Working with Gift Certificates

Purpose: You can sell gift certificates like other items you offer to your customers. To process gift certificates:

1. Creating: Create a gift certificate as an item when Performing Initial Item Entry (MITM), flagging it as a gift certificate and a non-inventory item.

2. Selling: In order entry, add gift certificates to orders as you would any other item. You can also sell gift certificates on orders you process through the E-Commerce Interface or through the phone interface (see Loading Remote Orders).

Note: Emailing vs. printing: When you enter an order on which you sell a gift certificate, you can set the E-mail gift certificate flag at the Work with Order Ship to Properties Screen to generate an email, rather than printed, gift certificate. You can also pass this setting into CWDirect for orders you receive through the web storefront. See the Gift Certificate E-Mail Program (H07) system control value for more information on how to set up your company to email gift certificates.

3. Billing: Generate pick slips for the orders in Working with Pick Slip Generation (WPSG). No pick slips print for gift certificates. Instead, the system bills the gift certificate immediately (although it is first subject to the same credit card authorization as any other item).

During billing, the system:

• assigns gift certificate numbers; see Assigning Gift Certificate Numbers.

• determines the gift certificate amount; see Assigning Gift Certificate Amount.

4. Printing or emailing: You must use the Process Gift Certificates Screen (MPGC) to create records of gift certificates in the Coupon Redemption file before customers can redeem the certificates. (Note: This file is used to track the redemption of both coupons and gift certificates.) If you use printed rather than handwritten or email gift certificates, you can print them at this time. The system also generates emails where appropriate.

Note: Reprinting: You can use the Reprint Gift Certificates Screen (MRGC) to reprint gift certificates, or to resend email gift certificate notifications.

5. Applying as payment: You can select from a list of both gift certificates and coupons when you enter a coupon/credit pay type in order entry. If you select a gift certificate to apply as payment, it must be fully or partially unredeemed; the system does not allow you to apply more than the total unredeemed balance.

Note: Reviewing unredeemed gift certificates: You can use the Print Unredeemed Gift Certificate Screen (PUGC) to print a list of unredeemed and partially redeemed gift certificates. You can also use the Work with Coupon Redemption Screen to review all of the coupons and gift certificates in the Coupon Redemption file.

6. Purging: See System Operations Purging Coupon Redemption Records (MPCP) for information on purging redeemed and expired coupon records from the Coupon Redemption file.

Email template: You can use the Working with Entities (WENT) menu option to create an entity-level email template, and the Working with E-Mail Notification Templates (WEMT) menu option to create a default company-level gift certificate template. The template specifies the text to print above and below the standard gift certificate information.

In this topic:

• Assigning Gift Certificate Numbers

• Process Gift Certificates Screen (MPGC)

• Gift Certificate Register

• Gift Certificate

• Reprint Gift Certificates Screen (MRGC)

• Print Unredeemed Gift Certificate Screen (PUGC)

• Unredeemed Gift Certificate List

• Unredeemed Coupon Listing (PCPN)

• Outstanding Credits/Coupons Report

Assigning Gift Certificate Numbers

Receiving a gift certificate number through the e-commerce or phone interface: Normally, the system assigns gift certificate numbers during pick slip generation, and creates the record in the Gift Certificate file at this point. However, an order you receive through the e-commerce or phone interface that includes purchase of a gift certificate should already specify a gift certificate number. In this situation, the gift certificate record is created at the same time that the order is created in CWDirect, and no additional update to the gift certificate takes place when you generate pick slips.

Note: If you receive an order containing a gift certificate through the e-commerce interface, and a number is not assigned, the system will never assign a number. You must delete the order detail line and enter a new one.

If the gift certificate number is already assigned: When you receive a pre-assigned number on a web or phone order, the system verifies that the number is not already assigned to a gift certificate on your system. If you receive a duplicate number, the system assigns a new one.

