Setting up vouchers

Vouchers are stored value items such as gift cards or gift certificates. This topic describes all steps required to set up vouchers in RMH.

(Optional) Setting the voucher expiration period

Warning! Before you set the voucher expiration period, check the laws governing voucher expiration in the jurisdiction where the store operates. In some jurisdictions, it is against the law to set expiry dates for vouchers. In other jurisdictions, there may be legal requirements for establishing voucher expiration periods and managing expired customer vouchers.

1. Click File | Configuration.
2. Click Tender.
3. In Voucher Expiration, do one of the following:

  • Enter zero (0) if you do not want vouchers to expire.

  • Enter the number of days that customers have to use a voucher before the voucher expires and is no longer valid.

4. Click Save And Close.

Setting up store rules for serial numbers

1. Click File | Configuration.
2. Click Store rules.
3. Expand Serial Number Options.
4. Select any of the following options:

  • Allow POS serial number creation: Select this option if you want to enable cashiers or salespeople to enter new serial numbers in POS when they sell vouchers. This option enables serial number creation, but does not require it.

  • Enforce unique serial numbers: Select this option if you require cashiers or salespeople to enter or select unique serial numbers in POS when they sell vouchers or use vouchers to tender transactions. When this option is selected, duplicate serial numbers cannot be entered or selected.

  • Require serial number at POS: Select this option if you require cashiers or salespeople to enter or select serial numbers in POS when they sell vouchers or use vouchers to tender transactions.

5. Click Save And Close.

Setting up the voucher tender type

If the store accepts vouchers as payment for transactions, you must set up a voucher tender type that cashiers or salespeople can select on the Tender screen in POS.

1. Click Setup.
2. Expand Financial.
3. Click Tender Types.
4. Click New.
5. For Description, enter a name for the voucher tender type, e.g., Voucher, Gift Card/Certificate.
6. For Tender Code, enter a code that identifies the voucher tender type, e.g., VC, GC.
7. From Tender Type, select Voucher.
8. From Currency, select Default Currency to use the store's default currency when redeeming vouchers.
9. (Optional) For Maximum Amount, enter the maximum dollar value the store will accept for the voucher tender type. For example, some stores will limit voucher redemption to $500 to reduce risk from fraud.
10. For Display Order, enter a number corresponding to the order in which you want the voucher tender type to display on the Tender screen in POS.
11. Enable Prevent cashier overtendering. This prevents cashiers or salespeople from tendering an amount that is higher than the transaction total using the voucher tender type.
12. Enable Allow multiple entries. This allows customers to redeem more than one voucher in a transaction.
13. Select other options, as required.
14. Click Save And Close.

Adding vouchers

1. Click Merchandising.
2. Click Items.
3. Click New.
4. Select Standard Item and click OK.
5. On the General tab:
a. For the Item Lookup Code, do one of the following:

  • Enter the UPC for preprinted vouchers.

  • Enter a unique ILC for the voucher.

Note: For preprinted vouchers with different face values, a good practice is to add the vouchers as separate items with different ILCs and different prices.

b. From Item type, select Voucher.
c. Select a Department and Category.
d. Clear (remove) the check mark beside Item is taxable.

Note: Prepaid vouchers are not taxable. Taxes are only collected on the hard goods or services that the customer purchases using the voucher.

e. (Optional) Enter a Price only if the voucher will be sold for that dollar amount, e.g., a preprinted $25 voucher.

Note: If the voucher can be sold for different dollar amounts, leave the Price field empty and select Must enter price at the POS on the Options tab.

f. Enter other fields, as required.
6. On the Options tab:
a. (Optional) Select Must enter price at the POS if the voucher can be sold for different dollar amounts, and you want the cashier or salesperson to enter the amount in POS.
b. Select Item is not discountable at the POS.

Note: It is a best practice to not discount the sale of prepaid vouchers. The customer should pay the full prepaid voucher amount.

7. On the Voucher tab:
a. (Optional) Select Item can not be returned.

Note: It is a best practice to not allow returns (refunds) of prepaid vouchers to reduce risk from fraud. However, you should check the laws governing refunds of prepaid vouchers in the jurisdiction where the store operates before selecting this option. Some jurisdictions have laws that allow or require refunds of prepaid vouchers.

b. Click the Search icon next to Linked Tender and select the voucher tender type you created earlier. This is necessary to link to the voucher item to the voucher tender type so the voucher can be redeemed.
c. (Optional) For Numbering, select Cashier entered if you want the cashier or salesperson to enter a preprinted voucher number or serial number, or to select a voucher number or serial number from a list of available numbers when a voucher is sold.
d. (Optional) For Numbering, select Auto generated if you want POS to automatically generate a voucher number in POS when a voucher is sold. Use the Number Format field to specify the format POS should use for voucher numbers, e.g., VCHR-###### would generate voucher numbers such as VCHR-000001, VCHR-000002, etc.

Note: If you select Auto generated to automatically generate voucher numbers in POS, you do not need to set up serial numbers on the Serial tab. When vouchers are sold in POS, the automatically generated voucher numbers are added to the Serial tab in the Item screen.

8. (Optional) On the Serial tab:

It is not necessary to enter voucher numbers or serial numbers from preprinted cards on the Serial tab. You can save time by having cashiers or salespeople enter these numbers in POS instead. To set this up, select Cashier entered on the Voucher tab and make sure the Allow POS serial number creation and Require serial number at POS options are selected in the store rules. If these options are selected, when a cashier or salesperson rings up a voucher in POS, they are prompted to manually enter the number from the preprinted card. When the sale is tendered, the number entered into POS is added to the Serial tab in the Item screen.

If you do not want cashiers or salespeople to enter the voucher number or serial number in POS, you can use the procedure below to enter the numbers from preprinted cards on the Serial tab in Store Manager. You should enter the numbers on the Serial tab after the vouchers have been received, and before they are stocked on the shelves. You should also select the Require serial number at POS option in the store rules. Then, when a cashier or salesperson rings up a voucher in POS, they are prompted to select the number on the preprinted card from the list of available numbers.

To enter voucher numbers or serial numbers from preprinted cards:

a. Click New.
b. In the Serial Number 1 field, enter the number for the first card.
c. Click OK.
d. Repeat until you have entered all of the numbers for the preprinted cards.

If you are not entering voucher numbers or serial numbers from preprinted cards, or automatically generating voucher numbers in RMH, you will need to generate serial numbers in RMH. This is because vouchers must be assigned either a voucher number or a serial number. Use the procedure below to automatically generate serial numbers for vouchers, if required.

To automatically generate serial numbers for vouchers:

a. Click New.
b. In the Serial Number 1 field, enter the prefix for the serial number series, e.g., VCHR-.
c. Select Automatically generate serial numbers.
d. For Number to create, enter the number of serial numbers to generate, e.g., 50.
e. Select Start S/N 1 with and enter the starting number for the serial number series, e.g., 100.

Note: RMH ignores leading zeros (0) in the Start S/N 1, 2, 3 fields. For example, if you enter 001, the serial number series will start with 1, not 001.

f. Click OK.
9. Click Save And Close.

Excluding sales of prepaid vouchers from loyalty collection schedules

If the store uses RMH Loyalty Manager, it is a best practice to exclude sales of prepaid vouchers from point collection schedules. Points should only be collected when the customer purchases hard goods or services at the store.

1. In Loyalty Manager, click Collection.
2. Select an existing collection schedule.
3. Under Rules, click Add.
4. From Rule, select Exclude for vouchers.
5. Click Save.
6. Click Save.