Central Gift Cards
You can add one or more central gift card items to your Prism inventory. To do this, you select "Central Gift Card" in the Item Type field. When listed on a transaction, central gift cards are like regular gift cards except all action against the card goes through the centrals server. This topic explains how to:
- configure central gift card preferences
- add central gift card items to inventory
- sell/activate central gift cards
- redeem central gift cards
- check central gift card balance
Basic Steps for Central Gift Card Items
- Configure permissions for central gift cards (Store Operations - Employees - Groups)
- Configure preferences for central gift cards (Admin Console - Node Preferences - Transactions - Centrals)
- Follow the steps for adding a new item to inventory and set the Item Type field in the item record to "Central Gift Card."
- Sell the cards at POS to activate the cards. When a customer purchases the gift card, the Associate scans the card's barcode. Scanning the barcode at POS displays a prompt for activating the card for the specific amount.
- When tendering transactions, use the central gift card tender type . When using the central gift card tender type, the remaining card amount is verified against the centrals server in real time.
- Check gift card balance when needed.
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
The following preferences are available for central gift cards:
| 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:
New Central Gift Card Item
Navigate to Store Operations > Inventory. Click the New button to start a new item. Set the Inventory Type to Gift Card - Centrals. Add an item for each Gift Card denomination that you plan to sell. For example, add a central gift card item for a $20 gift card, add a separate item for a $50 gift card, etc.
Sample inventory item with Inventory Type set to Gift Card - Centrals:
Taxable Central Gift Cards in VAT environment
You can configure your system so that central gift card items are taxable. In some locales, law requires the retailer to charge VAT on the sale of gift cards. In such a VAT environment, make sure the Tax Code field for the central gift card item is set to TAXABLE. This will ensure that tax is charged when the central gift card item is sold. In a VAT environment, the sale of a gift card is considered to be a merchandise purchase and therefore subject to VAT. While it is true that the merchant in a sense loses the tax amount on the sale of the gift card; however, the amount is made up when the card is redeemed because using a gift card is considered an exchange and therefore is not taxed.
Gift Card - Centrals items at POS
When using central gift cards, there are four possible transaction types:
- Purchase/Activate: When a customer buys a gift card, the gift card is activated and charged with value. The value on the card cannot be used until the card is activated.
- Redeem: When a customer uses a central gift card to pay for a transaction, the Associate selects "Central Gift Card" as the tender type.
- 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
- On a transaction, list the central gift card item.
- 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.
- Click the Tender Transaction button.
- The Gift Card Activation is displayed.
- Click the icon. Scan the Gift Card Number. Click OK
- Select the payment type and click the Take button. Tender and update the transaction. The Gift Card is pre-authorized for specified amount.
Redeem a Central Gift Card
- Click Tender Transaction. The tender screen shows the Amount Due.
- Click the Tender Type button and click Central Gift Card. Click the icon and then swipe the card number. Click Take.
- The amount redeemed as well as the card number are displayed on the tender screen.
- Take additional tenders, if needed, and then print/update.
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
You can check a card's balance outside of a transaction, or during a transaction.
Check Card Balance outside of a Transaction
- Start a new transaction and list the central gift card item.
- Click the Options button and select Central Gift Card Details.
- Swipe the card and click OK.
Check Card Balance on Transaction in Progress
- On a transaction in progress, click Tender Type and select Central Gift Card. Swipe the card and click the Balance button.
- The Balance is displayed.
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?"
- If you click Yes, the requested amount will be added to the central gift card.
- If you click No, only the amount that will bring the central gift card up to its maximum balance is added to the card.
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.
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.