Central Gift Card Tender
Use the central gift card tender to take as payment (or give as change) funds from gift cards. When cards are purchased or redeemed, the transaction is verified against the Centrals server in real time, helping to prevent gift card fraud and abuse. This feature requires you to set up a Centrals server.
Central Gift Card Permissions
You can control employee access to the central gift card feature using the following security permissions.
- POS - Add Central Gift Card: Allows the user to add a central gift card item to a transaction. Triggered when central gift card item being added to transaction.
- POS - Change Central Gift Care Expiration Date: When set to Allow, allows the user to manually edit the Expiration Date for central gift card items.
Central Gift Card Preferences
To use central gift cards, you must enable the option in RP Prism preferences (Transactions > Centrals). After you select the "Enabled" check box, you can edit the other central gift card preferences.
| Preference | Description |
|---|---|
| Enabled | If selected, central gift cards will be available as a tender at POS. The other central gift card options are disabled for editing until you select this check box. |
| Use all balance if projected balance less than | This preference enables you to zero out a central gift card if the projected balance is less than the amount entered here. For example, if the transaction will result in a balance of less than 0.25, the entire central gift card balance will be used, rather than issuing a new credit for such a small amount. |
| When tendering by Central Gift Card restrict given tender to | This preference enables you to require change to be given in a specific tender. When tendering by central gift card, users must use the tender selected here when giving change. |
| Offline Take Limit | Enter the upper limit for central gift card transactions performed offline. Transactions with a Total above the entered Offline Limit are not allowed. |
| Purchase Limit | The value entered in this field limits the amount of value that can be added to a central gift card. This applies to purchasing, adding value, or giving change. If the value is set to $0.00, it means "No Limit." |
| Mask card number in dialogues | If selected, when a card number is scanned, the card number will be masked (using asterisks) |
| Generate central ID | If selected, then when adding/activating a new gift card, the Centrals Server will generate the Gift Card ID. This enables customers to redeem central credits by ID. Note: Redeem Central Payment by ID feature. See the subsection on "Redeeming Central Credits by ID" |
| Allow card information to be keyed in | If selected, central gift card information can be typed. If not selected, the card information must be entered by scanning or swiping the card |
| Set expiration date upon activation | When enabled, activating a Central Gift Card will set an expiration date for that card, based on 'days' designation. Inherited (Corp, SBS, Store, WS). Inherited (Corp, SBS, Store, WS) Default = Disabled |
| Set maximum value upon activation | When enabled, activating a Central Gift Card will set a maximum value for that card, equal to the activation amount. Inherited (Corp, SBS, Store, WS) Default = Disabled |
Sample Admin Console - Node Preferences - Transactions - Centrals preferences:
Node Preferences > Transactions > General
In Node Preferences > Transactions > General, the "Activate Gift Cards for Original Amount" preference controls whether gift cards can be activated for an amount other than the original amount.
- If the "Activate Gift Cards for Original Amount" preference is enabled, gift cards can only be activated for the original amount at which the card was sold.
- If the preference is disabled, then gift cards can be activated for an amount different than the original amount.
Central Gift Cards at POS
When using central gift cards, there are four possible transaction types:
- Sell/Activate: When a customer buys a gift card, the gift card is activated and charged with value.
- Redeem: When a customer uses a central gift card to pay for a transaction, the Associate selects "Central Gift Card" as the tender type and scans the card's barcode. The transaction amount is subtracted from the card's available amount.
- Check Balance: Associates can check the current balance of a gift card.
- Add Value: Add value ("recharge") a gift card with additional funds.
Note: To properly parse data from various card types, the user must touch or click the Swipe button to the right of the Central Gift Card No field. This will bring up a Swipe Gift Card dialog.
Sell/Activate Central Gift Card
1. On a transaction, list the central gift card item.
2. Click the Tender Transaction button.
3. The Gift Card Activation dialog is displayed. Click the Scan button and then scan the gift card's barcode. Enter or confirm the amount and click OK.
4. Select the payment type and click the Take button.
5. Tender and update the transaction. The Gift Card is pre-authorized for specified amount.
Gift Card Activation dialog
Redeem a Central Gift Card
- Click Tender Transaction. The tender screen shows the Amount Due.
- Click the Tender Type button and select Central Gift Card.
- Swipe or scan the card (or type the number). Click OK.
- If the Amount Due is less than the amount of the central gift card, the amount is subtracted from the card's available balance. If the Amount Due is greater than the amount of the central gift card, tender the remaining portion of the amount due.
Gift Card Past Expiration Date
If a user scans or enters a card number that is past its expiration date, the message below is displayed.
Check a Central Gift Card's Balance
- Start a new transaction and list the central gift card item.
- Click the Options button and select Check Central Gift Card Balance.
Selling a Gift Card that exceeds the maximum value set in preferences
If the requested amount exceeds the allowed maximum, a prompt is displayed. The requested amount exceeds the allowed maximum. Would you like to add the maximum value to this Central Gift Card? Selecting yes to gift card maximum amount prompt when the maximum value allowed is lower than want you are trying to add will now change the line items price to match maximum amount allowed for this gift card number.
Duplicate Card Numbers
Users are not allowed to enter the same gift card number for multiple central gift card items on the same document. If they do they will be greeted with the red toasty listed below. User will have to select the tender button again to get prompted to enter a different gift card.
Expired Central Gift Card at POS
If you try to take a gift card that is past its expiration date, an error message is displayed. The dialog that is presented includes a Clear button. Click the Clear button to remove the expired gift card. Scan or type a new card number and continue with the transaction. To use central gift cards, you must enable the option in RP Prism preferences (Transactions > Centrals). After you select the "Enabled" check box, you can edit the other central gift card preferences.
Gift Card being used on another Station
Users may receive an error message that a gift card "is currently being used at another station". This message is typically displayed when the gift card had been added to a transaction and then the browser crashed (for whatever reason). If you see this message, check Pending Transactions for the transaction.