Random or sequential number assignment: The Create Random Gift Certificate/Coupon Numbers (H09) system control value controls whether the system assigns gift certificate and coupon numbers in sequential or “random” (non-sequential) order. You might want to assign numbers non-sequentially to reduce the possibility of fraud; for example, if a customer redeems gift certificate # 2234, it does not necessarily mean that 2235 is also a valid gift certificate number.

Note: If you assign gift certificate numbers non-sequentially, it will not be practical to use the Reprint Gift Certificates Screen (MRGC) or the Delete Coupons (MDCP) Screen, because each of these screens require that you enter the beginning and ending gift certificate/coupon number to reprint or delete.

Assigning Gift Certificate Amount

The Gift Certificate Pricing Method (I54) system control value determines the price the system uses as the amount to apply to the gift certificate. The system applies the amount to the gift certificate when the gift certificate item is processed through billing.

• If this system control value is set to OFFER, the gift certificate amount is the offer price. For example, you can purchase a $25.00 gift certificate for $22.00 and still apply $25.00 to the gift certificate. If the offer price is $0.00, the system uses the order line price.

• If this system control value is set to ORDER or blank, the gift certificate amount is the order line price. For example, if the order line price is $25.00, the amount applied to the gift certificate is $25.00. If the order line price is $0.00, the system uses the offer price.

If both the offer price and order line price are $0.00, the gift certificate amount is $0.00.

Process Gift Certificates Screen (MPGC)

Purpose: Use this screen to create a record for each gift certificate ordered in the Coupon Redemption file. Although the gift certificate number is already assigned, the system does not yet recognize the number as valid. By creating the Coupon Redemption records, Process Gift Certificates validates the gift certificates for redemption or payment.

You can also use this screen to print gift certificates and the Gift Certificate Register. If you write your gift certificates by hand, you can print just a register of gift certificates sold since the last time you processed gift certificates. Selecting the print option also generates gift certificate emails.

Note: The system writes an order history message indicating that the gift certificate has been printed even if you choose to print the register only.

How to display this screen: Enter MPGC in the Fast path field or select Process Gift Certificates from a menu.

CSR0435 ENTER Process Gift Certificates 6/24/97 10:55:37 Mail Order Company Print register only . N (Y/N) F3=Exit F12=Cancel

Field

Description

Print register only

This value controls whether to print and/or email gift certificates and print the register, or to print the register only. The register lists gift certificate numbers, the customer name, and the amount of the certificate. N (default) = Print or email gift certificates and print the Gift Certificate Register. Y = Print only the register. Set this field to Y if you write your gift certificates by hand. Note: Even if you select to print the register only, the system still updates the Gift Certificate file with a printed date, and writes an order history message indicating that the gift certificate was printed. Alphanumeric, 1 position; required.

Completing this screen: The system checks the program name in the Gift Certificate Print Program (E76) system control value. A message displays if a program name has not been defined:

Gift Certificate print program must be defined in SCV E76.

Otherwise, the system submits the batch job GC_PRINT and returns you to the previous screen. This job generates the Gift Certificate, if appropriate, and the Gift Certificate Register. Also, the system generates email gift certificates if appropriate (see the Gift Certificate E-Mail Program (H07) system control value for more information).

Order history messages: The system writes a message such as the following, regardless of whether you selected to print the register only, or whether the gift certificate was emailed:

7/13/00 G Gift Certificate (89118) printed. 20.00 EKAPLAN

Also, if an email notification was generated, the system writes a message such as the following:

7/13/00 L GiftCert to ezkaplan@commercialware.com EKAPLAN

You can review these messages at the Display Order History Screen.

Reprint Gift Certificates Screen (MRGC)

Purpose: Use this screen to reprint gift certificates when you encounter a printing problem. An asterisk (*) prints next to the gift certificate total on the register for reprinted gift certificates. You can also use this screen to regenerate email gift certificate notices; see Working with Gift Certificates for an overview.

Note: If the Create Random Gift Certificate/Coupon Numbers (H09) system control value is selected, it will not be practical to use this screen, because it requires that you enter the beginning and ending gift certificate number to reprint.

