reports. Available Coupon Reports include:
- VSI - Coupon Listing - This report lists your Coupon Codes and shows their Description, Type, Serialized Y/N and the number created.
- Click Here to See a Sample Report
- VSI - Coupon Redemption Report - This report lists the Coupons that have been Redeemed.
- Click Here to See a Sample Report
- VSI - Serial Coupon Listing - This report lists the Serialized Coupons in your database, their Type, Serial Number and Redeemed Y/N.
- Click Here to See a Sample Report
Troubleshooting
The following lists some common questions regarding Coupons and their possible solutions.
Problem:
A customer has a valid Coupon but the clerk has no way to apply it. There is no Apply Coupon button on her Payment Screen in Global Sales.
Solution:
Ensure the Payment profile to which the clerk is linked has the Allow Coupons option selected. The Allow Coupons option determines whether the Apply Coupons button appears on the Payment screen.
Problem:
At the Payment Screen in Global Sales, after selecting the Coupon and clicking Select, the following message appears:
Solution:
This is a generic message that appears whenever a Coupon Code is invalid. Possible reasons include, but are not limited to:
- There are no Coupon Codes linked to the Fees for the item being sold.
- The Rules linked to the Coupon are not set up correctly/not valid and thus the Coupon cannot be applied.
- The attempted use of the Coupon violates the Rules linked to it.
Problem:
At the Payment Screen in Global Sales, after clicking Apply Coupon the Apply Coupon DataGrid is blank.
Solution:
This is likely because:
- You have not set up any Coupons in Coupon Management.
- The clerk attempting to apply the Coupon does not have matching Permissions for the Permissions linked to the Coupon Code(s). User Permissions are maintained in the Permissions List field in User Update.
Problem:
At the Payment Screen in Global Sales, after selecting the Coupon and clicking Select, the following message appears:
Solution:
This message indicates that you are trying to redeem a Serialized Coupon for a second time. Whether you allow the coupon after this point is up to your Department policy. To verify whether the Coupon has been used, you can:
- Run the Serial Coupon Listing Report
- Go to Serial Coupon Management DataGrid for that Coupon Code.
To allow reuse of a single Serialized Coupon, use InLine Editing on the Serial Coupon Management DataGrid and remove the Redeemed flag if desired. To allow reuse of all Serialized Coupons for a particular Coupon Code, enable the Allow Serial Reuse option in Serial Coupon Update.