Define Payment Method
Once the application has been loaded on the pc, the user must verify that the store has been set up to accept gift certificates as a form of payment. Verify payment types by clicking on:
TOOLS | SYSTEM SETUP | PAY TYPE SETUP
Payment methods can be turned on or off and additional payment methods can be added. Ensure that the Gift Certificate Payment Method is set to Yes in order to continue configuring the Gift Card component.
Setup Gift Card component
To enable a store to sell and redeem gift certificates/cards, the user must setup the Gift Card component in the application. Setup the Gift Card component by clicking on:
TOOLS | SYSTEM SETUP | POS SETTINGS | GIFT CARD
Gift cards can be set up two ways:
Pre-printed gift cards from an outside manufacturer
Store generated gift certificate cards
Pre-printed gift cards will always have a unique gift card number that is assigned from the manufacturer. Store generated gift certificate cards, created as a ticket transaction, will need to have a unique number assigned to them from the system for tracking purposes. Once it is determined which type of gift card will be sold, the screen values can be set accordingly.
Generate Gift Card Numbers:
Set value to No for pre-printed gift cards
Set value to Yes for store generated gift certificate cards
When setting Generate Gift Card Numbers to Yes, the system will automatically assign the next sequential number based on the last gift card number assigned. By default, the first gift card number assigned will be 1. The user has the option to change the Last Used Number default of 0 to any number they choose to start with. For example, if the Last Used Number default were changed from 0 to 100, the first gift card number assigned would be 101. When tendering a ticket, the system will automatically add the 5-digit store number as a prefix to the assigned 9-digit gift card number. (i.e. gift card number 101 for store number 40 will be displayed as 00040000000101)
The user has the option to include the recipient information when selling a gift card.
Ask For Recipient Info:
Set value to No to ignore
Set value to Yes to track recipient information
Setting the Ask For Recipient Info value to Yes will prompt the counterman to enter the recipient information by displaying a pop-up box during the Point Of Sale transaction.
The user has the option to set an expiration date for a gift card.
Gift Card Expire After:
Enter a numeric value
Enter 0
By setting the Gift Card Expire After field to 365 will allow the gift card to be valid for 365 days from the purchase date. Setting the value to zero will create gift cards with no expiration date.
The user also has the ability to determine if the gift card should be redeemed only at the local store where it was purchased or allow it to be redeemed at any other store location within the chain. The application will also store and track the gift card information on the system. The information tracked includes the gift card number, who purchased the gift card, the date it was purchased, the remaining value of gift card, the expiration date, the last transaction number it was redeemed for, and the store number it was purchased at. (Note: The store number is part of the gift card number when using store generated gift certificate cards. For pre-printed cards, the store number can be found on the issued ticket, providing the store number was included in the Last Used Invoice Number in the POS Settings configuration.)
Validate Gift Cards Via:
Set value to Local
Set value to Remote
Setting the Validate Gift Cards Via field to Local will store the gift card information on the local store database where it was purchased and only allow redemption at the local store. (For single stores, value must be set to Local.)
Setting the value to Remote will allow a gift card to be purchased at one location and be redeemed at any other location. (Chain stores with multiple locations do have the ability to set the value to Local and restrict redemption to the purchased location.) When the value is set to Remote, a central collector system will be set up as a repository to log the gift card information. Storing the information in a central collector system will allow all the individual chain stores, connected to this system, to access the same information at any point in time. In order to set up the repository log, the user must specify the URL and PORT number for the central collector machine.
Adding a Gift Card part to the Inventory file
Before a gift card can be sold, a gift card entry must exist in the inventory file.
Access the Inventory File via the Hot Menus
Enter a 3 character alphanumeric abbreviation for the manufacturer name in the Mfg field (i.e. GFT, GC1)
Enter an alphanumeric name for the part in the Part Number field. (i.e. GC, GIFTCARD, GIFT CARD - use as few characters as possible as this is what the counterman will need to key in.)
[ Enter ]
If this item already exists, the system will bring you to that listing in the inventory file. If this item does not exist, a message will appear and you will have the option to add a new entry. Clicking Add New brings the user into the inventory file. Follow the information below to finish adding the new part number into the inventory file:
Mfg field and Part Number field will display the information entered in the previous screen.
Enter a descriptive alphanumeric name for the part in the Description field. The value for this field will be included on the ticket for the customer. (i.e. GIFT CARD, GIFT CERTIFICATE)
Select Gift Certificate from the Detail Type field drop down box
For this type of gift card, the pricing will be left at zero, allowing the counterman to set the value during the Point Of Sale. This will allow the counterman to sell a gift card and enter the gift card value during the Point Of Sale transaction.
Set the Visual Verify field to Yes for this type of gift card. This will display a pop-up box during the Point Of Sale transaction for the counterman to enter and verify the quantity and dollar value.
Click the Save icon on the tool bar after the new part number information is added.
The user also has the ability to sell gift cards with pre-determined values. This is accomplished by adding individual part numbers to the inventory file for each gift card denomination. Follow the information below to add individual gift cards entries by denomination into the inventory file:
Access the Inventory File via the Hot Menus
Enter a 3 character alphanumeric abbreviation for the part in the Mfg field (i.e. GFT, GC1)
Enter an alphanumeric name for the part in the Part Number field. (i.e. GC25, $25GC, GC$25 - use as few characters as possible as this is what the counterman will need to key in.)
[ Enter ]
If this item already exists, the system will bring you to that listing in the inventory file. If this item does not exist, a message will appear and you will have the option to add a new entry. Clicking Add New brings the user into the inventory file. Follow the information below to finish adding the new part numbers by denomination into the inventory file:
Mfg field and Part Number field will display the information entered in the previous screen.
Enter a descriptive alphanumeric name for the part in the Description field. (i.e. $25 GIFT CARD, GIFT CARD 25 - the value for this field will be included on the ticket for the customer.)
Select Gift Certificate from the Detail Type field drop down box
For this type of gift card, enter the price in each price level. For this example, $25.00 would be entered into all the price levels. As a result, when the counterman enters this part number in a transaction, the price will already be set at $25.00.
Set the Visual Verify field to No for gift certificates with pre-set denominations.
Click the Save icon on the tool bar after each new part number is added.