How to display this screen: Enter MRGC in the Fast path field at the top of any menu or select Reprint Gift Certificates from a menu.

CSR0440 ENTER Reprint Gift Certificates 6/24/97 13:27:24 Mail Order Company From certificate# . To certificate# . . Print register only . . . N (Y/N) F3=Exit F12=Cancel

Field	Description
From certificate #	The number of the first gift certificate you want to reprint or email. The system requires a valid gift certificate number. Numeric, 7 positions; required.
To certificate #	The number of the last gift certificate you want to reprint or email. The system requires a valid gift certificate number. Reenter the first certificate number in this field if you want to reprint just one gift certificate. Numeric, 7 positions; required.
Print register only	This value controls whether to reprint and/or email gift certificates and print the register, or to reprint the register only. The register lists gift certificate numbers, the customer name, and the amount of the certificate. N (default) = Reprint or email gift certificates and print the Gift Certificate Register. Y = Reprint only the register. Set this field to Y if you write your gift certificates by hand. Note: The system writes an order history message indicating that the gift certificate has been reprinted even if you choose to print the register only. Alphanumeric, 1 position; required.

Completing this screen: The system checks the program name in the Gift Certificate Print Program (E76) system control value. A message displays if a program name has not been defined:

Gift Certificate print program must be defined in SCV E76.

If a program name has been entered in the Gift Certificate Print Program (E76) system control value, the system submits the batch job GC_REPRINT, which produces the Gift Certificate Register and each Gift Certificate. Also, the system generates email gift certificates if appropriate.

The system also writes an order history message indicating that the gift certificate has been reprinted, or reprinted and emailed. See the Process Gift Certificates Screen (MPGC) for sample messages and more information.

Print Unredeemed Gift Certificate Screen (PUGC)

Purpose: Use this screen to print a report of all gift certificates that have not been fully redeemed (used as payment) on a shipped order. Recently redeemed gift certificates remain on this report until the orders where they are redeemed are billed.

Partially redeemed gift certificates: Gift certificates used as payment in amounts less than their total value also appear on this report. The unredeemed balances from such gift certificates are treated like other overpayments; for instance, the system creates a refund record and you can refund the unredeemed balance to the customer. The customer can not use the same gift certificate number twice. However, if the gift certificate pay type is set to generate an alternate refund type, such as a check, the partially redeemed gift certificate does not appear on the report.

You must first process gift certificates for them to appear on this report. See Working with Gift Certificates.

Alternate report: The Outstanding Credits/Coupons Report lists all record types in the Coupon Redemption file, including coupons, merchandise credits, bonus credits, and gift certificates. However, this report does not list any Coupon Redemption record that has a redemption date, indicating that a customer has applied it as a payment method on an order. See Unredeemed Coupon Listing (PCPN) for more information.

How to display this screen: Enter PUGC in the Fast path field on any menu or select Print Unredeemed Gift Certificate List from a menu.

ACR0270 ENTER Print Unredeemed Gift Certificates 8/28/95 11:22:33 Mail Order Company Press Enter to submit list. F3=Exit F12=Cancel

Running this report: This report runs when you press Enter at this screen. The system submits the program OPEN_GC, which produces the Unredeemed Gift Certificate List (ACR0269$).

Unredeemed Coupon Listing (PCPN)

Purpose: Use this menu option to generate the Outstanding Credits/Coupons Report, which lists all unredeemed records in the Coupon Redemption file, including gift certificates, coupons, merchandise credits, and bonus credits. If a Coupon Redemption record has a Redemption date, indicating that a customer has applied against an order as a payment method, then the record is not included regardless of whether the redeeming order has shipped yet.

When you select this menu option, the system generates the Outstanding Credits/Coupons Report directly. There is no prompt screen or listing at the Work with Submitted Jobs screen. Use the Work with All Spooled Files screen to review the report.

Alternate report: The Unredeemed Gift Certificate List includes partially redeemed gift certificate records; however, coupons and credits are not included on this report. See Print Unredeemed Gift Certificate Screen (PUGC) for more information.